Gulliver's Travels is an absolutely scathing critique of English society in the 1600/1700s, and yet is completely applicable to many Western societies today, including the USA.
Every repulsive aspect of so-called "human civilisation" is put under scrutiny and made to seem as primitive, inefficient, and moronic as it truly is. Government corruption is lambasted, frivolous lawsuits are decried, common personality defects are mocked, all of our self-created health issues (resulting from eating low-quality foods, for instance) are pointed to.
You name an aspect of Western life and Swift will express his total disgust for it in eloquent terms. The book does sometimes show its age, with regard to certain outdated attitudes, but these moments are rare. On the whole, Gulliver's Travels feels fresh and meaningful. The writing style is, of course, old-fashioned, in that it tells the story rather than showing it, but it remains very engaging to a modern reader nonetheless.
Any self-described misanthrope ought to read this book for a good, bitter laugh, and I especially recommend this book to patriotic individuals everywhere. You have a lot to learn.
5 stars.
(I also highly recommend the TV miniseries adaptation of this book starring Ted Danson--it's very true to Swift's intent and highly entertaining.)
Every repulsive aspect of so-called "human civilisation" is put under scrutiny and made to seem as primitive, inefficient, and moronic as it truly is. Government corruption is lambasted, frivolous lawsuits are decried, common personality defects are mocked, all of our self-created health issues (resulting from eating low-quality foods, for instance) are pointed to.
You name an aspect of Western life and Swift will express his total disgust for it in eloquent terms. The book does sometimes show its age, with regard to certain outdated attitudes, but these moments are rare. On the whole, Gulliver's Travels feels fresh and meaningful. The writing style is, of course, old-fashioned, in that it tells the story rather than showing it, but it remains very engaging to a modern reader nonetheless.
Any self-described misanthrope ought to read this book for a good, bitter laugh, and I especially recommend this book to patriotic individuals everywhere. You have a lot to learn.
5 stars.
(I also highly recommend the TV miniseries adaptation of this book starring Ted Danson--it's very true to Swift's intent and highly entertaining.)
