The Battle of the Books and other Short Pieces Annotated

By Jonathan Swift

The Battle of the Books is the name of a short satire written by Jonathan Swift and published as part of the prolegomena to his A Tale of a Tub in 1704. It depicts a literal battle between books in the King's Library, as ideas and authors struggle for supremacy. Because of the satire, The Battle of the Books has become a term for the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns. It is one of his earliest well known works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716600319

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Irish poet and satirical writer. When the spread of Catholicism in Ireland became prevalent, Swift moved to England, where he lived and worked as a writer. Due to the controversial nature of his work, Swift often wrote under pseudonyms. In addition to his poetry and satirical prose, Swift also wrote for political pamphlets and since many of his works provided political commentary this was a fitting career stop for Swift. When he returned to Ireland, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican church. Despite this, his writings stirred controversy about religion and prevented him from advancing in the clergy.

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