Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Genre: Satire, Classic Literature, Fiction, Essays

Book Review:
Jonathan Swift is the master of savage indignation, a writer whose rage at human folly and hypocrisy burns from every page. This Bantam Classics volume, Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings, is the perfect introduction to his genius, offering not only his most famous work but also a superb selection of his other satirical masterpieces.

Gulliver's Travels is, of course, the centerpiece. It begins as a light-hearted adventure story, a tale of a ship's surgeon who visits strange lands. But it quickly darkens. In Lilliput, Gulliver is a giant among tiny people, and Swift uses this perspective to expose the absurdity of human politics. In Brobdingnag, he is the tiny one, and the giant king's horrified reaction to his descriptions of English ''civilization'' is a devastating critique. The voyage to Laputa satirizes the pretensions of science and philosophy. And the final voyage, to the land of the Houyhnhnms, is one of the most disturbing works ever written. The Houyhnhnms are rational, virtuous horses; the Yahoos are filthy, degenerate creatures who are unmistakably human. Gulliver's ultimate identification with the Houyhnhnms and his disgust with humanity is a shocking and unforgettable conclusion.

But this collection offers so much more. A Tale of a Tub is a brilliant and complex satire on religious excess, a dizzying work of wit and learning. ''A Modest Proposal'' is perhaps the most shocking pamphlet ever written: Swift calmly and rationally suggests that the impoverished Irish should solve their problems by selling their children as food for the rich. It is a masterpiece of ironic outrage, a work that forces you to confront the horrific reality of poverty and the callous indifference of those in power. ''The Bickerstaff Papers'' show Swift's lighter side, a hilarious hoax that predicted the death of a famous astrologer and made him a laughingstock.

This volume also includes selections from Swift's poetry and from his intimate Journal to Stella, revealing a more personal and tender side of this complex and often angry man.

Miriam Kosh Starkman's introduction provides valuable context for understanding Swift's life and work. This collection is an essential addition to any library. It is a book that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you angry. It is a testament to the enduring power of satire to challenge, provoke, and illuminate the human condition. Highly recommended.