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Thomas Paine - by Craig Nelson (Paperback)
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Highlights
- A fresh new look at the Enlightenment intellectual who became the most controversial of America's founding fathers Despite his being a founder of both the United States and the French Republic, the creator of the phrase "United States of America," and the author of Common Sense, Thomas Paine is the least well known of America's founding fathers.
- About the Author: Craig Nelson is the author of four previous books, including The First Heroes and Let's Get Lost.
- 432 Pages
- Biography + Autobiography, Historical
Description
About the Book
Nelson presents a fresh look at the least well known of Americas founding fathers. This edifying biography traces Paines path from his years as a London mechanic to his emergence as the voice of revolution to his final days in the throes of dementia.
Book Synopsis
A fresh new look at the Enlightenment intellectual who became the most controversial of America's founding fathers
Despite his being a founder of both the United States and the French Republic, the creator of the phrase "United States of America," and the author of Common Sense, Thomas Paine is the least well known of America's founding fathers. This edifying biography by Craig Nelson traces Paine's path from his years as a London mechanic, through his emergence as the voice of revolutionary fervor on two continents, to his final days in the throes of dementia. By acquainting us as never before with this complex and combative genius, Nelson rescues a giant from obscurity-and gives us a fascinating work of history.
Review Quotes
"Craig Nelson's lovely new biography provides cogent reasons why the man who wrote Common Sense has often been neglected by the cheerleaders for the American Revolution."
-Los Angeles Times Book Review
"A rewarding new biography . . . as much a primer on the Enlightenment as it is the story of the stay-maker from Thetford-and all the better for it."
-The New Yorker
About the Author
Craig Nelson is the author of four previous books, including The First Heroes and Let's Get Lost. His writings have appeared in Salon, The New England Review, Blender, Genre, and a host of other publications. He was an editor at HarperCollins, Hyperion, and Random House for almost twenty years and has been profiled by Variety, Interview, Manhattan, Inc., and Time Out.