Max Nettlaus Utopian Vision: A Translation of Esbozo de Historia de Las Utopias

(Hardback)

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Max Nettlaus Utopian Vision provides a historically grounded presentation of the entire literature of utopianism. Nettlau shows an encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject.

He passionately believed that the value of utopian thinking and class struggle should not be underestimated as utopian desire exists in all of us. Utopian thinking, according to Nettlau, stimulates the imagination and awakens the desire to attain a better life for everyone. Without it, human progress is impossible.

Reviews

Max Nettlaus Esbozo de historia de las utopias, translated into English for the first time as Max Nettlaus Utopian Vision, is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of utopianism or anarchism. Toby Widdicombes translation supplemented with extensive notes concerning the often forgotten but important authors and movements makes it an invaluable tool for any researcher. Lyman Tower Sargent, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis.

In 1925, Nettlau, a bibliographer-activist and renowned historian of anarchism, published serially in Spanish his history of European and some American, British, and Latin American utopias. Without Widdicombes excellent introduction and translation, this fascinating alternative to Mumfords The Story of Utopias (1922) could have languished in obscurity. Kenneth M. Roemer, Emeritus Fellow, University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers; Author of The Obsolete Necessity, America as Utopia, Utopian Audiences.

Toby Widdicombes retrieval of Max Nettlaus history of utopia for the English-speaking world provides an invaluable service to scholars and students of utopian and anarchist studies. Beyond his very readable translation, Widdicombe assembles an incredible amount of supporting material from numerous appendices to a thirty-five page bibliography. It is a triumph ofdedicated scholarship. Francis Shor, Professor Emeritus, Wayne State University, USA.

Author Bio

Toby Widdicombe is Professor of English at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He has specialized during his career in utopianism, Shakespeare, American literature, and textual studies.