The Praise of Folly


Book Description




The Praise of Folly and Other Writings


Book Description

Presents a selection of writings by sixteenth-century Dutch theologian Desiderius Erasmus, including "The Praise of Folly," an ironic speech by the pagan goddess Folly in praise of herself, and includes critical essays.




Erasmus


Book Description

19/8/87--5000X89PX$4.95/$5.95(6000X77P). B FORMAT.288PP.OFFSET.




Praise of Folly


Book Description

No Marketing Blurb




Discourse on Free Will


Book Description

Desiderius Eramsus (1466/9-1536) was the most renowned scholar of his age, a celebrated humanist and Classicist, and the first teacher of Greek at Cambridge. An influential figure in the Protestant Reformation, though without ever breaking from the Church himself, he satirised both human folly and the corruption of the Church. Martin Luther (1483-1546) was the founder of the German Reformation. His 95 Theses became a manifesto for reform of the Catholic Church and led to his being tried for heresy. He remained in Germany, Professor of Biblical Exegesis at the University of Wittenburg, until his death, publishing a large number of works, including three major treatises and a translation of the New Testament into German. Comprising Erasmus's "The Free Will" and Luther's "The Bondage of the Will", Discourse on Free Will is a landmark text in the history of Protestantism. Encapsulating the perspective on free will of two of the most important figures in the history of Christianity, it remains to this day a powerful, thought-provoking and timely work.




The Essential Erasmus


Book Description

In his own day a center of controversy, in the four hundred years since his death known too often solely as an apostle of mockery and irreverence, Erasmus can be seen today in a new light—as a humanist whose concen is at once contemporary and Christian. The Essential Erasmus is the first single volume in English to show the full spectrum of this Renaissance man's thought, which is no less profound because it is expressed with the grace, wit, and ironic detachment only a great writer can achieve. Contains the full text of In Praise of Folly







Moriæ Encomium


Book Description

Erasmus's witty and intellectual approach to describing the merits of folly has been entertaining readers since its publication in 1511. This book remains a classic of Renaissance literature and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of ideas. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




The March of Folly


Book Description

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Barbara W. Tuchman, author of the World War I masterpiece The Guns of August, grapples with her boldest subject: the pervasive presence, through the ages, of failure, mismanagement, and delusion in government. Drawing on a comprehensive array of examples, from Montezuma’s senseless surrender of his empire in 1520 to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Barbara W. Tuchman defines folly as the pursuit by government of policies contrary to their own interests, despite the availability of feasible alternatives. In brilliant detail, Tuchman illuminates four decisive turning points in history that illustrate the very heights of folly: the Trojan War, the breakup of the Holy See provoked by the Renaissance popes, the loss of the American colonies by Britain’s George III, and the United States’ own persistent mistakes in Vietnam. Throughout The March of Folly, Tuchman’s incomparable talent for animating the people, places, and events of history is on spectacular display. Praise for The March of Folly “A glittering narrative . . . a moral [book] on the crimes and follies of governments and the misfortunes the governed suffer in consequence.”—The New York Times Book Review “An admirable survey . . . I haven’t read a more relevant book in years.”—John Kenneth Galbraith, The Boston Sunday Globe “A superb chronicle . . . a masterly examination.”—Chicago Sun-Times




The Erasmus Reader


Book Description

'A judicious and discerning selection of large extracts from the Collected Works of Erasmus /EM... thoughtfully designed to include major statements of Erasmus on civility in individual morals, humanistic study and education, the Christian life, reform of the church, and the peaceful constraint of political force. It is to my mind the most comprehensive and penetrating anthology of Erasmus' writing, forcefully revealing his central values.' – Charles Trinkaus, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Michigan 'Rummel's collection makes available readable translations of Erasmus' most original and influential works – the books that made him the intellectual conscience of his generation of scholars and the inspiration of many Reformers who took positions he did not accept. They reveal the biblical scholar, the humanist and literary theorist, and the social critic that Erasmus was, far more fully and vividly than any previous anthology.' – Anthony Grafton, Program in History of Science, Princeton University 'The high quality of the Toronto edition of the Collected Works of Erasmus has earned it a central place in the libraries of scholars around the world. The Erasmus Reader extends this impact to the carrels and desks of beginning and advanced students of Renaissance and Reformation history.' – Heiko A. Oberman, Director, Division for Late Medieval and Reformation Studies, University of Arizona