Samuel Butler's satirical novel Erewhon an anagram for "nowhere," and Erewhon Revisited depicts a society where sickness is a crime, criminals receive medical treatment, and machines are outlawed due to fears of evolution. This proto-steampunk work immediately established Butler as a satirist in the tradition of Voltaire and Swift. Widely regarded as important 19th-century satirical works, Erewhon and Erewhon Revisited offer an incisive and entertaining critique of Victorian hypocrisies, targeting family, church, and technological "progress." George Orwell noted Butler's remarkable foresight in recognizing the potential dangers of machinery. Today's readers may also find the book surprisingly relevant in its anticipation of future social trends.
 
Part of the Everymans Library no: 881