This book remains perhaps the pre-eminent classic of English working-class literature, yet the first-time reader may well be surprised at its tone. Although at the heart of the novel there is an intelligent, passionate, and sustained attack on capitalism, there is also a violent bitterness directed at those workers who fail to see the necessity of socialism, and in this way, deliver their children into exploitation.

This is a strange kind of novel, where the reader’s attention is held not by any trick of suspense or narrative flow but rather by the minute exploration of lives led under the heel of profit. The whole story is vividly fuelled by anger, directed mainly at those who are duped by their bosses; it is implied that the employers themselves can hardly behave in any other way. But the book is not only about the working class in a conventional sense, it is also about the nature of work itself, and how the possibility of pride in one’s work is destroyed and ridiculed by the demands of greater "efficiency." Inevitably, the worker is forced to perform rapid, slapdash work, which removes all genuine satisfaction through labor, as with the protagonist who has much to give to his chosen "craft," but who is constantly denied by "the system." The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is thus in tune with the broader socialist movements of Edwardian England which we now tend to associate with such figures as Ruskin and Morris. — David Punter in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Thanks so much for your donation Vasha!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.

I am adopting this 1001-Library book for storage. It is available for check-out!

This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing svoight:)

If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.

Released to a fellow 1001-Library member, enjoy!

Hi. I know it's been a while since I've visited BookCrossing, and this book was sent to me three years ago - I apologize profusely for having taken this long to write a journal entry.

A lot has happened in the past three years: I went back to school for my last year of school; finished my thesis but unfortunately got incomplete grades in three other subjects so I wasn't able to graduate still; I applied for and got my first job as a junior copywriter at a media advertising agency, which lasted about a year; then I met the love of my life (yes), got pregnant, gave birth to a wonderful baby boy we named Audio (not kidding), and now I'm a stay-at-home mom. :)

Anyway, since three years ago when these books were sent to me, they've travelled to San Francisco via my aunt's house, got inside a balikbayan box that made its way to my first boardinghouse - where some were read, and some were not - moved with me to my next boardinghouse, where they were promptly left, along with everything else that I owned, when I sort of ran away after finding out I was pregnant. I just got all of my stuff back last December, and it is only recently that I finally accepted the fact that, much as I want them to stay with me a little bit more, these books deserve better homes.

And so I passed it on to Julie R., along with another BC book, as a freebie together with my non-BC books that she bought from me online, where I had a booksale. Hello Julie, I hope you enjoy this book, and be kind enough to journal its arrival at your doorstep. :)