The books in this section are usually hardcover and in decent condition, though we'll sometimes offer hard-to-find books in lesser condition at a reduced price. Though we often put images of the book with their original dust jackets, the copies here won't always (or even often) have them. If that is important to you, please call ahead or say so in the order comments!
Thomas Paine devoted his life to three great causes: the American Revolution, the rights of man, and the reform of religion. Common Sense and The American Crisis made him a hero of the American Revolution; The Rights of Man of the French. His attack on religion in The Age of Reason caused him to be ostracized by the same people who had lionized him. Never a success at practical affairs, Paine's personal life was largely unhappy, clouded by quarrels with friends and what he felt was a lack of recognition.
In this meticulously researched biography, Olivia Coolidge describes the life and work of this difficult, quirky genius. She succeeds in bringing into sympathetic focus the many facets of a man considered a failure by his contemporaries, but whose passionate defense of man's liberties helped create the modern world.
Did you find this review helpful?