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Review
'Herman's book tells an exciting story with gusto … entertaining and illuminating.' Jenny Uglow, Sunday Times
'Stimulating. A work which deserves to be bought by any interested reader.' Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph
'Compulsively readable.' Paul Henderson Scott, Sunday Herald
'Herman carries his thesis off with brio.' Arnold Kemp, Observer
'A sparkling book. Herman argues his case with an impressive accumulation of evidence.' New Statesman
Review
'Herman's book tells an exciting story with gusto ! entertaining and illuminating.' Jenny Uglow, Sunday Times 'Stimulating. A work which deserves to be bought by any interested reader.' Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph 'Compulsively readable.' Paul Henderson Scott, Sunday Herald 'Herman carries his thesis off with brio.' Arnold Kemp, Observer 'A sparkling book. Herman argues his case with an impressive accumulation of evidence.' New Statesman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Like many Scots, I have preconceived ideas about the Jacobite rebellion, religious wars, the Union and our relationship with the rest of Britain. I know when to hiss and when to cheer those heroes and villains of our not so distant past.
Reading this book has allowed me to throw away my prejudices and look at all of these issues with a new unblinkered vision. This is one of the best books I have read on Scottish history and what I particularly like is how it doesn't concentrate on battles and events, but people and ideas. I just want to run out and buy a copy of Wealth of Nations or the writings of Hutcheson, Hume and others. I particularly like the way Herman leads you through the practical consequences of what people were thinking and writing. Their effect on commerce, science, politics and ideas about liberty have relevance today.
I truly feel enlightened and I recommend this book very highly.
Reading this book has allowed me to throw away my prejudices and look at all of these issues with a new unblinkered vision. This is one of the best books I have read on Scottish history and what I particularly like is how it doesn't concentrate on battles and events, but people and ideas. I just want to run out and buy a copy of Wealth of Nations or the writings of Hutcheson, Hume and others. I particularly like the way Herman leads you through the practical consequences of what people were thinking and writing. Their effect on commerce, science, politics and ideas about liberty have relevance today.
I truly feel enlightened and I recommend this book very highly.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being a Scot with a woefully poor grasp of my countries own history I picked this book up with a view to educating myself. It proved to be a real eye opener and explains the Scots contribution to the modern world in an entertaining and accesible manner. I agree with one of the other reviewers in that it should be a set text for all Scottish schoolchildren. Herman achieves credibility from non-Scots by default through his American nationality. If anything it will arm Scots with a better understanding and some concrete facts during their pub arguments with their English friends in the obligatory Scots vs. English debate!
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an interesting book. It's extremely well written and it serves as very useful summary of the contribution made by Scots Philosophers, Educators, Architects and Missionaries in the post Union period. Mr Herman certainly argues a very engaging theory, but one can't help feeling that he gets a little bit carried away with his argument that the Scots invented the modern world. One wonders where we would be had it not been for the leading lights of the Scottish Enlightenment as detailed by this book. Nevertheless, he does do well to avoid any historical mawkish sentimentality and the book never becomes the literary equivalent of the "Wha's like us? Damn few and they're a' deid" teatowel! The book is particularly strong on discussing the lifes and works of the philosophers Hutcheson, Hume, Kames and Smith, but the historical narrative perhaps is not quite as strong or vividly presented as it is in Tom Devine's "The Scottish Nation". We can allow ourselves a certain pride and a smirk of satisfaction over the impact our predecessors have had and perhaps wonder if we are still punching above our weight in the modern world? An engaging, enjoyable book for anybody interested in Scottish history or, indeed, European and American history in the Enlightenment period
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Very happy with product and service
Bought this book as gift along with The Scottish Nation, and I was very happy with both the product and service.
Published 4 days ago by Brandane01
The Scottish Enlightenment
The book arrived just three days after I had placed my order - excellent service from Amazon and the supplier. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Michael
Flawed but delightful
Writing with enthusiastic panache, Herman at his best is genuinely superb. The tale he spins of the development of the Scottish Enlightenment itself is marvellous, and remarkably... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ulaidhan
The Definitive Guide to how we got where we are
I've bought and lent out this book three times. It's original american title was ' How the Scots invented the Modern World and everything in it' but this was (as a former reviewer... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Martin F. Mcarthur
Excellent historical reading
Being a Scot I was naturally very interested in this book and found it historicaly pretty accurate. The author being an American did not have an axe to grind. Read more
Published 12 months ago by mairi
An intriguing insight into Scotland's impact on the world stage
I was amazed that this book was not written by a Scotsman (or even a Brit). I wasn't aware that we were so highly rated in some esteemed academic circles. Read more
Published on 30 April 2010 by LXIX
Very insightful
When I moved over from Germany, I read this book as a preparation for my time in Scotland. And it turned out to be perfect for this matter: In his vividly written book, Herman not... Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Dr Jekyll
Light reading; heavy subject
I didn't really know much about the Scottish before reading this book. Having read it I shall see them in a different light. Read more
Published on 19 July 2009 by William Cohen
The Scottish Enlightenment
A very interesting summary of a critical period in Scottish history linking the clan system with the modern world. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2009 by D. T. Robertson
very interesting and very readable
Good book split into two parts: 1) history of the Scottish Enlightenment, and 2) the diaspora - the spread and influence of Scottish people around the world. Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2008 by gm33
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