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Cover of The Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus

The Praise of Folly

  • 191 pages · about 3 hours
  • First published 1515
  • 254 editions
  • Free to read

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1 About this book

First published in Paris in 1511, The Praise of Folly enjoyed enormous and highly controversial success from the author's lifetime down to our own day. The Praise of Folly has no rival, except perhaps Thomas More's Utopia, as the most intense and lively presentation of the literary, social, and theological aims and methods of Northern Humanism.

Clarence H. Miller's highly praised translation of The Praise of Folly, based on the definitive Latin text, echoes Erasmus' own lively style while retaining the nuances of the original text. In his Introduction, Miller places the work in the context of Erasmus as humanist and theologian.

In a new Afterword, William H. Gass playfully considers the meaning, or meanings, of folly and offers fresh insights into one of the great books of Western literature.

Good for readers who want: history and a book they can read free online.

  • Christian ethics
  • History
  • Catalogs
  • Death
  • English Sermons
  • Religious literature
  • Christian literature
  • Doctrinal Theology

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3 About Desiderius Erasmus

1466–1536

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( DEZ-i-DEER-ee-əs irr-AZ-məs; Dutch:; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch humanist, theologian, and philosopher. He was, through his writings and translations, one of the most influential scholars of the Northern Renaissance and a major figure of Western culture.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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