Publisher's Synopsis
The Battle of the Books is a satirical work written by the renowned author Jonathan Swift. The book is a parody of the contemporary literary culture of the time, and its title is a reference to the famous ""Battle of the Books"" that took place in the 17th century. The story takes place in the library of St. James's Palace, where a fierce debate is taking place between the books themselves. The two sides of the debate are represented by the ancient classics and the modern works, with each side arguing that their literature is superior to the other. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which is a preface that sets the stage for the debate. The second part is the actual debate itself, which is presented in a series of satirical dialogues between the books. Throughout the book, Swift uses his trademark wit and humor to poke fun at the literary pretensions of the time. He also takes aim at the political and social issues of the day, using the debate as a vehicle to comment on the state of society. Overall, The Battle of the Books is a witty, entertaining, and thought-provoking work that continues to be relevant today. It is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, satire, or the history of ideas.While things were in this ferment, discord grew extremely high; hot words passed on both sides, and ill blood was plentifully bred. Here a solitary Ancient, squeezed up among a whole shelf of Moderns, offered fairly to dispute the case, and to prove by manifest reason that the priority was due to them from long possession, and in regard of their prudence, antiquity, and, above all, their great merits toward the Moderns.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
