The Last Utopians: Four Late Nineteenth-Century Visionaries and Their Legacy Hardcover -

"A brilliant and eloquent guide through the life, times, and imaginations of some of the most compelling writers of the turn of the twentieth century, The Last Utopians is not an epitaph but, rather, a reminder of how vital and humane the utopian imagination once was-and might be again."--Daniel T. Rodgers, author of Age of Fracture

"Today, more than ever, we need utopians--dreamers, fantasists, arcadians, romantics, visionaries, pie-in-the-skyers--those audacious enough to imagine such exotic things as economic democracy; gender, sexual, and racial equality; the accountability of the powerful; people over profit; and the channeling of human anger and violence into constructive, collective movements for a good society. So Robertson's book about four nineteenth-century utopians is of great interest right now. But let's hope his visionaries are not the last."--Jonathan Ned Katz, author of The Invention of Heterosexuality

"Published at a moment when dystopian scenarios dominate the popular imagination, Robertson's engrossing study illuminates the promises and pitfalls of utopian thinking for contemporary progressive thought and practices. This is a timely book with much to teach us about the perilous passage from social critique to realizable change."--Cynthia J. Davis, author of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A Biography

"The Last Utopians transports the reader to that no place/good place where a loving transcendence permeates being and existence. Michael Robertson accomplishes an impressive balance of affirmation and critique in this fascinating study of utopian historical visions and contemporary lived experience. A great read for hopers and gripers alike."--Sheila Rowbotham, author of Edward Carpenter: A Life of Liberty and Love

"Beautifully clear and coherent, and enlivened by touches of humor, The Last Utopians illuminates the unique contributions of Bellamy, Morris, Carpenter, and Gilman and makes a persuasive case for the continuing value of their work. The book should appeal to a wide range of readers who are interested in history, literature, and politics, as well as the development of feminism and gay liberation."--Naomi Jacobs, University of Maine

"This is an excellent book. Its focus on 'lived utopianism' and concern with contemporary movements such as ecological intentional communities is especially relevant in a time of widespread political and economic discontent."--Florence Boos, University of Iowa