A Tale of a Tub

by Jonathan Swift

'A Tale of a Tub' was the first big work written by Jonathan Swift. It is arguably his most difficult satire, and perhaps his most masterly. The Tale is a prose parody which is divided into sections of "digression" and a "tale" of three brothers, each representing one of the main branches of western Christianity. Composed between 1694 and 1697, it was eventually published in 1704.

'A Tale' was long regarded as a satire on religion itself, and has famously been attacked for that, starting with William Wotton. The "tale" presents a consistent satire of religious excess, while the digressions are a series of parodies of contemporary writing in literature, politics, theology, Biblical exegesis, and medicine. The overarching parody is of enthusiasm, pride, and credulity. At the time it was written, politics and religion were still linked very closely in England, and the religious and political aspects of the satire can often hardly be separated.

It was enormously popular, but Swift believed it damaged his prospect of advancement in the Church of England.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Philosophy, Humor, Satire, 18th Century, Religion

125 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1704

About the author

Jonathan Swift was an Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet, and Anglican cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, hence his common sobriquet, "Dean Swift".
Swift is remembered for works such as A Tale of a Tub (1704), An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712), Gulliver's Travels (1726), and A Modest Proposal (1729). He is regarded by the Encyclopædia Britannica as the foremost prose satirist in the English language. He originally published all of his works under pseudonyms—such as Lemuel Gulliver, Isaac Bickerstaff, M.B. Drapier—or anonymously. He was a master of two styles of satire, the Horatian and Juvenalian styles.
His deadpan, ironic writing style, particularly in A Modest Proposal, has led to such satire being subsequently termed "Swiftian".

Reviews

[Alex Laser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about the vanity of books. Funny and perhaps more relevant than ever in the age of self-publishing via Twitter and Facebook. Swift was living through the advent of mass literacy. Although books and book audiences were proliferating rapidly in his time, Swift recognized that human ideas and sophistication were not developing apace. Mass literacy did not mean mass intelligence. So many writers in Swifts time, through their numerous nauseating preludes, digressions, and postludes, endeavored to say something and ended up saying nothing. Swift, ingeniously, in writing a book about nothing, said something profound. He shows how readily human beings will accept babble as knowledge. Swift's work does not speak through content of the words—because taken at face value, Swift would be about the most pompous fatuous writers to ever live—what allows his work to say something is not any word or words but the composite impression of Swift's sarcastic tone which cannot be empirically proved but only intuited by cognizant readers. He suggests that the learning of books cannot be measured by the production or consumption of words but by the miraculous process by which the brain interprets the intent and meaning of an author, which is always greater than the sum of words themselves. In an age of infinite self-publishing and over sharing facilitated by online social networking, Swift's book serves as a reminder that sometimes those who say the least say the most.

[Julian Worker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Tale of a Tub is designed as a commentary on the state of religion and government in England. Three brothers Peter, Martin, and Jack attempt to make their way in the world. Each brother represents one of the primary branches of Christianity in the West.

Peter stands for the Roman Catholic Church, Jack represents the dissenting Protestant churches, and Martin is used to represent the Church of England.

Swift's explanation for the title of the book is that the Ship of State was threatened by a whale (the Leviathan of Thomas Hobbes). His book is intended to be a tub that the sailors of state might toss over the side to divert the attention of the whale.

It is a diverting book where vapour represents the true essence of a person. It is what the Aeolist Priests belch out into the air in order to share their ideas with each other. This is how the philosophers teach their students. Everybody has this vapour, which might be called the core of a person—their soul. Swift turns this concept on its head by depicting the religious figures as expelling flatulence into the mouths of their followers, thereby “passing” their essence.

[Fionnuala]

Superb satire on the three main religions.

Also this on critics and reviewers:
These reasonings will furnish us with an adequate definition of a true critic: that he is a discoverer and collector of writers’ faults. Which may be farther put beyond dispute by the following demonstration: that whoever will examine the writings in all kinds, wherewith this ancient sect has honoured the world, shall immediately find, from the whole thread and tenor of them, that the ideas of the authors have been altogether conversant and taken up with the faults and blemishes, and oversights, and mistakes of other writers; and let the subject treated on be whatever it will, their imaginations are so entirely possessed and replete with the defects of other pens, that the very quintessence of what is bad does of necessity distil into their own, by which means the whole appears to be nothing else but an abstract of the criticisms themselves have made.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this book.

The tale of a tub (from the custom of throwing a tub out to sea to divert a whale threatening the ship), was meant to divert the “wits of the age” (we might call them pundits) threatening the commonwealth. It’s about Peter (Catholicism), Jack (John Calvin-Protestantism) and Martin (Luther’s reformation which led to Angicanism), brothers who each put their own interpretation on the strict “word” of their father’s “will,” about how to take care of the “coats” they were bequeathed. Peter talks them into adding a bunch of adornments to their coats, Jack has a fit and rips them off, destroying the coat in the process and becoming “a person whose intellectuals were overturned, and his brain shaken out of its natural position.” Not much is said about Martin, except that he is sedate and grave and takes followers away from Peter. That’s about it. (It’s a short story.) The brothers never reconcile (but we knew that).

So it sounds kind of fun, but it was such a drag to read. The language is difficult to follow and the references were mostly unknown to me. The “digressions” mixed in with the story were supposed to be tests to see if the reader can spot nonsense.

“Having thus paid my due deference and acknowledgment to an establish’d custom of our newest authors by a long digression unsought for and an universal censure unprovoked, by forcing into the light, with much pains and dexterity, my own excellencies and other mens defaults, with great justice to my self and candor to them, I now happily resume my subject, to the infinite satisfaction both of the reader and the author.”

They all seemed crazy to me. Does that mean I passed?

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

To quote the late great Roger Ebert "I hated hated hated hated hated this" book. I give it two stars instead of one for the very simple but important issue: I didn't understand I word of it. So maybe it ain't Swift's fault.
Now, first of all, I consider myself an intelligent person. I have read "hard to understand" novels and treasties. I have understood forms of dry philosophy. I got through George Elliot.
But this... well this is a creature onto itself. Secondly, many people have stated that this is nearly impossible to get so maybe I'm in good company.
So why read it? I don't know. A challenge I guess.
What's it about? I don't know. A challenge to me I guess.
Is it funny, a satire? I don't know. I just don't know. Is it an allegory? So people smarter then me have suggested so. Is it a comment on the art of criticism? I think so. There were chapter titles that mentioned this.
So do I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate this because it made me feel inferior to my own sense of self important ego? No. Did it make me feel stupid? No.
Did you just hate it because you didn't understand it? YES!!!

[andreea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Aaron Brame · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read A Tale of a Tub. Written for the Universal Improvement of Mankind for grad school, and it is one of the most unusual texts I have ever read. Swift published it anonymously in 1704--it was his first major work--and it is a rambling, disjointed, unintelligible book that challenges even the most careful reader. My professor said it was the most difficult work of the 18th century, and I believe him.

What's difficult about it? Well, the first indication that you're in for a rough few nights of reading is the Latin epigraph at the beginning of the work, which is attributed to Irenaeus:

Basima eacabasa irraurista, diarba da caeotaba fobor camelanthi.

What does that mean in English? Nothing. It's complete faux-Latin nonsense.

After the epigraph, Tub proceeds with an introductory letter from the bookseller, then a letter to the reader, then a dedication, then a preface, and finally an introduction. By the time the reader gets to the section entitled "A Tale of a Tub, &C.", he is utterly graspingfor what this book is about.

But there's more. Soon, the narrator of A Tale of a Tub makes his first of four digressions. First he has a digression about the purpose of critics, then, after a brief return to his "tale" (which is not a tale at all), he digresses again. This digression is called "A Digression in the Modern Kind." His third digression is entitled, what else?, "A Digression in Praise of Digressions," and his final digression is on the subject of madness.

There are also sections of the text that are entirely missing, and are replaced with asterisks.

What is the point of The Tale of a Tub? What is it satirizing? Well, it's in part a comment on the freedom of the press in 18th century London (which Swift opposed), the proliferation of disposable writing by hack writers, and the flooding of the market with pamphlets and newspapers that were little more than propaganda for the politicians of the day. It's also an argument against the "moderns" who felt that the "Augustans" 18th century England had a better understanding of the world than the ancient Greeks and Romans. Finally, it's also an elaborate distraction that stymies every reader who tries to interpret it.

In the last pages of the book, Swift's narrator states "I am now trying an Experiment very frequent among Modern Authors; which is to write upon Nothing." This is a fitting ending to a frustrating and confusing book.

See more at mrbramesblog.org

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't say I enjoyed this terribly much. As with other Swiftian satires, I felt as if there was much that I was not getting, that a good deal would have meant so much more to a contemporary audience.
The story itself is simple, an allegory of religious excess, with three prodigal sons disrespecting their father's will, each representing a part of the Christian faith. Much more interesting is the amount of prefaces, analysis, forewords and digressions that actually make up much of the work. The digressions are much the most fun, from a digression concering digressions to a digression on the history of ears. I could write much more, but to confirm Swift's criticism of critics, I shall now stop to prepare a digression myself. A Short Treatise on the Overuse of the Word "Much" in Contemporary Book Reviews. Swift is best read with a pinch of salt, but there is indeed, much to admire.

[Matty-Swytla · Rating 2 out of 5]

For such a short book it requires so much mental work to make sense of it that I doubt it is worth the effort. It is a good satire, but please don't ask me for a summary because I'm pretty sure I've already forgotten most of it since the author makes a point of writing about nothing and everything in the most ridiculous tone possible.

So, it was frustrating? I'll leave it at that.

[Maya Lerman]

i will never digress again

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes Swift turns an unbelievably great phrase, like when he says that knavery is as epidemic as the pox or when he says that those with teeth too rotten to bite are best of all others qualified to revenge the defect with their breath. There are many other points in this book that are well observed and cleverly phrased. For a book that was written in 1697, it is surprisingly easy to read. Swift was a writer of great clarity.

So there is much to admire here, but in the end I did not feel that that this book was in the same league as Gulliver's Travels or A Modest Proposal. The main thread of this book is a satirical allegory of the church about three brothers, Peter, Martin and Jack who stand for Catholocism, Church of England and the dissenting Protestant sects. I have never taken to allegory and don't have a lot of interest in organized religion, so it was hard for me to sustain interest in this story. I know enough about the struggles between the various branches of Christianity that I was able to appreciate a lot of the satirical references to doctrines and beliefs. I am sure that there is a lot more there that would have been instantly understood by an educated contemporary of Swift, but that was lost on me and would be lost on most modern readers. Interspersed between the story of the three brothers are digressions that deal mostly with writing and bookselling. I found the digressions more interesting than the main thread and more relevant to contemporary experience for those who pursue writing for profit and who have to deal with criticism and government controls.

[Ellinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I mentioned before that satire and parody aren't my favourite genres. I try to be fair when rating these books and to take into consideration the effect the books had or must have had when they were published.
This book was VERY hard for me to read. It was my second book by Jonathan Swift. My first was A Modest Proposal which was quite funny at some points but the ca. 10 pages of it were already definitely enough for me. I thought that A Tale of a Tub would be another quick read I would read before starting the much longer Gulliver. Well, I was wrong. It took me much longer than expected to read this book. If my only criteria when rating a book was readability I would have rated it only one star. But that obviously wouldn't value this book.
Given that it was so difficult, I also read notes on the book, and it turns out that it is actually brilliant!
I still can't give A Tale of a Tub more than 3 stars however. For a book to get more than these I will also have to enjoy it now matter however brilliant its content may be.

[Charlotte Dann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Video discussion.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonathan Swift is a satirist and so sometimes I stumble over his true intent. He often comes across as arrogant and self-righteous; but who's to say if that voice is a device for carrying his message. Sometimes I enjoy his writing very much and other times I find him tedious.

In this treatise, Swift alternates between a parable of three brothers given coats to them by their father, and digressions where he shares a variety of thoughts.

I was moved by Swift's digression about the winds (as it resonated with some thoughts I've been having) such as in this passage:

The learned Æolists maintain the original cause of all things to be wind, from which principle this whole universe was at first produced, and into which it must at last be resolved, that the same breath which had kindled and blew up the flame of Nature should one day blow it out.

“Quod procul à nobis flectat Fortuna gubernans.”

This is what the Adepti understand by their anima mundi, that is to say, the spirit, or breath, or wind of the world; or examine the whole system by the particulars of Nature, and you will find it not to be disputed. For whether you please to call the forma informans of man by the name of spiritus, animus, afflatus, or anima, what are all these but several appellations for wind, which is the ruling element in every compound, and into which they all resolve upon their corruption. Further, what is life itself but, as it is commonly called, the breath of our nostrils, whence it is very justly observed by naturalists that wind still continues of great emolument in certain mysteries not to be named, giving occasion for those happy epithets of turgidus and inflatus, applied either to the emittent or recipient organs.

With the current horrors going on in Palestine, I was also interested in his ideas about war and why war and what's it good for (absolutely nothin', huh!).

This being a matter of great consequence, the author intends to treat it methodically and at large in a treatise apart, and here to give only some hints of what his large treatise contains. The state of war, natural to all creatures. War is an attempt to take by violence from others a part of what they have and we want. Every man, fully sensible of his own merit, and finding it not duly regarded by others, has a natural right to take from them all that he thinks due to himself; and every creature, finding its own wants more than those of others, has the same right to take everything its nature requires. Brutes, much more modest in their pretensions this way than men, and mean men more than great ones. The higher one raises his pretensions this way, the more bustle he makes about them, and the more success he has, the greater hero. Thus greater souls, in proportion to their superior merit, claim a greater right to take everything from meaner folks. This the true foundation of grandeur and heroism, and of the distinction of degrees among men. War, therefore, necessary to establish subordination, and to found cities, kingdoms, &c., as also to purge bodies politic of gross humours. Wise princes find it necessary to have wars abroad to keep peace at home. War, famine, and pestilence, the usual cures for corruption in bodies politic. A comparison of these three—the author is to write a panegyric on each of them. The greatest part of mankind loves war more than peace. They are but few and mean-spirited that live in peace with all men. The modest and meek of all kinds always a prey to those of more noble or stronger appetites. The inclination to war universal; those that cannot or dare not make war in person employ others to do it for them. This maintains bullies, bravoes, cut-throats, lawyers, soldiers, &c. Most professions would be useless if all were peaceable. Hence brutes want neither smiths nor lawyers, magistrates nor joiners, soldiers or surgeons. Brutes having but narrow appetites, are incapable of carrying on or perpetuating war against their own species, or of being led out in troops and multitudes to destroy one another. These prerogatives proper to man alone. The excellency of human nature demonstrated by the vast train of appetites, passions, wants, &c., that attend it.

[Nemanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swift's rather layered and hermetic satire "Tale of a Tub" is made up of several parts. In the first part Swift ridicules the customs of writers and publishers at the time, primarily through a list of chapters hilariously titled; then through the bookseller's recommendation to the readers - poking fun at publishers who take a large amount of credit for publishing someone else’s work; followed by the dedication to a distinguished member of the society - a common practice at the time that served the purpose of recommending a book to the masses (in this instance, part jokingly, part in all seriousness because it is dedicated to Swift's good friend, honorable Lord Somers, who could save him from trouble if Swift exaggerates in his remarks); followed by a special dedication, to the prince posterity - in which he points out that he is not one of the contemporary writers whom, with some exceptions, no one will remember, and that his work will only become better understood over time. He ends the first part with yet another introduction in which he states what he will write about in his Tale of a Tub, and explains the reasons behind writing it. According to him it serves the same purpose as with fishermen who throw tubs into the sea, to divert whales, so he throws this difficult-to-understand story, so that people could divert their thoughts from difficult topics such as the problems caused to the state by the pro-republican groups; and at the same time it refers to the tub, which is a kind of pulpit for priests, indicating that in his work he will also address the matter of religion. He begins the second part with yet another introduction - alluding to the extremely extensive and unnecessary introductions writers tend to make in which they state what they will write about, and yet accomplish not to say anything. And all that before the actual Tale of the Tub, a story about three brothers Peter, Jack and Martin begins, who serve as the representatives of the Catholic church, Protestant churches and the Church of England. They inherit from their father a will, that should guide them through life like the Bible, and three coats (representing their religious practice), which they alter depending on their individual views of their father's will. After each brief account of their lives, during which Swift ridicules various religious practices (such as inconsistencies in the holy texts, richness of the clergy etc.) follows a digression that is a new allegory to various aspects of society from his time, from the ridicule of critics, philosophers, contemporary writers, readers... He finally concludes the work with the brief history of Martin, describing the constant tumults between the influential Protestant church in the time of Queen Anne and the Church of England.

[Kristel · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I put this on my TBR pile for 2019 I did not realize what a chore this would be. I loved A Modest Proposal for wit and humor but this early and most intense satire by Jonathan Swift was a real drag. The author is writing a satire and from what I can decern, is about Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinism. It is also intermixed with satire of critics and modernism. Yes, modernism of the 1600s. I am sure this is included in 1001 Books you must Read because Swift is surely a pioneer and probably the greatest satirist of all time. However, this is more an essay than a novel. Interspersed is the story of three brothers; Peter (catholic) Martin (Martin Luther) and Jack (John Calvin). I enjoyed those parts the most. The style that this is written in is also apart of the parody and I am sure that if I were to read this as part of college course or a learned group, there would be much to find. Mostly I found this book great for getting 40 winks.

[Zadignose]

This is an infinitely witty bit of sport, nominally a satire about different denominations of Christianity, by way of parable, but actually more of a takedown of authors of the day, critics, and attitudes about literature at the same time that it plays with form and thumbs its nose at expectations. It's full enough of digressions as to make it obvious that the digressions are the point, so much so that it ultimately jettisons the narrative that was supposedly the core of the whole thing, because to hell with central conflict.

The free Gutenberg version includes, at the end, some material that was present in the earliest editions but which was cut from later editions. The book is better without this material, so you might as well skip that part... or not. It's mostly a summary of what Swift might have done if he had bothered to continue his tale, so it's not as developed nor as sharp witted as the actual material of the book proper.

[Mela]

I tried three times to read it. It is too "sophisticated" to me.

I love the idea of this book. I liked Gulliver's Travels: Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. and A Modest Proposal. Jonathan Swift's satirical style is priceless. Yet, the sentences in this novel were too much for me. So, instead of reading it, I read (and watched) a few analyses of "A Tale of a Tub".

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stars for the actual tale of Peter, Martin, and Jack. I find the subject - the schism and subsequent theological disagreements within the Christian Church - too serious and distressing for satire. Yes, Swift did have me chuckling sometimes, but it felt irreverent. I actually enjoyed the “digressions” lambasting modern authors and critics more.

This audiobook has an excellent reader, but I wished the Latin quotes could have been translated.

[Margret Melissa (ladybug) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I just don't get Satire. :( This was confusing reading. I had to go online and look up summaries to figure out what was going on. Then it made sense.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know you want to be sarcastic and clever, but do you really need to insert so many detailed descriptions about sewers and shit? Gosh, 18th century Europe was such a different place. I heard that Mozart was also keen on excrement jokes.

[daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

there was literally no tubs where is the boat I was promised on the front cover

rip Johnathan Swift you would have hated P&O Cruises

[Vicky Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoodwinking Your Religion

Jonathan Swift has a sharp wit, which can be very cutting in the best of moments. A Tale of a Tub is quite allegorical. Much of this may be spoilers if you plan to read the book, so use your own discretion in continuing to read here. The three men are called Peter, Martin, and Jack so you quickly get the idea that Peter signifies first St. Peter specifically, and soon the Catholic Church in general. He interprets the Father's will very astutely to their own designs, and proves so adept at picking apart the letter of the will... literally... that eventually he is very good at swindling others in other areas of life because of his practice at hoodwinking his religion.

Eventually, Martin and Jack tire of Peter's dominance over their religion, which has been throughout the story thus far cloaked as a ... coat. Yes, all three were left a coat by their Father. They want to embellish the coats and that was where Peter had come in so handy with helping them learn to obey the will by letters only. All of it is really quite so humorous that you could die laughing, or maybe crying with a big hiccup in conclusion.

You soon see Martin embodying the Reformation, as in Martin Luther specifically, and the Protestant Church generally. Martin carefully begins to peel away things that have been added to his coat by Peter. Jack, specifically representing James Calvin, gets carried away in his zeal and shreds his coat trying to take off everything that doesn't belong. Martin had been rather sensible about it and just tried to make a few adjustments here and there, so his coat still looked quite good. Of course, Jack then grows to hate Martin because Martin actually still has a coat.

The author gives Jack quite a few nick-names to signify the Quakers and other non mainstream groups, and several other branches that split off the 'normal' denominational ladder, but he also takes him in the direction of some groups that call themselves 'non-religions.' They say religion is broke and they don't want to be anything like the bad Christians. So, where some wear suits while breaking all the morals of the Bible, the others are going barefoot with jeans to church and their religion does not even resemble the coat it once was. But, either way, the Father had wanted the three sons to stay together above all else. They had already messed up big.

The Tub in the title refers to the idea of tossing an empty tub out to a whale to keep him occupied to prevent him from tearing your ship apart. Yeah, so swift Jonathan here is doing the same with us, and he's having a laugh at our expense at times. Often he is talking 'just to hear his head roar,' as the saying goes. For example, he describes in very erudite terms how humans are composed of divine wind, and ends up comparing us to a bag of wind in so many words... and worse. It really is quite funny in moments, as I've said before.

He admits to this 'talking about nothing' with many words near the end when he says:

I am now trying an experiment very frequent among modern authors which is to write upon nothing, when the subject is utterly exhausted to let the pen still move on; by some called the ghost of wit, delighting to walk after the death of its body.

But, the thing about it is, in talking to hear the lovely sound of his words, he always ends up bringing it around to something that is a huge cut against some common fault of man. So, he was heading there all along, riding on this gust of seemingly nothing.

The book is a classic work, and as such, is in the common domain. I read it from the free Kindle version, using whisper-sync with the Audible narrated by Peter Wickham. It is very well done in a voice that sounds so much like it could be Jonathan Swift. It is an enjoyable book. At times his ideas can get lost in a first reading and the language can be a bit dated. Either way, it's not likely a reader will catch everything packed into each sentence anyways because the writer is storing quite a bit of hidden innuendos and it really can pack a punch. You are guaranteed to pick up new points in a second and third reading.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tale of A Tub by Jonathan Swift – author of the universally known Gulliver’s Travels – my note on this is at https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/04/... where I have a few thousand more reviews

8 out of 10

Jonathan Swift has two books on the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list, one of the best known in the world, Gulliver’s Travels, and A Tale of A Tub which was seen as ‘A satire on the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches and English Dissenters, it was famously attacked for its profanity and irreligion’, though I failed to see it that way

We have three brothers, Peter, Jack and Martin, and the will of their father, which stipulates that they have been all given coats, that they must not change, only this is all they seem to do, according to fashions, which keep changing, they add various accoutrements, and thus the coats become unrecognizable
The father is God, Peter comes from Saint Peter and he would play the role, be the symbol for the Catholic church in the narrative (becoming the most obnoxious I would say in the story) Martin stands for Martin Luther, the reformer who attacked the Catholic faith and its indulgences, and Jack would be John Calvin

This is broadly speaking, and we could all read through the Tale and have our own interpretations, besides, the vision, judgement will be influenced, nay, not just influenced, it is all fundamentally changed by our stand on religion itself, as in, you embrace Catholicism, there you go, you feel upset that Peter is such a bad fellow in the book
I for one reject all three, and more faiths, or all, though I would be joyous if I have an epiphany, and have a penchant for some elements of Buddhism, and see the valor, merit of being a ‘good Christian, Muslim, Jew, etc.’, in that all faiths provide for munificence, peace (I think Islam means peace), love thy neighbor, and more

Karen Armstrong is the ultimate expert on religion – I think I have read that in The Economist, and if there is no such thing as ‘the ultimate’, then she is one of the best – and I have had the chance to read some of her books https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... and feel blessed
She presents strong arguments, if many are appalled at the way creationists, fanatics, fundamentalists interpret dogmas and act in those gruesome ways -say by voting for the epitome of the devil aka Orange Jesus, who is again favorite to become leader of the free world from next year – then they should read Karen Armstrong
Her master works provide not just clues and enlighten, they could convince skeptics, because she makes it clear that there are myths, the bible stories were not meant to be taken literally, which is what fools like the member of the cult of Orange Jesus, who is also Speaker of the House do, and say the earth was made in a few thousand years

Or whatever the holy book says, it goes, and not metaphorically, but literally, it is written there that God created the world in seven days, then that is it, it took just that much, and never you mind the proofs, geological eras – by the way, I have a degree in geophysics, a specialty in geology - they do more harm than most, these lunatics
The catholic church has reached a low point when it sold absolution, through the infamous indulgences, attacked by Martin Luther and exposed in Memoirs of a Gnostic Dwarf https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... in recent years they have again been involved in scandals

So much so that in comedy acts and shows, the Catholic priest and the whole beano are used for laughs, in sardonic, sexual jokes that refer to the multitude of priests that have abused their flock, alas, most of the time the victims were children…nonetheless, they have made a good choice with their present Pope, Francis
Which has not solved the problem though, for he has me with fierce resistance, when he has advocated for change, such as a more tolerant, Christian seems to be the word, if it is not in fact an oxymoron, attitude towards homosexuals, lesbians and other groups I guess, the LGBTQ+ communities in general

There are radicals in America and elsewhere that say the pope is wrong and worse, and mind you, it is not as if they have elected a hippy to be the successor of Saint Peter, holder of the Keys to the Heavenly Gate and the rest, Francis is not progressive, in fact, he has made quite a few mistakes, such as in the Russian invasion case
If I remember well, with his push for peace, which makes sense, obviously, he appeared to act in Putin’s favor, for you could not accept a ceasefire, and end of war, if that means saying alright great dictator, come along and take everything, make us your subjects, we all live without freedom, in that big Russian prison

Nathaniel Branden is best known for his fundamental work on self-esteem, he is considered the best authority in the field, he wrote the classic The Six Pillars of Self- Esteem, but when I read or write about religion, I remember another work of his, The Psychological Effects of Religion https://realini.blogspot.com/2016/04/...
In which he argues that these effects are devastating, what with the Omniscient always looking over the shoulder, and punishing the teenager who has masturbated (such a sin for some, or all faiths) when he is forty, decades later, then there is the issue of the eternal life, which makes many believers treat this one, here, as just a passage, so unimportant when compared with eternity, to be spent in paradise, if one is good on earth…

Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se

There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know

As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...

Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works

‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’

‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’

“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”

[Leslie Wexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is said that Swift, when he was rich and years and his powers of criticism were distinctly failing, was overheard saying with regards to Tale of a Tub, "Good God, what a genius I had when I wrote that book."

Agreed.

This book was f.a.n.t.a.s.t.i.c! I find myself overrun with self-reflexive ponderings that equally confirm and satirize my position as a scholar/critic. I love this book and will read it for the rest of my life (which conveniently Swift proclaims that learned people are inclined to do - which is a good way of complimenting and criticizing (in this instance, me) the reader all at once since the learned according to the digressions of the book produce mere wind!)

I loved it, and I'm going to ruminate over its tasty morsels later tonight and belch them out to anyone who'll listen (read: Erik). "What is man himself but a micro-coat."

Inscription:
I am studying this book for comprehensive exams, and it has been delicious! I want to write a preface to my exam about the excellence of exam takers and their special predilections towards abstract thought, their own perfect meta-language, hermeneutic and thus true genius as not simply the base and disgusting critical thinker, and strumpet-like decoder of vulgar symbols and signifiers but of an intellectual authenticity only known by the gods who drink the sweet ambrosia of that rarefied thought and effortlessly shine forth their divine comportment and disgusted rejection of all such ridiculous inspections (and gradings) of their divinity.

[Monty Milne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were plenty of times I laughed out loud reading this, delighted at Swift's idiosyncratic genius. If you like lengthy quotations from Horace interlarded with fart jokes, then this is for you....but there is a problem with this text. It is almost impossible for anyone to read it today without possessing EITHER an intimate familiarity with the literary, theological, cultural and historical context of 300 years ago OR being forced to wade through so many explanatory footnotes that the pleasure of the narrative will be seriously impeded.

I am fortunate that an expensive classical education and an Oxford degree in theology, plus forty odd years of immersion in the writings of the past, have probably equipped me better than many for getting something out of this. But not all of it is easily comprehensible, even to me - e.g. when Swift talks of " a codicil written by a dog keeper...of this very flame coloured satin" I missed the reference to the Apocyphal Book of Tobit (even though I've read it - and in Greek too) and the Doctrine of Purgatory...for every witty reference I got, there were plenty of others I would have missed completely without the footnotes. For these reasons, I didn't enjoy it enough to give it 4 stars, although if I was more erudite than I am then I might have done so.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult read if you don't know much about the history of Catholicism, Christianity or its main sects. I only understood certain portions of it here and there, and especially when it got to Henry VIII and onward, but with a more in-depth reading and a plethora of footnotes, I think I could've been able to understand the whole thing.

The book is separated into eleven parts and the actual A Tale of a Tub parts are every even-numbered part, with the exception of X (which is a further digression from IX). The format basically follows the tale of Peter, Martin and Jack (the three main sects of Christianity) and their attempts to follow what is laid out in their father's (God) will; while the odd-numbered parts are Swift's thoughts and explanations of certain parts, sort of. After the Conclusion, Swift goes on to write more things on the history of Christianity and so on.

Obviously as it is Jonathan Swift and he's famous for his satire, this book is chock-full of it. Some parts elicited genuine chuckles out of me, but the rest made me concentrate a bit too much to get the humour. I think this book would rate higher for me if I put the time and effort in to studying it more, but alas now is not that time. One day I will probably re-read this for better insight.

[Sunny · Rating 1 out of 5]

You've just gotta love Project Gutenberg!
But, this story, not so much.

I thoroughly enjoyed Swift's A Modest Proposal, but the social issues being lampooned in that one are still issues in our modern times. So. I got the jokes.

But, THIS satire is about religion and politics (which were completely bound together at the time) and the split between Catholics, Protestants, and the Church of England. There were so many allusions to people I don't know, historical scenarios I've never been introduced to, and latin phrases for which I didn't even have the skill sets to come up with a viable search string in Google.

The tone of the writing made it clear that he was being snarky. Tongue in cheek humor. I liked the (idea of the) format - trying to tell an allegorical story while interrupting himself with long-winded digressions or tangents. And the author's over-confidence in his own abilities and importance.

But, it pretty much all went over my head. The whole thing for me was like being excluded from some private joke.

[Ryon Shepard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books are organisms. They are living, breathing things made of consciousness. Sometimes the meaning of a book is not in what is explicitly written. Sometimes it is in the movement, it is the flow itself. It's music, it is sound, and it affects consciousness at a level that few of us are conscious of. This is one of those books. Along with Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, Cantos of Ezra Pound, Beckett, etc . . . this book is a living thing.

[Savonarola · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight. Battle of the Books is gorgeous, too, and is usually printed together with the Tub.

Very much of the same British dryly priestly satirical lineage as Robert Burton, Laurence Sterne, and Thomas Carlyle. A book of pure play, armed with strong wit and a love of convoluted (or, convulsive) talk.

Dr. Johnson was so fond of it that he doubted that Swift wrote it!