Samuel Butler
Although educated and trained for a career in the clergy, Samuel Butler began to harbor serious doubts about his vocation and Christian morals in general at an early age. Although he addressed these issues in earnest debate with his colleagues and family members, Butler's confusion only worsened over time. He began to explore his concerns about Victorian-era hypocrisy in writing, penning a series of philosophically minded novels and social satires,
...One of the leading critics and intellectuals of the Victorian era, Samuel Butler produced literary works in a wide range of genres, ranging from translations of ancient Greek texts to critical essays. This collection of short sketches and stories offers an accessible introduction to Butler's body of work.
Recognized as a top-notch scholar with widely ranging interests and an encyclopedic knowledge of an array of academic disciplines, Samuel Butler contributed meaningfully to late nineteenth-century research in a number of fields. This volume collects some of his most important lectures and essays, a number of which have since been enshrined as important early works in disciplines as diverse as microbiology and the philosophy of language.
Whether you're a long-time fan of British author Samuel Butler (best known for his shrewd satire of utopian fiction, Erewhon) or you're just diving into his diverse body of work, this omnibus collection is an engaging read that's sure to catch and hold your interest. It contains excerpts from both his fiction and his non-fiction and serves as a suitable overview of his unique oeuvre.
13) Erewhon revisited twenty years later: both by the original discoverer of the country and by his son
14) Erewhon
On the verge of entering the Anglican clergy, Samuel Butler experienced a sudden change of heart and instead decided to set sail for New Zealand, where he established a sheep farm. Butler chronicles his rocky start as a rancher—and his opinions on a wide variety of current events and controversies—in this engaging series of letters to his family.