A Modest Proposal

Summary

'I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.'

One of the most-studied pieces of satire in history, 'A Modest Proposal' is a darkly funny yet scathing critique of British colonialism from an Irish lens.

First published in 1729 to much backlash, Swift goes to great lengths to illustrate a potential solution to poverty and overpopulation in Ireland: parents undergoing economic hardship ought to sell their children as food for the upper classes. A masterclass in irony, Swift delves into the financial benefits of his suggestion, even offering numerous ways to prepare babies for consumption. A powerful and shocking criticism of the dire conditions of Ireland and indifference of the British government at the time, 'A Modest Proposal' remains widely read to this day. This audiobook edition is narrated by the talented Malk Williams.
Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745) was an Irish writer and satirist, famed for his deadpan style of writing. He is best remembered for his satirical works 'A Modest Proposal (1729) and Gulliver's Travels (1726). A master in the art of irony, future works of satire in his style of hyperbole have subsequently been classed as 'Swiftian'.