The Ends of Life

Roads to Fulfilment in Early Modern England

Nonfiction, History, British, Religion & Spirituality
Cover of the book The Ends of Life by Keith Thomas, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Keith Thomas ISBN: 9780191623462
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: February 25, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Keith Thomas
ISBN: 9780191623462
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: February 25, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

How should we live? That question was no less urgent for English men and women who lived between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries than for this book's readers. Keith Thomas's masterly exploration of the ways in which people sought to lead fulfilling lives in those centuries between the beginning of the Reformation and the heyday of the Enlightenment illuminates the central values of the period, while casting incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence. Consideration of the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfilment and of obstacles to its realization in the early modern period frames an investigation that ranges from work, wealth, and possessions to the pleasures of friendship, family, and sociability. The cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honour and reputation, the nature of religious belief and scepticism, and the desire to be posthumously remembered are all drawn into the discussion, and the views and practices of ordinary people are measured against the opinions of the leading philosophers and theologians of the time. The Ends of Life offers a fresh approach to the history of early modern England, by one of the foremost historians of our time. It also provides modern readers with much food for thought on the problem of how we should live and what goals in life we should pursue.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

How should we live? That question was no less urgent for English men and women who lived between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries than for this book's readers. Keith Thomas's masterly exploration of the ways in which people sought to lead fulfilling lives in those centuries between the beginning of the Reformation and the heyday of the Enlightenment illuminates the central values of the period, while casting incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence. Consideration of the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfilment and of obstacles to its realization in the early modern period frames an investigation that ranges from work, wealth, and possessions to the pleasures of friendship, family, and sociability. The cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honour and reputation, the nature of religious belief and scepticism, and the desire to be posthumously remembered are all drawn into the discussion, and the views and practices of ordinary people are measured against the opinions of the leading philosophers and theologians of the time. The Ends of Life offers a fresh approach to the history of early modern England, by one of the foremost historians of our time. It also provides modern readers with much food for thought on the problem of how we should live and what goals in life we should pursue.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book The Consolation of Philosophy by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of the History of Consumption by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Quantitative Ecology and Evolutionary Biology by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Collected Ghost Stories by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Data Privacy Law by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book The Fortifications of Arkadian City States in the Classical and Hellenistic Periods by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Blackstone's Civil Practice 2019 by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book The Wings of the Dove by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Music, evolution, and the harmony of souls by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Form, Matter, Substance by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Modern Irish Theatre by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Contract Theory by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book The Specification of Human Actions in St Thomas Aquinas by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Democratic Enlightenment by Keith Thomas
Cover of the book Nets, Puzzles, and Postmen by Keith Thomas
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy