Gulliver's strange adventures in some of the most unusual lands ever
imagined have made this one of the rare classics with an enduring and
wide-ranging appeal to all ages.
Gulliver's bad luck at sea not only gets him shipwrecked and castaway,
but repeatedly throws him into strange societies of even stranger
people. Readers are likely aware of Gulliver's experiences in Lilliput,
where he meets a kingdom of six-inch-tall people with a set of
prejudices that are as rigid as they are ridiculous. They may be less
familiar with Gulliver's time among the giants of Brobdingnag, the
science-obsessed residents of the flying island of Laputa or the
horse-like and thoughtful Houyhnhnms, all of which are much less well
known despite being every bit as inventive and thought-provoking.
Swift's straightforward narrative style adds both realism and a kind of
deadpan humor to his outrageous flights of the imagination. The
fantastical nature of Gulliver's adventures have led the book,
especially the section taking place in Lilliput, to be seen by some as a
story for children, but the tale's political and philosophical
underpinnings are not hidden and cast a decidedly skeptical eye on
humanity. Seen as a collection of delightful fairy tales or as fables
that probe the nature of society, Gulliver's Travels occupies a unique
position in the canon of English literature and will undoubtedly be
reinterpreted, and enjoyed, as long as books are read. Included in this
Mint Edition is Swift's fierce satirical essay, A Modest Proposal.
With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Gulliver's Travels is both modern and readable.
