PAINE BIOGRAPHIES

Life of Thomas Paine  (1819)  Thomas Clio Rickman
This work is unquestionably the most important Paine biography, the cornerstone for all others. Composed about 12 years after Paine's death by his lifelong friend.

Thomas Paine   (1870 & 1892)   Robert G. Ingersoll
Two short overviews about Paine

The Philosophy of Thomas Paine  (1925)  Thomas Alva Edison
This brief, but exceptionally excellent piece, is actually an introduction to the comprehensive biography of Paine by William van der Weyde. As a boy, Edison was passionately inspired by Paine's writing.

The Life of Thomas Paine - Volumes 1 & 2  (1892)  Moncure Daniel Conway
The first comprehensive biography of Paine, it also includes most of Paine's writings.

Life of Thomas Paine - Volumes 1 & 2   (1925)   William van der Weyde
The second comprehensive biography of Paine, it includes a little more biographical info than Conway's edition, most of Paine's writings, plus a few pieces Paine authored that Conway had not obtained. (Volume 2 is yet to be added here... coming soon.)

The Complete Writings of Thomas Paine  (1945)   Phillip S. Foner
This is the definitive comprehensive biography of Paine, second in importance only to Rickman's. Foner did much research finding bits of biographical info previously unknown, and the volumes include virtually all of Paine's known writings that have survived. (We're working to add this to our library, hopefully you'll see it here soon.)

Other Books About Thomas Paine
In addition to the biographies noted above, there are a number of modern works, additional older books, and a plethora of other writings that explore Paine's contributions to specific topics. While not exactly biographies, you may find them informative. Please note that inclusion here does not mean an endorsement for any of these books. They are listed as a matter of courtesy for the reader to help their librarian or bookseller find them. And please note, this list of additional works about Paine is a mere fraction of the existing titles about him.