Book cover of A Modest Proposal

Book description

An unabridged edition of Swift's 18th century, satirical classic

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Why read it?

1 author picked A Modest Proposal as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I still remember the first time I read this book. I laughed, then I winced, then I realized I had just been handed a live 18th-century grenade disguised as an essay. I was stunned by how Swift used reason itself as a weapon to expose cruelty. It is not just satire; it is intellectual rebellion in powdered wig form.

What I love most is how he never once breaks character. The horror of the argument creeps in slowly, and that slow-burn discomfort thrilled me. It made me rethink what writing can do… how it can mock, indict, and entertain…

From PS's list on satire with a bite.

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