Thomas Paine and the Promise of America
by: Harvey J. Kaye
Price: $33.79
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Product Description:
Americas unfinished revolution
The revolutionary spirit that runs through American history and whose founding father and greatest advocate was Thomas Paine is fiercely traced in Thomas Paine and the Promise of America. Showing how Paine turned Americans into radicals--and how we have remained radicals at heart ever since--Harvey J. Kaye presents the nations democratic story with wit, subtlety, and, above all, passion.
Paine was one of the most remarkable political writers of the modern world and the greatest radical of a radical age. Through writings like Common Sense--and words such as "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth," "We have it in our power to begin the world over again," and "These are the times that try mens souls"--he not only turned Americas colonial rebellion into a revolutionary war but, as Kaye demonstrates, articulated an American identity charged with exceptional purpose and promise.
Beginning with Paines life and ideas and following their vigorous influence through to our own day, Thomas Paine and the Promise of America reveals how, while the powers that be repeatedly sought to suppress, defame, and most recently co-opt Paines memory, generations of radical and liberal Americans turned to Paine for inspiration as they endeavored to expand American freedom, equality, and democracy.
Americas unfinished revolution
The revolutionary spirit that runs through American history and whose founding father and greatest advocate was Thomas Paine is fiercely traced in Thomas Paine and the Promise of America. Showing how Paine turned Americans into radicals--and how we have remained radicals at heart ever since--Harvey J. Kaye presents the nations democratic story with wit, subtlety, and, above all, passion.
Paine was one of the most remarkable political writers of the modern world and the greatest radical of a radical age. Through writings like Common Sense--and words such as "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth," "We have it in our power to begin the world over again," and "These are the times that try mens souls"--he not only turned Americas colonial rebellion into a revolutionary war but, as Kaye demonstrates, articulated an American identity charged with exceptional purpose and promise.
Beginning with Paines life and ideas and following their vigorous influence through to our own day, Thomas Paine and the Promise of America reveals how, while the powers that be repeatedly sought to suppress, defame, and most recently co-opt Paines memory, generations of radical and liberal Americans turned to Paine for inspiration as they endeavored to expand American freedom, equality, and democracy.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- A Book to Avoid
This is one of the weakest and poorly written books I have ever read.The author fails to present a clear biography of Paine, while failing to provide insight into Paine's writings.
The primary focus of the book is to take back Paine's writings for the author's political position.The author attempts to take writings from the 18th century and make them the basis for modern Marxism and Socialism.Besides the obvious problem with this anachronisitic approach, the author does not present ... Read More
Rating: 
- Good Topic, Average Writing
Thomas Paine was a luminary, and one of the (if not the) most forward-thinking of his era.I am sure there is a definitive biography out there, waiting to be written, that will give us the true depth of this man.
Unfortunately, this is not it.This book gives little insight that any reader of Paine's works could not have gleaned on his/her own.The writing style tends to the pedantic, with awkward sentences and trite constructions.
The book does give a good starting point ... Read More
Rating: 
- A great book with a hidden tragic story
This book takes a surprising amount of time to read due to the 'hidden' density of the writing. It is a superlative history of one of our most important founding fathers. The impact of 'Common Sense' by Paine simply can hardly over stated. This book is not a dry or boring read, it simply takes more time than I had expected.
The gnawing knowledge that America largely ditched Paine after he dutifully served his purpose is disturbing. He contributed the proceeds from Common Sense to buy mittens ... Read More
Rating: - Estraordinary sense about Thomas Paine
I'm no Paine scholar - so I do not understand the quibbles.I love this book.Where today is the person who touches the human heart to stoke that which is already in us, as Paine did?I find the progressive candidates both ring the same (negative) bell about not liking George, Jr.That, however, is a just a pull away from the negative.Where is the today's beckoning cry for that which is in the human heart?Thank you, dear author, for this offering.
Rating: - A Timely Treasure
When I ordered this book I was thinking of updating my knowledge of one of that group of men we usually think of as our "forefathers"--the ones who were there at the birth of our nation.I got that AND SO MUCH MORE.In addition to learning more of Thomas Paine himself, I learned why he has never had the place of distinction and honor accorded others of his time despite his seemingly crucial activities in securing our independence.THEN, this fine historian takes the "essence" of this dynamic American, ... Read More
- A Book to AvoidThis is one of the weakest and poorly written books I have ever read.The author fails to present a clear biography of Paine, while failing to provide insight into Paine's writings.
The primary focus of the book is to take back Paine's writings for the author's political position.The author attempts to take writings from the 18th century and make them the basis for modern Marxism and Socialism.Besides the obvious problem with this anachronisitic approach, the author does not present ... Read More
- Good Topic, Average WritingThomas Paine was a luminary, and one of the (if not the) most forward-thinking of his era.I am sure there is a definitive biography out there, waiting to be written, that will give us the true depth of this man.
Unfortunately, this is not it.This book gives little insight that any reader of Paine's works could not have gleaned on his/her own.The writing style tends to the pedantic, with awkward sentences and trite constructions.
The book does give a good starting point ... Read More
- A great book with a hidden tragic storyThis book takes a surprising amount of time to read due to the 'hidden' density of the writing. It is a superlative history of one of our most important founding fathers. The impact of 'Common Sense' by Paine simply can hardly over stated. This book is not a dry or boring read, it simply takes more time than I had expected.
The gnawing knowledge that America largely ditched Paine after he dutifully served his purpose is disturbing. He contributed the proceeds from Common Sense to buy mittens ... Read More
- Estraordinary sense about Thomas PaineI'm no Paine scholar - so I do not understand the quibbles.I love this book.Where today is the person who touches the human heart to stoke that which is already in us, as Paine did?I find the progressive candidates both ring the same (negative) bell about not liking George, Jr.That, however, is a just a pull away from the negative.Where is the today's beckoning cry for that which is in the human heart?Thank you, dear author, for this offering.
- A Timely TreasureWhen I ordered this book I was thinking of updating my knowledge of one of that group of men we usually think of as our "forefathers"--the ones who were there at the birth of our nation.I got that AND SO MUCH MORE.In addition to learning more of Thomas Paine himself, I learned why he has never had the place of distinction and honor accorded others of his time despite his seemingly crucial activities in securing our independence.THEN, this fine historian takes the "essence" of this dynamic American, ... Read More
