Book description
'Shamelessly engaging, effortlessly scholarly, utterly refreshing history of the Irish soul and its huge contribution to Western culture' Thomas Keneally
Ireland played the central role in maintaining European culture when the dark ages settled on Europe in the fifth century: as Rome was sacked by Visigoths and its empire collapsed,…
Why read it?
2 authors picked How the Irish Saved Civilization as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Thomas Cahill is a brilliant historian who excels at bringing attention to glossed-over history. In How the Irish Saved Civilization, he does exactly that, revealing the pivotal, underappreciated role played by Irish monastic scribes in preserving classical and Christian creative works. His narrative offers a genuinely interesting and beautifully written perspective on a truly foundational moment in Western history.
As someone who loves history, particularly Celtic history, this one hit me in a really special place in my heart. This little-known history of the Celtic Saints, and particularly Saint Patrick really opened my eyes. It details how Celtic monks quietly saved the written word while barbarians and Vikings burnt Roman literature—which would have made all western thought—even the bible on the threat of extinction. It dazzled me to be given a much bigger perspective on the infamous Book of Kells, and even how schools throughout the western world originated because of these men that hid behind the chaos of…
From Angela's list on historical fantasy with twists on Arthurian legend.
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