Thomas Hobbes - Leviathan - Folio Society Edition - 2012

Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan
(The Folio Society, 2012)
Illustrated Edition in Slipcase

Edition note:
This Folio Society edition follows the 1996 Oxford University Press World’s Classics text edited by J. C. A. Gaskin, with minor emendations. It includes a new introduction by Alan Ryan and a complete suite of detailed illustrations by Mike Wilks. Bound in buckram and presented in a sturdy black slipcase, this edition was printed and bound in Germany to the high production standards for which the Folio Society is known.

Introduction:
First published in 1651, Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan stands as a defining work of political philosophy and one of the most influential texts of the early modern period. Written against the backdrop of civil war and social upheaval, Hobbes’s argument for a sovereign authority capable of ensuring peace remains central to modern discussions of society, governance, human nature, and the limits of individual freedom. This edition presents the complete text, thoughtfully annotated and framed by Alan Ryan’s illuminating introduction, which explores Hobbes’s intellectual environment and the enduring relevance of his ideas.

Content:
The volume opens with an introduction, a textual note, and a detailed chronology of Hobbes’s life and works. The main text follows the classic four-part structure: Of Man, Of Commonwealth, Of a Christian Commonwealth, and Of the Kingdom of Darkness. Each section is reproduced with clarity and precision, accompanied by Mike Wilks’s atmospheric black-and-white illustrations. Full-page plates reinterpret the book’s central themes through allegory and visual symbolism, complementing Hobbes’s philosophical depth and giving the edition a distinct visual richness.

Features:
Publisher: The Folio Society, London
Year: 2012
Editor: J. C. A. Gaskin
Introduction: Alan Ryan
Illustrator: Mike Wilks
Binding: Buckram cloth with gilt and black illustration on the front board
Slipcase: Black, sturdy, cloth-covered
Paper: Caxton Wove
Page edges: Gilt
Printing and binding: Printed by Memminger MedienCentrum, Germany; bound by Lachenmaier, Reutlingen

Condition:
Excellent, near-new condition. Clean and unmarked pages, tight binding, bright gilt, and a well-preserved slipcase. A handsome copy fit for display or collection.

Shipping:
Securely packaged and shipped with tracking.