Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Utopia by Thomas Moreis our Old School read for December 2019.

This is the No Spoiler Thread
The Spoiler Thread will open December 1st

This early posting of the No Spoiler thread is to discuss any non-plot issues pertaining to the book.

Appropriate Posts can contain:
1. Information about the author.
2. Compare editions/translations.
3. Any historical or background information
4. Are you familiar with this author’s work? Do you have any expectations going into the book?
5. What made you decide to read this book?
6. Any fan fiction that you have read or would like to read? Just link the books.
7. If you loved the book and want others to share in that experience, use this thread to motivate others, again save plot specifics for the Spoiler thread
8. If you hated the book, it would be best to keep that for the spoiler page

The most important thing to remember is no plot discussion. Any post that contains plot information or spoilers will be deleted.

I’d just like to say that this is one of my favorite books of all time. I first read it years ago after it was quoted in the movie Ever After, and I’ve reread it many times since. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I have. :)

Whaaooo.
Yeah I'm excited.
I am buying Three Early Modern Utopias

Oxford World Classics editions are always wins for me.
I will buy from one of my favorite used booksellers.
Next year I may do a Early Modern Period Old & New along with an Ancient Old & New (even if has to be unofficial).
Yippee Yay Yay.

well that is cool!

I'm in :)

About Editions. I have both the Barnes&Nobles and the Oxford World's Classics with me. (Because on phone I will post about each in separate posts.)

What makes Barnes&Nobles stand out:
1 a biography of More written by son-in-law who was also lawyer
2 Small extras, one being collection of short poems about More's Utopia.
3 more-to-the point glossary.

What stands out about the Oxford:
Three Early Modern Utopias
1 three utopias in one book.
2 introduction includes discussion of generic orgins of utopias as a literary genre.
3 an additional glossary for some early modern terms we do not often use.

It should be kept in mind that "Utopia" in English is a translation from More's Latin. (Which gave it an immediate European audience -- only the English and some merchants knew English.) Different editions may read quite differently, and it may be useful to specify the source of quotations.

As may have already been noticed, the External Links in the Wikipedia article on the book contain helpful leads, including "The Open Utopia," with a mass of period information: http://theopenutopia.org/home/

The earliest English translation (Ralph Robynson's, in 1551) has an authentic Tudor flavor, but therefore sometimes needs a glossary, even in places where it isn't obviously obscure.

It has been years since I took a serious look at Utopia, and then strongly under the influence of J.H. Hexter's More's Utopia: The Biography of an Idea (in a 1965 Harper Torchbook edition, long out of print). I don't have a favorite translation, but for a good many years I relied on James P. Dolan's in The Essential Thomas More (New American Library, 1967: also now long out of print).

I'm in for the read, although I confess, I've absolutely no idea what I'm getting into! I'm hoping to learn along the way.

I have read Urn Burial. It’s a nice read about ancient ways of cremation and burial. I am also in for this book.

Piyangie wrote: "I'm in for the read, although I confess, I've absolutely no idea what I'm getting into! I'm hoping to learn along the way."

I am with you on this one.

I have the kindle edition and started it last week. I'm a little backlogged on books so I'll try to get to it again this weekend. I feel like I need to be very concentrated and focused while reading and I've been reading lately in spurts, so I think a lot of free time to read will help. I'm about 20 or so pages in.

I will be joining you this weekend Franky. I have had a busy week and am blocking this weekend for mostly reading, including reading Utopia.

I read this on the Serial Reader app.

I read this in high school as preparation for a cross disciplinary project. We were to imagine we were starting a new civilization from scratch; desert island, post-apocalypse, caveman days, whatever. I knew nothing of Thomas More back then. Much later, as my Catholic faith and education deepened in adulthood, I came to appreciate this Saint and Martyr for the life he lived with such earnestness and integrity. I look forward to revisiting this book now that I have lived more than half my life, and not half as well as he.

Edition I am reading from the public library:
Translated by Ralph Robinson
with The Life of Sir Thomas More, by William Roper
Edited with an Introduction and Notes, by Wayne A. Rebhorn
George Stade, Consulting’s Editorial Director
Barnes & Noble Classics, New York, 2005.
So how do we reference which edition we are reading as we post comments? It seems a shortcut is needed.

Jerilyn wrote: "Edition I am reading from the public library:
Translated by Ralph Robinson
with The Life of Sir Thomas More, by William Roper
Edited with an Introduction and Notes, by Wayne A. Rebhorn
George Stad..."

You can create a link if you use the internet to access goodreads. Just click on "add book/author" and type in the name of the book you are looking for. Multiple of editions are available, not just the edition that first pops up. You have an option to choose the other editions.
This function isn't available on the app.

I am reading this edition Utopia

Ian wrote: "It should be kept in mind that "Utopia" in English is a translation from More's Latin. (Which gave it an immediate European audience -- only the English and some merchants knew English.) Different ..."

Thanks Ian for the link to Open Utopia. I may use the maps included.