Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time

The Way of All Flesh is one of the time-bombs of literature, said V. S. Pritchett. One thinks of it lying in Samuel Butler's desk for thirty years, waiting to blow up the Victorian family and with it the whole great pillared and balustraded edifice of the Victorian novel.
Written between 1873 and 1884 but not published until 1903, a year after Butler's death, his marvelously uninhibited satire savages Victorian bourgeois values as personified by multiple generations of the Pontifex family. A thinly veiled account of his own upbringing in the bosom of a God-fearing Christian family, Butler's scathingly funny depiction of the self-righteous hypocrisy underlying nineteenth-century domestic life was hailed by George Bernard Shaw as one of the summits of human achievement.
If the house caught on fire, the Victorian novel I would rescue from the flames would be The Way of All Flesh, wrote William Maxwell in The New Yorker. It is read, I believe, mostly by the young, bent on making out a case against their elders, but Butler was fifty when he stopped working on it, and no reader much under that age is likely to appreciate the full beauty of its horrors. . . . Every contemporary novelist with a developed sense of irony is probably in some measure, directly or indirectly, indebted to Butler, who had the misfortune to be a twentieth-century man born in the year 1835.

Samuel Butler's most critically acclaimed novel, Erewhon, or, Over the Range, is set in the fictional country of Erewhon, an anagram of nowhere. Butler crafts a mesmerizing narrative centered around a protagonist's journey through this seemingly utopian society. Initially, Erewhon appears idyllic-a place where money holds prestige but lacks purchasing power and nature is unspoiled by machines, which are banned due to their perceived threat to survival. Yet, the protagonist soon uncovers layers of religious insincerity and institutional flaws that shatter the illusion of perfection. In this topsy-turvy world, disease is a cause for imprisonment and crime is treated as an illness. Erewhon is frequently compared to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels in its satirical send-up of hypocritical society, but Butler goes further and does something altogether original in anticipating DNA testing and artificial intelligence-making Erewhon a groundbreaking work of speculative fiction. In addition to George Bernard Shaw, who is widely considered his chief disciple, Butler influenced and inspired other writers, including Aldous Huxley, E. M. Forster, Somerset Maugham, H. G. Wells, and Dorothy Richardson.

This volume reproduces the expanded and definitive edition of Erewhon issued in 1901. It also contains the full text of Butler's article Darwin among the Machines, which provided the basis for his eerily prescient chapters on machine learning and consciousness, as well as a detailed biographical timeline.

In Erewhon, Samuel Butler crafts a thought-provoking dystopian narrative that explores the intricacies of morality, evolution, and the human condition. Set in a fictional land resembling Victorian England, Butler employs a satirical yet contemplative literary style, deftly blending elements of science fiction with philosophical inquiry. The book's structure--part narrative and part philosophical treatise--invites readers to ponder the implications of a society that has rejected technological progress while embracing its own unique constructs of morality and justice, reflecting the anxieties of an era preoccupied with industrialization and social change. Samuel Butler, a pivotal figure in Victorian literature, drew from his diverse experiences as a writer, painter, and a venture into the world of theology. His resistance to prevailing norms and his keen observations of contemporary societal issues undoubtedly informed his portrayal of Erewhon, a place where machines are outlawed and human qualities reign supreme. Butler's deep skepticism of both technology and organized religion is mirrored in his characters' evolution, aligning intricately with the intellectual currents of his time. This seminal work is essential for readers interested in dystopian literature, ethics, and the philosophical underpinnings of society. Erewhon not only captivates with its imaginative narrative but also serves as a compelling critique of Victorian values, making it a timeless reflection on humanity's struggle between progress and morality.

Erewhon, an anagram for nowhere, is a faraway land where citizens follow a unique set of rules disregarding conventional beliefs about money, health and science. Beneath the surface, Erewhon is fueled by hypocrisy and inhabitants are riddled with fear.

A traveler stumbles across a remote country that appears to be a peaceful paradise. It's a utopian society that doesn't use or value money in a traditional way. Criminals are considered sick and treated as patients, while the ill are imprisoned and labeled as criminals. There's also an overwhelming distrust of machines, which are outlawed due to their potential to evolve and overthrow their masters. Erewhon's superficial qualities grow to become a source of contempt and distrust.

Erewhon illustrates a world where an attempt to correct the ills of society causes more harm than good. It's a profound examination of Victorian ethics, benefiting a minority over the majority. Butler's groundbreaking novel has significantly influenced multiple writers in literature and beyond.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Erewhon is both modern and readable.

The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the oldest works of Western literature-yet these ancient myths still offer powerful lessons for our times. From the fascinating fall of Troy to Odysseus's perilous journey home, from the gods and goddesses to the Sirens and the suitors, the events and characters of these epic tales captivate us, teach us, and inspire us. Their influence can be seen far and wide, from James Joyce's Ulysses to the movie sensation Troy, starring Brad Pitt. Whether you've read Homer's original stories or you've only enjoyed their modern-day descendants, you'll love this edition of Iliad and Odyssey.

Setting out to make his fortune in a far-off country, a young traveller discovers the remote and beautiful land of Erewhon and is given a home among its extraordinarily handsome citizens. But their visitor soon discovers that this seemingly ideal community has its faults--here crime is treated indulgently as a malady to be cured, while illness, poverty and misfortune are cruelly punished, and all machines have been superstitiously destroyed after a bizarre prophecy. Can he survive in a world where morality is turned upside down? Inspired by Samuel Butler's years in colonial New Zealand and by his reading of Darwin's Origin of Species, Erewhon is a highly original, irreverent and humorous satire on conventional virtues, religious hypocrisy and the unthinking acceptance of beliefs.

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.

Erewhon, an anagram for nowhere, is a faraway land where citizens follow a unique set of rules disregarding conventional beliefs about money, health and science. Beneath the surface, Erewhon is fueled by hypocrisy and inhabitants are riddled with fear.

A traveler stumbles across a remote country that appears to be a peaceful paradise. It's a utopian society that doesn't use or value money in a traditional way. Criminals are considered sick and treated as patients, while the ill are imprisoned and labeled as criminals. There's also an overwhelming distrust of machines, which are outlawed due to their potential to evolve and overthrow their masters. Erewhon's superficial qualities grow to become a source of contempt and distrust.

Erewhon illustrates a world where an attempt to correct the ills of society causes more harm than good. It's a profound examination of Victorian ethics, benefiting a minority over the majority. Butler's groundbreaking novel has significantly influenced multiple writers in literature and beyond.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Erewhon is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

[Takes] imagination of a very high order to see that machinery could be dangerous as well as useful. --George Orwell, celebrated author of Animal Farm and 1984

A utopian classic with a rich legacy-influencing authors from Huxley to Herbert and beyond-Erewhon satirizes Victorian society with biting insight still relevant today.

When Higgs, a young traveler, stumbles upon the beautiful land of Erewhon, he soon discovers that its seemingly ideal culture is founded upon bizarre, unsettling beliefs. Crime is a sickness, while sickness is a crime; the greatest scholarly achievement is unreason, and all machines have been eliminated for fear of artificial intelligence. In a society that suppresses originality, the traveler and his values are a threat. Torn between escape and Arowhena, the woman he has grown to love, Higgs must contend with Erewhon's strange ways-and with the challenges they pose to his own beliefs.

Engaging with the work of Charles Darwin and inspired by the author's time in colonial New Zealand, Erewhon is a bright, irreverent, and enduring text about technology, religion, crime, and institutional rigidity. This new edition of the 1872 classic arrives in honor of its 150th anniversary, featuring a brilliant introduction contextualizing the book from one of New Zealand's great academic thinkers in science fiction, Dr. Octavia Cade.

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Hyrule Warriors is about the war that led to Hyrule's fall 100 years before the start of Breath of the Wild, and Dynasty Warriors' hack-and-slash gameplay is a perfect fit. You'll bash up hundreds of hapless minions as you race across the map trying to take down jacked-up enemies or capture outposts. Higher-tier foes present more of a challenge as you chip away at their health bars, aiming to either break their defences in vulnerable moments or counter attacks with magical flourishes.

This guide takes you beyond mashing attack buttons to get through the game in style.Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity gives us the chance to see what went down before Link fell asleep for 100 years. There are thousands of enemies to take down during the course of the game, but if you want to take them down quicker and more efficiently, then we can help. While combat seems pretty straightforward, there are a few things you can do to make the adventure more enjoyable. Here are some Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity tips and tricks.

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The Odyssey centers on the Greek hero Odysseus and his arduous and adventurous journey home after the fall of Troy. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage. This classic continues to be read and translated into modern languages around the world.

In the strange country of Erewhon, sick people are imprisoned while criminals are treated for sickness. Machines are are considered too dangerous to use. And children must choose whether or not to be born. This subtle satire of Victorian society is still as thought-provoking and entertaining as when it was first written. Newly designed and typeset for modern readers by Waking Lion Press.

2017 Reprint of 1935 Penguin Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition software. Originally published in 1872, the greater part of the novel consists of a description of Erewhon. The nature of this nation is intended to be ambiguous. At first glance, Erewhon appears to be a Utopia, yet it soon becomes clear that this is far from the case. Yet for all the failings of Erewhon, it is also clearly not a dystopia, such as that depicted in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. As a satirical utopia, Erewhon has sometimes been compared to Gulliver's Travels (1726), a classic novel by Jonathan Swift; the image of Utopia in this latter case also bears strong parallels with the self-view of the British Empire at the time. It can also be compared to the William Morris novel, News from Nowhere.

Erewhon satirizes various aspects of Victorian society, including criminal punishment, religion and anthropocentrism. For example, according to Erewhonian law, offenders are treated as if they were ill, whereas ill people are looked upon as criminals. Another feature of Erewhon is the absence of machines; this is due to the widely shared perception by the Erewhonians that they are potentially dangerous. Inspired by Samuel Butler's years in colonial New Zealand and by his reading of Darwin's Origin of Species, Erewhon is a highly original, irreverent and humorous satire on conventional virtues, religious hypocrisy and the unthinking acceptance of beliefs.

The Odyssey finally comes to life as the only Illustrated Edition is finally released to the public. For the first time, Famous oil paintings have been remastered and added to this epic classic by famous painters who depicted these scenes from The Odyssey to millions of readers for the last several hundred years in art museums around the World. With these classic paintings, the story comes to life for the young and young at heart as readers will be able to study the artwork as well as the text that corresponds with The Odyssey. The poem mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus (known as Ulysses in Roman myths) and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, the Mnesteres (Greek: ) or Proci, who compete for Penelope's hand in marriage.(c)2013. All Rights Reserved.

Samuel Butler was an individualistic Victorian era writer who published a variety of works. He is also known for examining Christian orthodoxy, considerable studies of evolutionary thought, studies of Italian art, and works of literary history as well as criticism. Butler even made prose translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey which remain some of the most popular to this day. His authority on literature came through his posthumous novel, The Way of All Flesh. Butler completed it in the 1880s but it was left unpublished until 1903 to protect his family. The novel was so modern in its time of release that it influenced a new school of writing, predominantly through its use of psychological examination and analysis of the fictional characters of the story. The Way of All Flesh is a semi-autobiographical satiric portrait of the worst aspects of Victorian family life: of extreme strictness, embellished godliness, and hypocrisy. In this polemic novel Butler attacks the world of his childhood growing up in a clergyman's family and expresses his basic philosophy of common sense. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

English novelist and critic Samuel Butler was deeply shaped by his upbringing in a clerical family. Following his graduation from Cambridge Butler began preparation for his ordination into the Anglican clergy. It was then that he began to question his faith, a doubt that would draw the ire of his father, who expected him to follow in his footsteps, and drove him to immigrate to New Zealand. It was there that Butler would begin working on what would ultimately become his literary masterpiece, drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the country. That masterpiece was Erewhon, a satire of the utopian novel. An anagram of the word nowhere, Erewhon upon first impression appears to be a utopian society. However as the country is further detailed it becomes apparent that this is clearly not the case. In his description of this fictional country Butler criticizes various aspects of Victorian society and more broadly speaking draws into question the self-aggrandizement of the British Empire. A fascinating work that explores the ideas of artificial intelligence as well evolution and the impact of the industrial revolution, Erewhon remains an important contribution to 19th century English literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Over the span of a century, the Pontifex family is populated by manipulative and domineering characters attempting to control the fate of the next generation. In The Way of All Flesh, Ernest Pontifex tries to pursue a righteous path but is met with painstaking hardships.

Ernest is the son of Theobald and Christina Pontifex, who are prominent members of the religious order. Ernest attempts to follow in their footsteps, embracing theology and becoming a clergyman. Yet, his position is short-lived as he discovers corruption in the High Church and loses most of his earnings. In the midst of his troubles, Ernest questions the importance of titles, status and family tradition. He travels down a rocky road that tests his faith in both man and God.

The Way of All Flesh is a scathing commentary on the hypocritical views and expectations of Victorian society. Butler was praised for his exploration of a destructive family dynamic. It's an erratic tale and one of the most iconic novels of the early twentieth century.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Way of All Flesh is both modern and readable.

The Iliad is one of the most famous and important epic poems to have ever been written; telling the story of Achilles and his role in the Trojan war, it is considered one of the landmarks and cornerstones of world literature.

This collection chronicles the fiction and non fiction classics by the greatest writers the world has ever known. The inclusion of both popular as well as overlooked pieces is pivotal to providing a broad and representative collection of classic works.

Written in the tradition of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, English novelist, essayist, and iconoclast Samuel Butler (1835-1902) describes an imaginary visit to a topsy-turvy country called Erewhon (an anagram of nowhere), where it is a punishable offense to be physically ill, but where criminality and immorality are looked kindly upon as treatable diseases. The English church is pilloried in the system of Musical Banks, whose currency nobody believes in but everyone pretends to value. Universities teach courses on how to say nothing at great length, and all machines have been banned for fear that they will develop through evolution and enslave the citizens.

Samuel Butler's irreverent satire, 'Erewhon', castigates the hypocrisy of both religion and conventional social mores, and pours scorn on the unthinking acceptance that makes such beliefs possible. In Erewhon (an anagram of 'Nowhere') 'normal' behaviour' consists of hospitalizing fraudsters and chastising the sick; of disregarding genius and praising the insane. Erewhonians are described as meek and long-suffering, easily led by the nose, and quick to offer up common sense at the shrine of logic - pointed criticism of both Victorian society and contemporary 'politically-correct' repression. Butler's imaginative tale sparkles with wit and prescient insights: his discussion of the dangers posed by increasingly intelligent machines has more relevance today than when it was first written over 130 years ago.