I love Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet, but it's a difficult read because it's written in Old English and so I have reworded it in modern English in this podcast. That makes it far more interesting and it's surprisingly relevant for Americans today.The impact of Thomas Paine’s work cannot be overstated. It was so popular people recited it aloud in bars and churches. And at times the bitter angry humor is a welcome relief from the seriousness of its contents. It went on to sell millions of copies not just in the US, but also internationally.See the series on the Colonization of America or classics on the Book Matrix