“And the noise outside was the ringing of revolution”-- Phil Ochs
“That some desperate wretches should be willing to steal and enslave menby violence and murder for gain is..contrary to the light of nature [and] toevery principle of Justice and Humanity…
“Too many nations enslaved prisoners they took in war. But to go tonations with whom there is no war, who have no way provoked...purely to catchinoffensive people, like beasts, for slaves, is [the] height of outrage…[So]many evils [attend] the practice, as selling husbands away from wives,children from parents, and from each other, in violation of sacred and naturalties…
“If the slavery of the parents be unjust, much more is their children’s…[since] the children are born free...Certainly, one may, with as much reasonand decency, plead for murder, robbery, lewdness and barbarity, as forthis practice.”-- Thomas Paine, as quoted by the author in THOMAS PAINE: CRUSADER FORLIBERTY
THOMAS PAINE: CRUSADER FOR LIBERTY is a mind-blowing read. Mr. Paine wasan exceptionally complex character. Thanks to his game-changing writings,both prior to and during the American Revolution, he is one of the mostimportant men behind the successful revolt of the American colonies and thesubsequent formation of the United State of America. Reading his passionateanti-slavery quote, one could argue that he had his head on a lot straighter than some of the more famous Founding Fathers.
Paine’s best-known writing is a pamphlet that changed the world that wastitled Common Sense.
“The appearance of Common Sense marked a turning point in two ways.Though he had not realized it when he began writing, the pamphlet ended Paine’svoyage of self-discovery. For it gave him a mission he could neverabandon. ‘I know but one kind of life I am fit for,’ he wrote, ‘and that is athinking one, and, of course, a writing one.’ Paine became an author with amission, an unswerving champion of liberty for all people. Above all, hegot people to think. As he put it, ‘I am a Farmer of thoughts.’
“Common Sense changed political writing, too. Until its appearance,authors aimed at influencing only the educated elite. Books had such titles asThe Rights of the English Colonies and The Genuine Principles of theEnglish Constitution. Authors argued calmly, politely, sprinkling their pageswith Latin quotations from learned authorities. Paine did not wish towrite in this way, nor could he. He wrote for the common people, those likehim. To influence them, he had to grab their attention by appealing to theirintelligence and to their emotions.”
But his writings subsequent to the American Revolution left him as a manboth shunned and abhorred by friends and countrymen, as well as so many inBritain and France. These writings include THE RIGHTS OF MAN (relating, inlarge part, to the French Revolution) and THE AGE OF REASON (in which heforcefully attacks organized religion).
The most heady portion of this biography is the war of words andphilosophies between Paine and his former friend, British Parliament member EdmundBurke, who wrote REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE. I’ve many timesseen Burke quoted in historic and legal texts but, as with Paine, never knewmuch about him until now. The enduring significance of Burke’s and Paine’s conflicting philosophies and writings, which is explained by AlbertMarrin, makes this thought-provoking book well-suited and exceptionally valuable for middle school and high school American history students.“‘These are the times that try men’s souls.’”
-- from THE AMERICAN CRISIS by Thomas PaineMarrin sprinkles into this mix so many interesting details. For instance,readers will come away knowing the genesis of the political terms “the left” and “the right” and where the phrase “reading them the riot act” comesfrom. They will certainly gain a better perspective of the FoundingFathers.
Above all, young people will learn about the complicated life of and thisimportant and very human Farmer of thoughts.
978-0-385-38605-0 176 pages Ages 9-13
Recommended by: Richie Partington, MLIS, Librarian, California USA
See more of his recommendations: Richie's Picks (https://richiespicks.com/)