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Jan 05, 2012

Jake rated it:

To be completely honest, it's hard to find a better written book out there, regardless of the obviously hyperbolic title. This text was so fastidiously researched, so utterly fascinating, and so easy to read that I can't fathom another work that could do the job better. Herman backs up his incredible title with myriad evidence that really supports how Scottish blood has invigorated and established some of the best concepts and inventions that have come out of the past three centuries or so. H More...

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Aug 29, 2007

Matthew rated it:

The first three quarters of this book are absolutely amazing, showing how the Scottish Enlightenment period essentially created all modern political and philosophical teachings in the modernized world.

The book goes in to wonderful historical detail about brilliant individuals who were the product of a social program to bring education to everyone at a time when most people in Europe were illiterate. It discusses such brilliant philosophers as David Hume and Adam Smith, as well as gr More...

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Jan 19, 2011

Carolyn rated it:

Very engaging history of Scotland and it's people....detailed, but enjoyable. I was amazed at what the Scots endured, but more so with what they accomplished. I was surprised at the people who were Scottish: John Paul Jones, Alexander Hamilton, Sir Walter Scott, Alexander Graham Bell, Andrew Carnegie, Dr. David Livingston, James Watt, Robert Louis Stevenson, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Jim Bowie, Daniel Boone, Sam Houston, Samuel Morse, just to name a few.

I wanted to read this b More...

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Jun 12, 2008

EJ rated it:

I found this book on the library shelf when I checked out How the Irish saved Civilization. I enjoyed this book mostly but I did skip over some of the sections on philosophy which was unfortunate because he refers to them repeatedly in the rest of the book. Herman shows the Scottish ideas in things good and bad and how those ideas helped develop philosophies of democracy, slavery, socialism, Marxism, and freedom. He gives credit to Scots for most important discoveries and many of our words. My f More...

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Aug 11, 2008

Kelly rated it:

This is written in the same vein as Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization. I learned about Scottish history but really the entire world. From inventions to famous people, this book explores how Scotland and its citizens contributed to the modern (by what they did in the 1700 and 1800s) . It took me a while to get into the writing style, but this is a worthwhile read. I liked the history in the book (I had taken 4 Brit Lit courses for my undergrad and grad English degree and had learned about More...

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Feb 25, 2011

Bennet rated it:

This is the finely told story of how the Scottish enlightenment emerged from "the most drunken nation on earth" and established the guiding principles of democratic government.

What I like most about the book is the overview of perspectives that resulted in "the American experiment." Readers looking for Christian founding fathers will find them, but a composite father dubbed "Common Sense Man" gets credit for the experiment's success,and he is mostly Scott More...

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May 31, 2008

Lisa rated it:

If you want to understand why America developed the way it did, this book will help you to get it. I found it very readable, although I must admit a certain bias - I'm interested in all things politic, and I come from a Scots-Irish background, so in very many ways, I understand the author "intuitively." At any rate, this is a great book that will help you to see why we are the way we are, and may give some insight into using that backstory to change how we are doing things now.

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Apr 30, 2009

Jae rated it:

This book is no page-turner, but if you like historical non-fiction (which I don't, really) this could be your book. I'm marking this book as "read" even though, I must confess, I didn't read the entire book. I started at the beginning (where else?) and read the first 80 or 90 pages, covering the Scots contributions to modern thought and philosophy. Then I tired of it, but didn't want to completely give up. So, I looked that the TOC and saw a chapter about Scots in science and industry More...

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Oct 13, 2009

Alexandria rated it:

How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It was a very informative and interesting book. It covers the late 1600s to the mid 1800s in-depth, and covers the late 1800s to the present in the conclusion. The book was easy to read, but was slow reading for me due to all the new information in it. I had no previous knowledge of ninety percent of the information it contained, and what I thought I did know was exp More...

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Jan 17, 2012

Paul rated it:

Even though I've only finished the first 100 pages, this book has transformed my thinking about the origins of the modern world.

Key quotes: "Scotland would generate the basic institutions, ideas, attitudes, and habits of mind that characterize the modern age." p. 11.

"'The people have the right to confer the royal authority upon whomever they wish.'" --George Buchanan, "The Law of Government Among the Scots," 1579

Robert Burns, "'A More...

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Jan 04, 2009

Megan rated it:

I learned so much from reading this book! It makes me very proud of my Scottish heritage. This book highlights a country that encouraged a free exchange of ideas that was centuries ahead of its time (schools available to all economic classes, first public libraries). Out of this intellectual society came the building blocks of modern science, philosophy, economics, architecture, education, and much more. Scotsmen took a leading role in the British Empire and the founding of America (one-third of More...

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Feb 04, 2012

Ron rated it:

Consider the title of this book:How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It. (The word "true" is something of a give away.)

The reader can't take it seriously, and apparently neither did its author. As Herman admits (page 278), "an important secret in publishing, that information is made more memorable when it is tinged with biased." How the Scots was marinated in bias. For al More...

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Jun 28, 2010

George rated it:

This is a fine survey of Western history from the Scot point of view, starting in the late 1600's right up through the present. It filled in a number of gaps for me such as the battle of Culloden and the Opium wars, and what defines the Presbyterians (then, and now). Occasionally, the author seemed to stretch the connection to Scotland, but overall enjoyable and educational. Many of my anscestors have been described as Scotch-Irish. He points out that these are also known as Ulster Scots, the More...

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Jan 14, 2012

Kristi rated it:

Hell, yes, the Scots Invented the Modern World. It's more a question of what they didn't do. From literature (Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott)to philosophy ( David Hume) banking and finance (Adam Smith) inventions (James Watt) industry (Andrew Carnegie) and science (James Hutton)and everything in between, pick a topic and before you delve deeply in it, you'll find a Scot.

Liberal arts types should appreciate that the Glascow concept of higher education stresses the gaining of know More...

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Sep 19, 2011

Ann rated it:

Who knew the Scots invented the modern world?! Well, they did, and you will believe it after you read this book. It is very good history as well as being entertaining and you will wonder why you didn't know much of it in the first place. Ever wonder why Appalachians talk with that accent - it is their Scottish heritage. Your head will be crammed with such facts, which I guess is better than your stomach being stuffed with haggis. I think they left that behind when they came to America - smar More...

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Jan 23, 2011

Esmee rated it:

I am amazed by the things we enjoy or take for granted in our everyday life that can be traced to the direct influence of the Scots. The thread running through this book: Scots did not necessarily originate the idea. However, because of their ability to read and write, work ethic and single-mindedness to prevail in their goals, they took the ideas and developed them into practical applications that have been passed to us in the 21st Century.

I really want to outline the whole book. More...

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Aug 17, 2008

Patricia rated it:

I'll start by saying that it was pretty interesting. He looked at several ideas in the education system that eventually led to those great philosophical ideas we study in school and, one person that I knew very well from school, Adam Smith. And then it also described the Scottish culture influenced the US, Canada, and other areas of the British Empire as the Scots left Scotland in waves.

There were a few little known facts, at least to me, that I found fascinating. And this may be bec More...

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Sep 23, 2010

Craig rated it:

"This is one of the most significant books of the past 100 years. It is a thorough, well developed, and well written account of the cradle of contemporary liberty in the Western World [along, perhaps, with Holland]. I have been studying that development for nearly forty years, and still learned a lot from this book. It is one of those ""put it all together"" volumes that should be read by everyone interested in either Scotland or Western liberty."

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Jun 02, 2009

Susan rated it:

I found this book on my dad's bookshelf and began reading it, thinking it was by Thomas Cahill. Cahill wrote How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews, both of which I really enjoyed. Herman's book is in the same vein. I learned about the history of Scotland and the contribution of Scots in the history of Great Britain, the US, Canada, Australia, China, and a bit of Africa. I kept telling Doug about familiar people from history who were Scots. I was especially intrigued to More...

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Jul 28, 2011

Bryant added it

It may be the case that his thesis is a tad overstated, however, Herman has successfully crafted a thoroughly convincing account of the Scottish intellectual influence in creating the foundations of the modern west. Overall, an amazing read and a fantastic introduction to the Scottish Enlightenment. Invaluable as a starting point for further study.

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May 04, 2010

Cris rated it:

This is not a book to zip through, it is thought provoking. I am 99% Scottish and have been a teacher, worked in land titles, have my own philosophy etc. and found the history of theses areas in Scotland facinating. The freedom of religion, the deeding of land, the idea of free education, and the stupid failings are all part of history.

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Dec 16, 2010

Kathy rated it:

I didn't finish this book as it got repetitive and was rather dry reading. BUT, I had NO idea that the Scots were such leaders in thought from 1100's to past the American revolution. It really gave me huge respect for them. And I'm of some Scottish ancestory, so of course it made me PROUD, PROUD, PROUD.

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May 01, 2009

Scott rated it:

I highly recommend this book. Herman not only reveals the role that Scots have played in creating the modern world including education, economy, architecture, business, globalization, art, politics, etc. He also provides an insightful summary of the development of ideas over the last three hundred years.

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Jan 19, 2011

Daniel rated it:

A bloody AMAZING book. It manages to tie in so much history, so many biographies, so many ideas...yet at no time does it feel rushed, over-burdened, or lacking in coverage. One of the finest history books I have ever read, and a revelation to anyone studying the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Feb 22, 2009

Allison rated it:

A must-read for anyone interested about the Scottish Enlightenment and how it slowly spread into Western Civilization. It must be noted, however, that it's a dense read, but like any decent historical text, motifs from Herman's earlier chapters will build and make concepts blossom.

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Apr 15, 2010

Keith rated it:

so good. so complete and well written. anything you ever wanted to know about scots history. read this and you will immediately be an expert on scotland and entertained and enlightened at the same time. this is my favorite book on the subject... even better than Webbs scots-irish book.

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Jul 13, 2008

Miki rated it:

Of course, this book was first forced upon me by my Scottish husband. I rolled my eyes but started reading it anyway. Actually learned quite a bit -- and now, if I could travel back in time, I'd definitely make a stop in the "Athens of the North"! It was also interesting to learn how artificial/manufactured our idea of "traditional" Scottish culture actually is, i.e. Braveheart and Bonnie Price Charlie and brawny men in kilts. All that lovely Brigadoony fluff was essentia More...

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Sep 15, 2011

Joan rated it:

I really enjoyed this for the large perspective on history of Scotland and how each period furnished great thinkers who changed the ideas of other nations. Since my forbears emigrated I was interested in the events of those times.

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Feb 16, 2009

Jill rated it:

Very interesting and highly detailed. I flagged toward the end, but had had no idea of the pivotal place of Scottish scientists in the industrial age or this last two hundred years - an age of pragmatic philosophy.

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Nov 09, 2010

Nightowltoo rated it:

Intriguing and interesting read. I'm always interested in how science, politics and religion played off each other in the past. However, I think the author was a little to generous in crediting Scot's with inventions

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