Product Description

First and foremost an outcry against injustice and inhumanity, Unto this Last is also a closely argued assault on the science of political economy, which dominated the Victorian period. Ruskin was a profoundly conservative man who looked back to the Middle Ages as a Utopia, yet his ideas had a considerable influence on the British socialist movement. And in making his powerful moral and aesthetic case against the dangers of unhindered industrialization he was strangely prophetic. This volume shows the astounding range and depth of Ruskin's work, and in an illuminating introduction the editor reveals the consistency of Ruskin's philosophy and his adamant belief that questions of economics, art and science could not be separated from questions of morality. In Ruskin's words, 'There is no Wealth but Life.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78310 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

About the Author
John Ruskin (1819-1900) was an artist, scientist, poet, environmentalist, philosopher, and the pre-eminent art critic of his time.

Customer Reviews

Prepare to have hidden truths revealed
This book essentially focuses on its title, namely the work "Unto This Last". This consists of four parts and is a critique of Victorian capitalism. So the book is largely concerned with the seemingly dry-as-dust topic of political economy. However, Ruskin was a polymath and a visionary so the essays are littered with references to art, architecture, classical history, Christian theology, foreign policy, geology, colour, etc etc. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and his manner of communicating it is astounding. Much of what he says has had a profound influence on 20th century life and each paragraph often contains a nugget of golden originality of thought or expression. All the other essays bear on the central "Unto This Last" but their subject-matters are eclectic, including his short parable "The King of the Golden River", excerpts from his thoughts on gothic architecture in "The Stones of Venice", a piece that compares Turner to Giotto, and open letters written to the working classes of England. Come the end, I could not but agree in Ruskin's philosophy that "There is no Wealth but Life".

A fantastic Commentary to an Enlightening Book.
As a Social and Political Science Student at Cambridge this is ideal background reading.
As well as being a lyrical book by Ruskin it also embraces many subjects that were taken further by the Socialist movement.
Easily palatable as 'socialism light' it introduces the reader to a realistic alternative to capitalism without sounding socialist, revolutionary or extreme.
The commentary with the book is one the best I've read, it does not put on airs and graces, attempt to sound too intelligent or be complicated for academic's sake. It is informative, to the point and interesting, exactly what a commentary should be.
With an age of a reactive capitalism coming to an end. Ruskin's proactive belief in protection of nature could be strangely prophetic.
A must read for academics and the astute general public alike.

Great
This is one of my favourite books. It reveals how a mind might work when formed with such passion.