Bücher der Reihe Capstone Classics

What we can learn from a Renaissance nowhereIn 1516, a book was published in Latin with the enigmatic Greek-derived word as its title. Utopia--which could mean either "good-place" or "no-place"--gives a traveler's account of a newly discovered island somewhere in the New World where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based purely on natural reason and justice. As the traveler describes the harmony, prosperity, and equality found there, a dramatic contrast is drawn between the ideal community he portrays and the poverty, crime, and often frightening political conditions of 16th century Europe. Written by Sir Thomas More (1477-1535)--then a rising intellectual star of the Renaissance and ultimately the advisor and friend of Henry VIII who was executed for his devoutly Catholic opposition to the king--Utopia is as complex as its author.In the form of a Platonic dialogue, Utopia explores topics such as money, property, crime, education, religious tolerance, euthanasia, and feminism. Claimed as a paean to communism (Lenin had More's name inscribed on a statue in Moscow) as often as it has been seen as a defense of traditional medieval values, Utopia began the lineage of utopian thinkers who use storytelling to explore new possibilities for human society--and remains as relevant today as when it was written in Antwerp 500 years ago.* Explore the issues like feminism, euthanasia, and equality through Renaissance eyes* Early communist tract or a defense of medieval values? You decide.* Peer inside the enigmatic mind of the man who dared stand up to Henry VIII* Appreciate the postmodern possibilities of Platonic dialoguePart of the bestselling Capstone Classics series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this edition features an introduction from writer, economist, and historian Niall Kishtainy.

Throughout the centuries, Seneca has been admired as one of the greatest writers of antiquity. He has a way of expressing Stoic philosophy that makes it seem just as relevant to life today as it was two thousand years ago. Seneca taught that we should remain grounded in the present moment by being fully aware of the impermanence of life.In being clear-sighted and dealing with adversity head-on, it's possible to live a life of meaning and contentment in the here and now, truly enjoying nature, art, friends and loved ones. The rise and rise in popularity of Stoic philosophy has made Seneca's letters bedside reading for many.This collectible, hard-back edition of Letters from a Stoic includes an insightful and original Introduction by psychotherapist and Stoicism expert Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius (2019).

DISCOVER A TALE OF UNIMAGINABLE ADVERSITYTwelve Years a Slave tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free-born man of colour who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South in 1841. His true tale of captivity, torture and abuse brings to life the unimaginable evils of slavery in a time when it was yet to be outlawed. Equal parts slave, travel, and spiritual narrative, Twelve Years A Slave reveals Northup to be a person of astonishing strength and wisdom.An insightful introduction by David Fiske reveals the world into which Northup was born, the kidnapping phenomenon to which he fell victim, and the legacy of slavery today.