John Toland: Life of 18th Century Irish Philosopher Re-told through the Power of the e-Book

John Toland was an Irish born philosopher of the early Enlightenment period. An original thinker in the truest sense of the word, he was actually the first person to be ‘labelled’ a freethinker, by his fellow Irishman, Bishop Berkeley. A prolific writer of books and pamphlets on all manner of contemporary politics, philosophy and religious concerns, historians of the period consider Toland to be among the leading intellectuals who laid the groundwork for the Age of Enlightenment; which had clearly emerged by the end of the 18th century. His contributions to public discourse were not always welcome however. His first book, Christianity Not Mysterious (1696) was denounced in the English and Irish parliaments and publicly burned in Dublin.

Toland was not an inventor in the practical sense. He was an intellectual, a man of letters devoted to literary and scholarly pursuits, like many others before and since. Yet the flowering of ideas that ensued from this period has so many practical expressions, right up to the present day. In the age of global communications we take the free flow of information and ideas for granted. But it owes everything to innate human curiosity, together with the courage of people like Toland, who challenged the conventional wisdom of their day. They created a framework within which human understanding could advance to the next stage, together with all the comforts and benefits, not forgetting the challenges that this brings in its wake.

It is fitting that the life and work, the thoughts and ideas of people like Toland can be freshly appraised through the medium of modern publishing technology. J.N. Duggan’s book, John Toland: Ireland’s Forgotten Philosopher, Scholar … and Heretic is now available in Kindle e-book format and can be purchased on Amazon. Copies of the printed edition are also available to buy online (price €5.99 plus P&P).  

This e-book edition is published by The Manuscript Publisher, an Irish-based venture dedicated to helping authors and writers to pursue their publishing ambitions. Because knowledge has not stopped advancing since Toland's day. The free exchange of opinions and ideas has many more discoveries yet to unearth. New ideas give rise to further technological advances which in turn enhance our understanding.

e-Publishing, along with other forms of digital publishing represent the latest wave of technological advance. The repercussions are far-reaching. For authors, writers, independent publishers the opportunities are potentially limitless. The technology, for the most part, is freely available too, meaning that the risks can be spread.

For more information about getting your book published via the printed and non-printed route, talk to us today. You can even get a quote online. Why not let our experience be your guide?