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By 1705 already an established and tempestuous pamphleteer and journalist, this is a wonderful example of Defoe's direct and inventive style. Acknowledging its debt to prior works by Godwin and Wilkins, The Consolidator uses 'the lunar world to satirize England's political and economic abuses and to anticipate scientific inventions' (Gibson). Although most critics are content to analyse it as a prototype Gulliveriad, it is also a fascinating document in itself. Most of the work is dedicated to lengthy descriptions of the world in the Moon, given veracity through the claim that all of this information has been accrued during the narrator's lengthy sojourn in China, a land which has 'many sorts of Learning which these Parts of the World never heard of'. Defoe's unusual sleight of hand here is to say that in fact, Chinese innovation is due almost exclusively to the writings of Mira-cho-cho-lasmo, an ancient visitor from the moon who instructed them in the 'most exquisite Accomplishments of those Lunar Regions'. According to Gove, after a handful of editions in the first decade of the eighteenth century, this work was not republished except in pamphlet and extract editions until a Tegg version in 1840. Scarce on the market, this is a wonderful work and testament to Defoe's enduring importance to the imaginary voyage.
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1
The Consolidator, or Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon
October 2003, IndyPublish.com
Paperback
in English
1414203152 9781414203157
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2
The consolidator
2000, AMS Press
in English
- Stoke Newington Daniel Defoe ed.
0404635393 9780404635398
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3
The consolidator, or, Memoirs of Sundry transactionsfrom the world in the moon
1972, Garland
in English
082400521X 9780824005214
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4
The consolidator: or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon.
1705, Printed, and are to be Sold by Benj. Bragg at the Blue Ball in Ave-mary-lane
in English
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- Created April 30, 2008
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October 19, 2011 | Edited by WorkBot | merge works |
October 19, 2011 | Edited by WorkBot | add editions to new work |
October 18, 2011 | Edited by WorkBot | merge works |
October 18, 2011 | Edited by WorkBot | add editions to new work |
April 30, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from amazon.com record |