Before Utopia: The Making of Thomas More’s Mind

"It is not easy to say something new about one of the most frequently discussed works of Neo-Latin literature of all time, but Dealy has done so."

Craig Kallendorf, Neo-Latin News, Vol. 79, Nos. 1&2

"No one will question Ross Dealy's unmatched expertise in the Stoic philosophy of Cicero and Seneca and in the thought of Lucian. What will startle many readers is the claim that Thomas More had assimilated Erasmus' penetrating insights into Stoic thought and Lucian, had based his major life decisions on these principles, and that this is the interpretive key that unlocks Utopia. As Dealy finds fault with virtually all previous assessments of Thomas More, doubtless feathers will be ruffled. His claim that Erasmus' writings constitutively influenced More's thinking may infuriate the anti-Erasmus faction of contemporary More scholarship. As for me, I choose to be Dealy's disciple. I concur that More and Erasmus, birds of a feather, authentically integrated these deeply humane truths, witnessed by Stoicism, into their perfected Christianity."

Thomas P. Scheck, Associate Professor of Theology, Ave Maria University

"This well-written and very interesting monograph is the culmination of a significant career exploring Renaissance and Classical literature, thought, and ideas. Building upon his expertise in Stoicism and Renaissance Humanism, Dealy offers a challenging and brave revisionist reassessment of More’s most famous work, Utopia. Dealy’s bold argument, placing significant emphasis on More’s transformation in 1504 and his debt to Stoic thought, is backed up with compelling evidence that provides a genuine contribution to scholarship."

Dr. Jonathan Arnold, Director of Communities and Partnerships, Diocese of Canterbury