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33rd out of 289 books
—
364 voters
A Modest Proposal
A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public, commonly referred to as A Modest Proposal, is a Juvenalian satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Swift suggests in his essay that the impoverished Irish might ease their...more
Paperback, 48 pages
Published
July 4th 2008
by Book Jungle
(first published 1729)
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Apr 01, 2013
Scribble Orca
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Scribble by:
voN heRrn Gaddis
Shelves:
defies-a-shelf
Goodreaders, my Friends, “…who peruse this [Review], Be not offended, whilst on it you [chew]: Denude yourselves of all depraved affection, For it contains no badness, nor infection: 'Tis true that it brings forth to you no birth Of any value, but in point of mirth; Thinking therefore how sorrow might your mind Consume, I could no [more] apt subject find; One [plume] of joy surmounts of grief a [duration]; Because to laugh is proper to the [rational person].”–Rabelais
A Reasonable Scheme
....has g...more
A Reasonable Scheme
....has g...more
Nov 11, 2011
Bonnie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Bonnie by:
1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Shelves:
1001,
funny-ha-ha
‘A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden on Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick’ otherwise known as simply 'A Modest Proposal' is anything but modest.
'I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.
I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most deliciou...more
'I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.
I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most deliciou...more
9 likes · like · see review
Opening: It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads and cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn t...more
4 likes · like · see review
Jun 16, 2012
Gloria Mundi
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Merkel, Hollande, Draghi, Lagarde, anyone looking for a practical solution to a financial crisis
Recommended to Gloria by:
1001 books list
It is clear to me now what the modern European politicians are doing wrong. They are, obviously, not reading their classics.
Europe is in the midst of a dire financial crisis with all sorts of complicated schemes being proposed to resolve the situation. And here we have a practical and sensible solution that nobody appears to have considered, despite the fact that it has been around since 1729!
If you don't have enough money to feed your kids, EAT THEM!
What could be simpler?
Now, the author mentio...more
Europe is in the midst of a dire financial crisis with all sorts of complicated schemes being proposed to resolve the situation. And here we have a practical and sensible solution that nobody appears to have considered, despite the fact that it has been around since 1729!
If you don't have enough money to feed your kids, EAT THEM!
What could be simpler?
Now, the author mentio...more
Mar 29, 2009
booklady
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone over the age of 14
Shelves:
2009,
classic,
education,
family,
literature,
non-fiction,
philosophy,
worth-reading-over-and-over,
1970s,
1980s
It's been a long time since I first read this satirical masterpiece by Swift, which reads like its title and is anything but, "A Modest Proposal". In it, the author is 'proposing' a solution to the serious problems of overpopulation, unemployment, and food shortages, not to mention providing the social and moral benefits of kinder husbands and better parents. Mr. Swift has all the economic angles figured out and presents a very convincing argument, so straightforward and valid my daughter's high...more
9 likes · like · see review
This essay with the lengthy title A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public by Jonathan Swift was first published in 1729. When I first started it I thought it would be serious suggestions to alleviate the appallingly poor lives of a large portion of the Irish population. Soon I was shocked at the politically incorrect suggestions proposed by this satirical work. The sugges...more
1 like · like · see review
Reseña en el blog
Jonathan Swift plantea una solución al grave problema económico que padecía Irlanda cuando escribió este texto, de un tono más que burlón hacia los gobernantes, y se decide a tratar de raíz el problema de esas madres que mendigan en las calles y en el campo con un montón de niños bajo sus faldas a los que apenas pueden alimentar. ¿Cómo? Pues comiéndoselos.
Presenta a los bebés de un año como un plato magnífico para que los señores terratenientes disfruten en sus mesas; un plato c...more
I have read the somewhat shocking proposal of Mr Swift as to how to mitigate the dire situation of starvation, and I shudder to think of this "solution" ever being utilized.
To begin with, has he ever actually looked at a child. Most of them are obviously high in saturated fats, and what eating a baby or toddler might do to the arteries is a terrifying thought. At least wait until they get to the emo stage and start shedding the puppy fat I'd have thought.
Secondly, this book was obviously written...more
To begin with, has he ever actually looked at a child. Most of them are obviously high in saturated fats, and what eating a baby or toddler might do to the arteries is a terrifying thought. At least wait until they get to the emo stage and start shedding the puppy fat I'd have thought.
Secondly, this book was obviously written...more
2 likes · like · see review
I read this essay while in college, but I truly gained a sense of its power and importance when I read it again while visiting Dublin a couple of summers ago. I happened to be staying in a neighborhood called The Liberties, not far from Saint Patrick's Cathedral,where Jonathon Swift had served as the beloved Dean for most of his middle and late life. This area had been named The Liberties because the weavers and Huguenot refugees who lived here in the 18th century were so poor that they were "fr...more
It seems like some days come up with a throne & crown for a specific word. Whenever, however & wherever you are, definitely shall hear it. And it seems the golden word for these couple of days, here in Egypt, is “initiative”. Lately, many initiatives were presented for country reunion, some for anti-sexual harassment, one for the development of transportation & reconstruction of public services, another for rehabilitation of slums & a little for removing of illiteracy. And becau...more
I felt that Jonathan Swift's essay was HILARIOUS and of course the entire thing was meant to be mocking. This essay was written in the midst of a poverty crisis and population crisis in Ireland and the public's only solution was to forget about the poor because they didn't matter. Jonathan Swift, on the other hand, thought that the poor mattered because they were people too and presented this wonderfully satiric piece in juxtaposition to the thoughts and beliefs of the rich people of Ireland (mo...more
A short and brilliant satirical essay, where Swift cuts into Ireland's financial situation and the treatment of poor by suggesting that babies should be the main source of food. As a side product you could get gloves for the ladies and boots for the gentlemen. So, by shocking the readers Swift had good chances to be heard. There's no such thing as bad publicity, right?
Swift argues that by doing this the population of Ireland would be reduced (especially Papists), the poor could get more assets w...more
Swift argues that by doing this the population of Ireland would be reduced (especially Papists), the poor could get more assets w...more
The news today in America states that one in two are poor or impoverished. What can be the solution?
Some would argue that abolishing the inequality by raising taxes on the rich would be a rational move, but there is a monumental struggle in the government to keep the status quo. Holding on to long held religious dictates and population control of the poor, abortion methods continue to divide the populace. And in the election environment, one potential nominee suggests keeping poor children busy...more
Some would argue that abolishing the inequality by raising taxes on the rich would be a rational move, but there is a monumental struggle in the government to keep the status quo. Holding on to long held religious dictates and population control of the poor, abortion methods continue to divide the populace. And in the election environment, one potential nominee suggests keeping poor children busy...more
2 likes · like · see review
What a relief! After hours of increasing nausea over watching the political budget and default baboon side show in D.C., something made me drag out this side-splitting gem, a true timeless classic, that seems to get ressurected and re-read when people need a good laugh over an apparently hopeless social crisis. Jonathan Swift presents a methodically reasoned and convincing solution-plan -a painfully funny/sardonic remedy--for the tragic historic Irish Famine of his day (1729). With a straight fa...more
"A Modest Proposal" is essentially an essay written to invoke shock,action, and realization into the war-lords of the Dublin society in very early times. Swift was angry with the "government" because they were letting the poor families of Dublin starve, die, and struggle without so much as a suggestion of fixing it.
"A Modest Proposal"'s intro gives a feel of Godly work and hope for the poor families and children in Dublin, you're thinking, "Hey, this guy is going to solve all their problems." A...more
"A Modest Proposal"'s intro gives a feel of Godly work and hope for the poor families and children in Dublin, you're thinking, "Hey, this guy is going to solve all their problems." A...more
there is no better way to kick off a semester of literature than a modest proposal. one smart ass student always tries to derail the conversation with an early declaration of the proposal’s satire, but no one listens, and within moments i have a class of fifty - sixty students angry, frustrated, and sometimes rabid as i take swift’s ironic side and ask the students, with all the seriousness i can muster (which is quite a bit), if we shouldn’t give it a try? i follow that up with “why not?” after...more
15 likes · like · see review
I'd read this in high school, but as I wasn't sure if it was the full deal or an abridged version, I decided to read it again. It's actually better reading now that I'm older, especially since I'm a fan of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Jonathan Swift was the Stewart and Colbert of his day, and I imagine that even in his time, while all the people with the same politics as his laughed uproariously at this proposal, as intended, those with whom he disagreed probably thought he was serious. He w...more
1 like · like · see review
It's always good to know a person has seen injustice and suffering and wants to do something to change it. Jonathon Swift's motives were admirable--he was sick to death of the disgusting poverty in which the Irish lived at his time. His tactic was to shock a complacent, lethargic British population into noticing the miserable conditions. A Modest Proposal is one of the most disturbing things I've ever read (basically he sarcastically suggests that the Irish can make much-needed income by selling...more
While reading A Modest Proposal, it became very clear that Jonathan Swift certainly possessed a grand sense of humor including a high degree of sarcastic undertones when he proposed the idea of cannibalism to help combat the highly oppressed, over-populated and extremely poverty-stricken condition that was Ireland.
I found this reading to be quite hilarious. It is impossible to imagine a serious proposal for eating children, however once you get past Swift’s humor of “humans eating humans”, you...more
I found this reading to be quite hilarious. It is impossible to imagine a serious proposal for eating children, however once you get past Swift’s humor of “humans eating humans”, you...more
With the high costs of living, the expenses of educating, clothing, feeding and generally raising children to majority, the solution, as presented in Jonathan Swift's satire, A Modest Proposal, should perhaps be revisited again and given consideration. And please, before you get out the rope to lynch me, realize this is said very tongue-in-cheek. A good read. Hmm, could use a little more salt.
My opinion on A Modest Proposal that it's a well-written, satirical essay stating that persuading the readers about how to alleviate poverty in Ireland when in truth, the real reason why he wrote thus essay is to "point fingers" at England for taking away their rights, putting taxes on everything and exploiting them to humiliation and ignorance, but also to keep control over the country. Even the title is an understatement. He says that its he's stating the obvious when he's saying that this ess...more
A very short political tract by Swift in a lashing, satirical vein, the complete title of this tract is 'A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public'.
Published in 1729, an era when the British and the Irish were sworn enemies and when Ireland was reeling under a severe drought, Swift wrote this as an attempt to criticize heavily the British authorities who did nothing to stav...more
Published in 1729, an era when the British and the Irish were sworn enemies and when Ireland was reeling under a severe drought, Swift wrote this as an attempt to criticize heavily the British authorities who did nothing to stav...more
Jonathon Swifts A Modest Proposal is essentially an analytical essay discussing his opinions on what Great Britain should do to help Ireland, which was suffering a stifling famine at the time. It is wrong to judge this book on its contents before reading it, although the consumption of infants is a morbid and rarely discussed topic, Swift touches on it in an interesting suggestion to save Ireland from the economic crisis that was going on when this book was written. The book is incredibly short,...more
The full title of this work is A MODEST PROPOSAL - For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick.
This is one of Swift’s wittier if somewhat disturbing satires, a sharp critique of Irish economics and social circumstances and practices, speaking particularly from the perspective of their English overlords. He proposes raising the children of the poor until one year of age and then eating them....more
This is one of Swift’s wittier if somewhat disturbing satires, a sharp critique of Irish economics and social circumstances and practices, speaking particularly from the perspective of their English overlords. He proposes raising the children of the poor until one year of age and then eating them....more
May 21, 2010
Paquita Maria Sanchez
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
literature
I was told of this essay recently by a friend of mine in reference to her own unplanned pregnancy...she sarcastically considered using Swift's idea to...let's say... "make baby food" as one possible means of dealing with the infant once it's born. That kid is going to have some issues.
5 likes · like · see review
That was weird... I really had no expectations about this book and had sort of expected it to be a novel, but it was more like a pamphlet, an argumentative essay. And at first I thought it was serious and was quite appaled, until I came to the idea of eating babies and realised it had to be satirical. Not surprising I guess, given the fact that it was written by Swift.
I think I should probably re-read it sometime now that I do have an idea what it is about; I didn't like it much, but part of tha...more
I think I should probably re-read it sometime now that I do have an idea what it is about; I didn't like it much, but part of tha...more
My god. I think this will be a great read if I was able to understand it. The idea is unique and yes, funny. I just think if not for English class, I would never read this essay.
The ridiculous pun on the mindset of society makes the reader look into their own hearts and minds. How many ways can we cook a child? Why not make them an invaluable source of sustenance? They're not good for much else...
A Modest Proposal is a blunt satire on the absolute shame of every citizen. As individuals lose their humanity and sense of decency, if they forget what separates the human race from every other life form; then they may as well be reduced to nothing more than savage beasts who...more
A Modest Proposal is a blunt satire on the absolute shame of every citizen. As individuals lose their humanity and sense of decency, if they forget what separates the human race from every other life form; then they may as well be reduced to nothing more than savage beasts who...more
May 18, 2012
Sunny in Wonderland
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1305-read
This is the same guy who wrote Gulliver's Travels, and he's sassy, and funny, and kind of a smart ass. Here's the gist:
"I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy Child well Nursed is at a year Old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome Food, whether Stewed, Roasted, Baked, or Boyled..."
LOL! It's refreshing (or disturbing, depending on your outlook) to know that many of the issues we have today were also issues almost 300 years ago. Yo...more
"I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy Child well Nursed is at a year Old, a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome Food, whether Stewed, Roasted, Baked, or Boyled..."
LOL! It's refreshing (or disturbing, depending on your outlook) to know that many of the issues we have today were also issues almost 300 years ago. Yo...more
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Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish cleric, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for Whigs then for Tories), and poet, famous for works like Gulliver's Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, The Drapier's Letters, The Battle...more
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Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish cleric, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for Whigs then for Tories), and poet, famous for works like Gulliver's Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella, The Drapier's Letters, The Battle...more
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