UtopiaFive hundred years since its first publication, Thomas More's Utopia remains astonishingly radical and provocative. More imagines an island nation where thousands live in peace and harmony, men and women are both educated, and property is communal. In a text hovering between fantasy, satire, blueprint and game, More explores the theories and realities behind war, political conflicts, social tensions and redistribution, and imagines the day-to-day lives of a citizenry living free from fear, oppression, violence and suffering. But there has always been a shadow at the heart of Utopia. If this is a depiction of the perfect state, why, as well as wonder, does it provoke a growing unease? In this quincentenary edition, published in conjunction with Somerset House, More's text is introduced by multi-award-winning author China Miville and accompanied by four essays from Ursula K. Le Guin, today's most distinguished utopian writer and thinker. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Amaurot Anthropocene apocalypse better Bob Elliott body California called Cardinal carry China Miéville civilization Claude Lévi-Strauss commonwealth communitas Coyote danger death delight discourse divine dystopia earth easily ecological enemies engage esteem fall force freedom Fritjof Capra give gold gulag happiness honour hope human idle imagine inhabitants injustice intermutability island Islandia justice kill king labour Lactantius Lao Tzu laws less Lévi-Strauss live look magistrates man’s mankind matter means men’s Milan Kundera mind nations nature neighbours never observed occasion offer one’s opinion oppression peace persons pleasure porcupine priests prince punished reason religion rest rich serve Shape of Utopia sick slaves social society sort Syphogrants things thought town Tranibors Urizen Ursula K virtue War Without End whole William Blake wise Wishing Bone women words