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Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud
by
Peter Watson
In this hugely ambitious and stimulating book, Peter Watson describes the history of ideas, from deep antiquity to the present day, leading to a new way of understanding our world and ourselves.
The narrative begins nearly two million years ago with the invention of hand-axes and explores how some of our most cherished notions might have originated before humans had languag...more
The narrative begins nearly two million years ago with the invention of hand-axes and explores how some of our most cherished notions might have originated before humans had languag...more
Hardcover, 848 pages
Published
August 30th 2005
by HarperCollins Publishers
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I have finally finished this tome. Over the 18-months it took to read I have from time to time added précis to this review, but now I have finished I have removed them. This book is a thousand pages of dense reading and nothing best summarizes its magnificence than the quotations from the fronts-piece:
There are no whole truths;.
All truths are half-truths.
It is trying to treat them as
Whole truths that plays the devil.
(Alfred North Whitehead, Dialogues. 1953.)
While it may be hard to live with gene...more
There are no whole truths;.
All truths are half-truths.
It is trying to treat them as
Whole truths that plays the devil.
(Alfred North Whitehead, Dialogues. 1953.)
While it may be hard to live with gene...more
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For me, the most important aspect of these "survey" type books is in the organization. When I accept as reasonable the organizing principles, I tend, generally speaking, to process the material much more efficiently and enjoyably. In this case, I had a little trouble buying into the notion of the building a system of thought around the three ideas of the soul, Europe and the experiment. As a result, I found parts of this book to be a bit of a slog. The flip side of this unfamiliar structure is t...more
Ideas by Peter Watson
Wow! It doesn't get more ambitious than this. This is a book about the history of ideas. How can anyone tackle such an ambitious topic in one book? Well, somehow someway Peter Watson does exactly that. The author jumps from one interesting topic to another with mastery: language, science, weaponry, religion, society, economics, inventions, music...
It was an investment in knowledge. An investment that pays off at the end. I can't remember the last time, I've learned so much...more
Wow! It doesn't get more ambitious than this. This is a book about the history of ideas. How can anyone tackle such an ambitious topic in one book? Well, somehow someway Peter Watson does exactly that. The author jumps from one interesting topic to another with mastery: language, science, weaponry, religion, society, economics, inventions, music...
It was an investment in knowledge. An investment that pays off at the end. I can't remember the last time, I've learned so much...more
This is a huge book (over 1000 pages of text, not including the endnotes and indexes) dealing with one of the biggest subjects of all: the evolution of Human Ideas throughout the ages up to the 19th century CE. This might tend to put one off; but one should not succumb to this feeling.
This is a masterwork of its type. The range is astonishingly extensive, and surprisingly comprehensive; the writing style easy and accessible. Watson seems to have provided us with an exhaustive compilation of just...more
This is a masterwork of its type. The range is astonishingly extensive, and surprisingly comprehensive; the writing style easy and accessible. Watson seems to have provided us with an exhaustive compilation of just...more
A good survey with some of the latest data and analysis. Not a bad book all-in-all but not enlightening...I've read most of this in other books over the years...but this is a survey piece so that should be expected. I was never, genuinely, engaged by the book but don't have anything bad to say about it. I believe this is a book for younger readers (20 somethings) that have not spent a lifetime reading. For them there would lots of interesting directions to pursue in the future but for those, suc...more
Dec 16, 2010
umberto
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history,
to-resume-reading
This book looked a bit too academic for me when I first saw some copies sold in various bookstores in Bangkok some years ago. Then I decided to read it because of its title concerned with 'A History from Fire to Freud', therefore, I think I should know and understand more from what Peter Watson searched and wrote for his readers to try reading on our intellectual developments in the East and the West.
I like this part in the Author's Note (p. xix):
In a work such as Ideas it is comforting to thi...more
I like this part in the Author's Note (p. xix):
In a work such as Ideas it is comforting to thi...more
I've never been big on reading history, but this book is different. Well documented with the best current sources from many different disciplines. Where there are differing theories about a given topic The book explains them, points out the dominant ones, and leaves the conclusions to the reader.
I read the book cover to cover. I keep a copy on my current e reader to refer back to when a particular political, philosophical, or theological discussion comes up and triggers a new thought.
I also pur...more
I read the book cover to cover. I keep a copy on my current e reader to refer back to when a particular political, philosophical, or theological discussion comes up and triggers a new thought.
I also pur...more
I'm sure even 700+ pages on the history of human ideas does not complete the entire picture, but this book does a fantastic job of putting civilization in perspective. Ideas is full of fantastic conversation material, and illustrates history not just by highlighting particular dates and wars, but by explaining the various sea changes along the timeline of human progress. While reading, I felt strangely connected to my fellow humans with the sense that 'we're all in this together' - and also real...more
Second review (finished 1/27/2013)
I read this book off and on during 2012 and the first part of 2013. It was even better the second time I read it.
March-ish I took a few days off from life and checked into a spa in Sonoma, and this was the only book I brought to read in between massages and soaking in spring water. Come to think of it, this is probably the one book I would bring to a desert island if I had to limit it to one book.
Then October-ish I picked it up again and started re-reading the s...more
I read this book off and on during 2012 and the first part of 2013. It was even better the second time I read it.
March-ish I took a few days off from life and checked into a spa in Sonoma, and this was the only book I brought to read in between massages and soaking in spring water. Come to think of it, this is probably the one book I would bring to a desert island if I had to limit it to one book.
Then October-ish I picked it up again and started re-reading the s...more
Ambicioso ensayo que no llega a germinar: este libro no es la historia de las ideas de la humanidad, sino de Peter Watson. Se trata de una exposición de las principales corrientes de pensamiento de la humanidad, desde un prisma progresista, nihilista, antioccidental y anglocéntrico. No obstante, el estilo es brillante: de un párrafo a otro, el fluir del texto es increíble, a pesar de sus más de mil páginas.
Took me a long time to get through this book, but it gives a very thorough account of the history of the world by considering the history of ideas and the human intellectual development.
If you're just interested in world history, then Guns, Germs and Steel might be a better start. If you want to have a full account of how human thought and culture developed, this is an excellent book.
If you're just interested in world history, then Guns, Germs and Steel might be a better start. If you want to have a full account of how human thought and culture developed, this is an excellent book.
Obra colosal que sin duda debió requerir buena parte de su vida al autor, pues recoge civilización humana e historia, no con un gran detalle, pero sí con gran claridad, lo que en obras españolas se echa de menos como se ve en la irregular y farragosa enciclopedia Espasa. Hoy, algunas partes serían debatibles, pero quizá no tantas, lo cual es un mérito dado cómo avanza la ciencia, la Antropología y las ideas, que también quedan atrasadas. Una obra muy buena aun contando con mucha ayuda, y que val...more
Have made it to part two and now on chapter five, 'Sacrifice, Soul, Saviour: the spritual breakthrough'. This book reminds me of everything I loved about uni when I was seventeen. I'm being escorted through the millenia by a gentleman and a scholar, getting a little window into the mysteries of how we came to be who we are today, and nourishing a little dream of academia.
Man I could just read Peter Watson forever. I'm not really sure if everything in here is 100% accurate (since my truth-bendy-o-meter starts pinging just a touch when he talks about things I actually know a little about, like linguistics) but he's got a great sense of sweeping narrative. Also you can't beat his little diatribe about Freud at the end.
Dec 16, 2010
umberto
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history,
partially-read
This book looked a bit too academic for me when I first saw some copies sold in various bookstores in Bangkok some years ago. Then I decided to read it because of its title concerned with 'A History from Fire to Freud', therefore, I think I should know and understand more from what Peter Watson searched and wrote for his readers to try reading on our intellectual developments in the East and the West.
I like this part in the Author's Note (p. xix):
In a work such as Ideas it is comforting to thi...more
I like this part in the Author's Note (p. xix):
In a work such as Ideas it is comforting to thi...more
This is currently my all time favorite book, after Herodotus of course.
Huge in scope, meandering through history following ideas rather than people makes for some very interesting reading. Fantastic work!
Huge in scope, meandering through history following ideas rather than people makes for some very interesting reading. Fantastic work!
Mar 11, 2011
Jack Coleman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone
Excellent Book well written and compiled. A large book doesn't scare me off its a book.
Its what the pages contain not how many there are.A fantasic journey through history.
Its what the pages contain not how many there are.A fantasic journey through history.
I have been reading and re-reading this book over the course of three years, or so. I love it. It may be a sort of historical survey, but is also so much more.
Greatly entertaining and a surprisingly easy read. Brings you face-to-face with the fragility of civilization and of personal freedom in the face of religious dogma.
This is a solid brick of a book with a slightly ambitious scope - the history of thought and invention from fire to freud. A book like this can only be "magesterial" or "annoyingly pretentious and unfocused." After perusing the intro and a few selected chapters (the book lends itself well to jumping around), I am definitely leaning towards the former (despite having to cope with a growing feeling of insignificance and inferiority next to Watson's large brain). Watson writes nicely, and effortles...more
Great book!
I continue to use this book as reference material and always wish I had the time to re-read this many times over.
I continue to use this book as reference material and always wish I had the time to re-read this many times over.
Even more comprehensive in time scale, though a bit compressed in places inevitably. Real interesting account of the growth of ideas.
An absurdly ambitious book. Both vast and detailed. A work of scholarship of the old-school variety - and not incomprehensible.
Great review on man's best Ideas. It gave me a new perspective on Europe.
Other books cover this topic better. Poor binding on my copy.
Best comprehensive survey of Western thought I've come across
My understanding of human social structures culture and beliefs expanded greatly while reading this book.
I enjoyed the style of Watson's writing. I was engaged from the start and had difficulty puting the book down. A key to the gripping accessibility, for me, was the way he presents interesting information with succinct flows of logic and a neutral perspective.
Some of the understandings I gained from this book have changed my life. I am extremely grateful for it and celebrate it.
I recommend re...more
I enjoyed the style of Watson's writing. I was engaged from the start and had difficulty puting the book down. A key to the gripping accessibility, for me, was the way he presents interesting information with succinct flows of logic and a neutral perspective.
Some of the understandings I gained from this book have changed my life. I am extremely grateful for it and celebrate it.
I recommend re...more
Dec 28, 2012
Marianna Hofmeister
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction
Excellent book - slow read but worth it
in my Top Ten books of all time. A masterpiece.
Note: Mr. Rupprecht is reading this.
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Education: educated at the universities of Durham, London and Rome.
Deputy editor of New Society.
Part of the 'Insight' team of The Sunday Times for four years.
New York correspondent of The Times.
Has written for the Observer, The New York Times, Punch and The Spectator.
Author of thirteen books.
Presented several television programs about the arts.
Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archa...more
More about Peter Watson...
Deputy editor of New Society.
Part of the 'Insight' team of The Sunday Times for four years.
New York correspondent of The Times.
Has written for the Observer, The New York Times, Punch and The Spectator.
Author of thirteen books.
Presented several television programs about the arts.
Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archa...more
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