The Praise Of Folly
Written in a week or so for his friend Thomas More, Praise of Folly satirically catalogues the advantages of folly in the world. It delightfully mocks things society values most- from marriage to the pursuit of wisdom- so, in an iconoclastic way, I like the book. There is a reformist element to the work in that he criticizes the religious establishment and its practices. He’s ultimately promoting a back-to-basics Christianity and dismisses man’s efforts to obtain knowledge through means outside of God. I wasn't as crazy about that part.I don’t think it was meant to be a great work and it doesn’t come across that way. If you’re looking for good quotes to ridicule the annoying pedants in your life, Erasmus is your man.
