Common Sense

By: Paine, Thomas

"Common Sense" presented the American colonists with a powerful argument for independence from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided. Paine wrote and reasoned in a style that common people understood; forgoing the philosophy and Latin references used by Enlightenment era writers, Paine structured "Common Sense" like a sermon and relied on Biblical references to make his case to the people. Historian Gordon S. Wood described "Common Sense" as, "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1691365017
• ISBN13: 9781691365012
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 114 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Relevant for today, as you can see, many parallels.

“… let none be heard among us, then those of A GOOD CITIZEN, AN OPEN AND RESOLUTE FRIEND, AND A VIRTUOUS SUPPORTER OF THE RIGHTS OF MANKIND…” If you don't see the above quote in your copy, there are different copies of "Common Sense" with some variances. All have the standard four chapters; additions contain other materials... many other titles are "Common Sense and Other Writings by Thomas Paine." This is a review of “Common Sense.” As you read “Common Sense," you'll realize there are several ways to approach this information. One way is to consider it in the context of the period it was written in, one of its target readers might be. Another is to see how it applies to today's life. I chose a combination of both approaches. I also thought I knew the Bible well, but found that I had to look up some quotations he used. Well, I won't go into detail because I don't want to spoil the surprise of how well he writes on the subject(s). I will say this is one of those books you want to read before you die, but I prefer to read it early, so I can live by what I have read. Also, I was surprised, as with most people who quote things like the Constitution or the Bill of Rights and so forth, they always quote the large esoteric statements or concepts and forget to tell you that it can get bogged down with tedium. This is not the case with “Common Sense,” as almost every one of his sentences is a standalone, timeless thought. Now, watch “Liberty! The American Revolution” TV mini-series. (1997) 6 hours Jane Adams (Actor), Peter Donaldson (Actor), Ellen Hovde (Director), Muffie Meyer (Director)