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Common Sense

Thomas Paine

Start date: February 1, 2019

Finish date: February 28, 2019

Discussion: Short Story/Novella Collection

Why we're reading this: February 2019 Short Story Read
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Short Story/Novella Collection

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What Members Thought

Aug 05, 2009 Christy B rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, american-history, classics

Hearing about Thomas Paine's Common Sense throughout the years, I always wondered how so small a book could help ignite the flames of independence and war. I get it now!

I love how he kept expressing how the time was NOW to go for independence. Earlier or later would have proved fruitless.

This was the right man at the right time saying the right things. ...more

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Nov 04, 2017 Andreea rated it liked it

"A government which cannot preserve the peace, is no government at all [..]"

It was surprisingly easy to follow, although I should've expected this because it's a political pamphlet meant to inspire people and a movement, right?

I especially enjoyed the beginning about the government, and also the ending parts that were published as a response to a religious group using Bible passages to make their arguments when it was beneficial for them, but completely ignoring those sayings for some of their ...more

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