
The Battle of the Books
Jonathan Swift(Author)
Alma Classics (Publisher)
Published on 15. December 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
112 pages
978-1-84749-679-9 (ISBN)
Description
Inspired by Boileau's Lutrin and illustrating the debate within European intellectual circles between the "Ancients", who argued that all essential knowledge was to be found in classical texts, and the "Moderns", who claimed that contemporary learning superseded the old sources, The Battle of the Books shows Swift at his wittiest and most trenchant. In this early satire, various books in St James's Library take on a life of their own and come into conflict with one another, in a pastiche of the heroic epic genre.
As well as providing humorous reflections on the nature of scholarship and education, Swift seizes the opportunity to take swipes at several authors and critics. The result is a timeless and entertaining parody by one of the most enduringly popular writers in the English language.
As well as providing humorous reflections on the nature of scholarship and education, Swift seizes the opportunity to take swipes at several authors and critics. The result is a timeless and entertaining parody by one of the most enduringly popular writers in the English language.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Richmond
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Alma Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 150 mm
Width: 110 mm
Weight
87 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84749-679-9 (9781847496799)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Previous edition

Jonathan Swift
The Battle of Books
Book
04/2012
Alma Classics
€12.95
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer of prose, poetry, essays and political pamphlets, and is probably the best-known satirist in the English language. His novel Gulliver's Travels is one of the landmarks of world literature.