Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have
transformed the way we see ourselves � and each other. They have inspired
debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged,
provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives � and destroyed them. Now
Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and
visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
With its wry portrayal of a shallow, materialistic �leisure class� obsessed
by clothes, cars, consumer goods and climbing the social ladder, this
withering satire on modern capitalism is as pertinent today as when it was
written over a century ago.