An Enemy of the People

By Henrik Ibsen,

Book cover of An Enemy of the People

Book description

“You see, the point is that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.” -Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People

An Enemy of the People is an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.

Ibsen wrote it in response to the public outcry against his…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked An Enemy of the People as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a play, a made-up story about a town in Norway a century ago. But the story couldn’t be more familiar. The protagonist is the medical officer who inspects the town’s baths, on which the livelihood of the inhabitants depend. He discovers that the baths are increasingly contaminated, and that money and time have to be devoted to fixing them. When he informs the community he expects politicians to act, and that he will be treated as a hero for saving the town. Nope. Newspapers revile him and accuse him of conspiracy, people insult him, and his life is…

Want books like An Enemy of the People?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like An Enemy of the People.

Browse books like An Enemy of the People

Book cover of Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Climate Change
Book cover of Jaws
Book cover of Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,605

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Norway, adultery, and presidential biography?

Norway 58 books
Adultery 56 books