| How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It | 
 enlarge | Author: Arthur Herman
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 4513
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 480
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0609809997
Dewey Decimal Number: 941.1
EAN: 9780609809990
ASIN: 0609809997
Publication Date: September 24, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Trade Paperback. / Three Rivers Press: 24 September, 2002; 472 pp / Condition: Very good condition., Stock#: 783265 (60-D) * * WE SHIP NEXT BUSINESS DAY * *
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| Customer Reviews:
 Nae a paean t' the auld country... January 18, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Do not be misled by the title, nor by the cover art. While this book's evidence does support the title, this is the story of a people who became great largely by overcoming, modifying, even partially destroying their own old culture, with their own hands and minds. It is anything but chauvanistic, or dewey-eyed peerings into the misty, mythologized past.
In the end, they did not assimiliate into dominant English culture. The old culture was at its philosophical, theological, poitical, and economic dead end. To avoid irrelevancy and permanent Third-World status, the scots, across their entire culture, hauled themselves up by their (discarded) sporrans, taking from England and Union only what they needed. In the process, they buried the auld culture, forged a new one with a breathtaking and comprehensive Scottish Renaissance, and through the power of their ideas and its dispersal through England to the world, gave shape to global, practical, liberal modernism.
It is a persuasive book, and is not only for Scots or Scots-in-waiting. As in the 19th and 20th centuries we saw poor, backward nations (Japan, Ireland, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore) transform themselves and leap forward (sorry, Chariman Mao), so this is their template from the 18th Century. The story gives hope that such leaps, while not yet the rule, may be less the exception in the future for our modern poor nations.
How The Scots Invented the World January 17, 2007
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you are trying to figure out life, religion, or what is just right, you need to read this. It is worldly, practical and astounding. You will find what you are looking for in life.............its sound,its realistic, and makes sense for all humans.
Maybe God started here.
Capturing Human Nature & Defining Good Policies for Government June 26, 2006
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
It was nice to re-learn the old adage to "not judge a book by its cover". I had been reluctant to read the book by the title alone and what a missed pleasure and educational experience that would have been. As some other reviewers have noted, the title is not entirely indicative of the topics explored. The wealth of knowledge of the new discoveries of human nature, good government, and historical shifts due to the 'changes in the means of production' (i.e. capitalism) abound from Lord Kames to Adam Smith during the Scottish Enlightenment. Also, if one is interested in the genesis of North America and other Democracies, one should not bypass this book.
The book is divided in two parts, of the "Ephinany" (I call it Human Nature discovery) and the "Diaspora". This 1st part and I believe the heart of the book primarily explores the Scottish Enlightenment of the Protestant ethos from Francis Hutcheson, Lord Kames to Adam Smith and David Hume of 'man as a product of history and that we are ultimately creatures of our environment' and 'the way people earn a living shapes the character of their laws, their government, and their culture'. The 2nd part is the Diaspora of the Scots due to the 'clearances' or 'famines' and other reasons and their migrational impact and contributions to other societies.
As for many reviewer's concern about the footnotes or lack there of, such items like the origins of 'blackmail' or 'redneck' are easily found or verified by completing a search with multiple sources identified within a few seconds. However, I do see their point with respect to the many quotes within the book, but don't believe this takes away from the theme of topics the author explores and appear to not have been challenged since publication.
All in, a worthwhile read and high marks if nothing else than for just the 1st part of the book with the exploration of themes on policies for good government and the 'changes in the means of production' and its impact on history.
Informative, readable, entertaining and surprisingly balanced despite the title May 25, 2006
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I am partially of Scottish descent, have the fortune of having a Scottish surname, and I get to wear the best looking kilt at the highland games every year. I even have my clan crest tattooed on my arm and mess around with my bagpipe chanters once in awhile. A friend of mine of German descent, knowing that I enjoyed my ethnicity so, bought this book for me for my birthday last year.
Despite all the aforementioned displays of my ethnic identity and pride I found the title of this book off-putting. The Scots certainly did not invent the modern world on their lonesome or at least not "everything in it." As I began the book though I found that it was actually fairly balanced and the title is misleading. Some marketing twerp probably thought it up. The author does stretch a little a times, but by and large he does an excellent job of explaining how many of the features of our modern education system, technology, engineering, architecture, and political and religious beliefs are either by and large an achievement of the Scots initially or how the Scots had a significant influence on them. It was actually a truly fascinating book and extremely readable which is always a wonderful thing to find in a non-fiction history book. I highly recommend this one, and have even thought of reading it a second time myself to better fix what I learned in my mind. This is a grand book regardless of your ethnicity and I'd actually love to read similar treatises by this author on the Romans, the Greeks, the Irish and the Chinese to tell you the truth.
 Great Discussion Book for Book Clubs November 10, 2005
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
More about the Scots than most would ever want to know...Jewels of wisdom and insight, many in number, are contained herein, but finding them, at times, can be a difficult read...at other times, a thoroughly delighful read. One wonders if the author is not "reaching" at times, but the provocative thoughts make great discussion topics....This is an excellent book for book clubs, especially men's book clubs, evoking many different views and reactions on a number of important and timely topics. Just how much does the Modern World owe the Scots? More than you might think.
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