This major collection demonstrates the extent to which Thomas Paine was
an inspiration to the Americans in their struggle for independence, a
passionate supporter of the French Revolution and perhaps the
outstanding English radical writer of his age. It contains all of
Paine's major works including Rights of Man, his groundbreaking
defence of the revolutionary cause in France; Common Sense, which won
thousands over to the side of the American rebels; and the first part of
The Age of Reason, a ferocious attack on Christianity. The shorter
pieces--on capital punishment, social reform and the abolition of
slavery--also confirm the great versatility and power of this master of
democratic prose.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.