Scan barcode
prolixity's review against another edition
1.0
12/19/20: This review continues to be a source of great annoyance. Since I can’t mute the comment section, I’ll just put a little message here: don’t comment. I don’t read the comments anymore and I don’t care what you have to say. I don’t want to discuss this silly non-review I wrote when I was 16; I haven’t thought about this particular piece of literature in years. If you’re so terribly offended that a stranger on the internet dislikes a pamphlet written 244 years ago, please consider doing the following: take a deep breath, step away from your computer, go for a walk, reevaluate your life choices, and, failing all that, jump off a cliff.
DRY. DRIER THAN AN ANCIENT RAISIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATACAMA DESERT*. DRY AND BORING AS FUCK.
*Driest desert in the world, located in South America just West of the Andes. Average of 0.6 inches (15 mm) rainfall per year. Extremely arid and lifeless. Just like this essay.
Spoiler
NO. NO. NO. NOOOOO. NOPE.DRY. DRIER THAN AN ANCIENT RAISIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATACAMA DESERT*. DRY AND BORING AS FUCK.
*Driest desert in the world, located in South America just West of the Andes. Average of 0.6 inches (15 mm) rainfall per year. Extremely arid and lifeless. Just like this essay.
trombonejman's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
3.75
Interesting thoughts that helped lead to the United States of America
emmareeser's review against another edition
4.0
This book is historically significant to U. S. History, and it was very helpful to read these words with my own eyes, especially in a time where this book is being quoted and used as the playbook for modern politics. I'm not convinced the entire book was read by said politicians though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Colonisation
netanella's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
I'm sure if I were forced to read this revolutionary pamphlet when I was a teenaged kid in high school, I would have hated it then. Now, not so much. Now it's enjoyable in a way that I actually don't mind reading it and don't find it dry at all. In places I can hear the passion in the man's voice. (I'm sure it helped that the audiobook narrator was very good!)
So far, of the quotable Paine, my favorite line is about how the beheading of Charles I didn't make things better: For the fate of Charles the First hath only made kings more subtle, not more just."
Supposedly George Washington, in his days at the head of the Continental Army, would read his men passages of Paine's works to keep up their spirits. Unfortunately, after the revolutionary fervor in both the US and in France subsided, Paine lost a lot of popularity and prestige. He died in poverty, and his gravesite was not respected. Ten years later, a Paine enthusiast disinterred the bones with the intent of bringing them back to England for a proper burial. Unfortunately, calamity struck, the bones were scattered and his remains have been located (probably) in a tavern wall in England, Wales, and now maybe Australia. Who knows? Maybe that fancy antique button is a small part of Paine's leg bone?
So far, of the quotable Paine, my favorite line is about how the beheading of Charles I didn't make things better: For the fate of Charles the First hath only made kings more subtle, not more just."
Supposedly George Washington, in his days at the head of the Continental Army, would read his men passages of Paine's works to keep up their spirits. Unfortunately, after the revolutionary fervor in both the US and in France subsided, Paine lost a lot of popularity and prestige. He died in poverty, and his gravesite was not respected. Ten years later, a Paine enthusiast disinterred the bones with the intent of bringing them back to England for a proper burial. Unfortunately, calamity struck, the bones were scattered and his remains have been located (probably) in a tavern wall in England, Wales, and now maybe Australia. Who knows? Maybe that fancy antique button is a small part of Paine's leg bone?
sgoldfinch's review against another edition
2.0
It was just okay. Portions were somewhat comical; every now and then he touched on something interesting, but overall it was just a nice period piece, easy to dismiss.
karaaazy's review against another edition
5.0
"The rich are in general slaves to fear, and submit to courtly power with the trembling duplicity of a Spaniel."
"Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us."
"Until an independence is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity."
"Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us."
"Until an independence is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity."
tukkerton's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting and rousing document. When taking the historical context into account, it is not hard to see why 'Common Sense' had the impact it did. From a modern perspective though, parts of Paine's text are problematic for a number of reasons. Some sections (especially the part about military and naval affairs and numbers) are as dry as the paper it's printed on, though that is hardly surprising considering 'Common Sense' was written almost two and a half centuries ago. Other issues are racism, anti-Catholic bias and hypocrisy. Paine makes one of his points against the monarchy by arguing that since England was conquered by Frenchman William the Conquerer, the current royal line is unlawfully in power since that power stems from invasion against the will of the native (Anglo-Saxon) population. Yet, Paine conveniently forgets the native population of the Americas and the fact that they were invaded against their will too. He goes even further, suggesting that 'Indians and Negroes' are 'stirred up to destroy us' by Britain, generalizing and reducing whole peoples to enemies of the Revolution (which in itself is incorrect since both Native Americans and African-Americans fought on both sides during the Revolutionary War). Also, Paine argues for Freedom of Religion, but at the same time expresses strong anti-Catholic bias, equating the concept of monarchy (the form of government he considers wrong and evil) to 'Papism'.
Most of this is in keeping with the mores of the times, but it still bothers me. Especially the hypocrisy with which Paine, populist-like, tries to set his white, European and Protestant Americans apart from everyone else.
Still, 'Common Sense' contains some interesting political ideas, makes a good case for independence, and sheds a lot of light on the Revolutionary sentiments in Revolution-era America.
Most of this is in keeping with the mores of the times, but it still bothers me. Especially the hypocrisy with which Paine, populist-like, tries to set his white, European and Protestant Americans apart from everyone else.
Still, 'Common Sense' contains some interesting political ideas, makes a good case for independence, and sheds a lot of light on the Revolutionary sentiments in Revolution-era America.