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How the Scots Invented the Modern World
by Arthur Herman • 2001
From a poor nation on Europe's edge came free markets, social science, and the American character.
3.94
7k+
How the Scots Invented the Modern World Summary
How the Scots Invented the Modern World 96%
From a poor nation on Europe's edge came free markets, social science, and the American character.
by Arthur Herman 2001
3.94
7k+ ratings
How Britain Ends
by Gavin Esler • 2021
Brexit did not crack the union; it exposed cracks English nationalism had been opening for decades.
4.09
581
How Britain Ends Summary
How Britain Ends 92%
Brexit did not crack the union; it exposed cracks English nationalism had been opening for decades.
by Gavin Esler 2021
4.09
581 ratings
A Culture of Growth
by Joel Mokyr • 2016
What fueled modern growth? Not property rights. A cultural shift that made nature a solvable puzzle.
3.94
427
A Culture of Growth Summary
A Culture of Growth 91%
What fueled modern growth? Not property rights. A cultural shift that made nature a solvable puzzle.
by Joel Mokyr 2016
3.94
427 ratings
Nations and Nationalism since 1780
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1990
Nationalism invented nations, not the reverse, and the two-century project is already decaying.
3.91
2k+
Nations and Nationalism since 1780 Summary
Nations and Nationalism since 1780 90%
Nationalism invented nations, not the reverse, and the two-century project is already decaying.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1990
3.91
2k+ ratings
Dangerous Games
by Margaret MacMillan • 2008
History is never neutral. Nations and leaders weaponize it daily, and the patterns are predictable.
3.64
2k+
Dangerous Games Summary
Dangerous Games 90%
History is never neutral. Nations and leaders weaponize it daily, and the patterns are predictable.
by Margaret MacMillan 2008
3.64
2k+ ratings
Soul Machine
by George Makari • 2015
Science couldn't find the soul. So early modern Europe invented the mind to take its place.
3.82
157
Soul Machine Summary
Soul Machine 90%
Science couldn't find the soul. So early modern Europe invented the mind to take its place.
by George Makari 2015
3.82
157 ratings
Modern Times
by Paul Johnson • 1983
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
4.29
3k+
Modern Times Summary
Modern Times 90%
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
by Paul Johnson 1983
4.29
3k+ ratings
Can Ireland Be One?
by Malachi O'Doherty • 2022
Before Ireland can unite, it must agree what being Irish means. It doesn't.
3.84
76
Can Ireland Be One? Summary
Can Ireland Be One? 90%
Before Ireland can unite, it must agree what being Irish means. It doesn't.
by Malachi O'Doherty 2022
3.84
76 ratings
The English
by Jeremy Paxman • 1998
An island people built history's largest empire, then had to reinvent themselves once it crumbled.
3.55
3k+
The English Summary
The English 90%
An island people built history's largest empire, then had to reinvent themselves once it crumbled.
by Jeremy Paxman 1998
3.55
3k+ ratings
Civilization
by Niall Ferguson • 2011
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
3.86
10k+
Civilization Summary
Civilization 90%
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
by Niall Ferguson 2011
3.86
10k+ ratings
Imagined Communities
by Benedict Anderson • 1983
Your nation is not ancient. Print markets, colonial maps, and selective forgetting built it.
4.11
17k+
Imagined Communities Summary
Imagined Communities 89%
Your nation is not ancient. Print markets, colonial maps, and selective forgetting built it.
by Benedict Anderson 1983
4.11
17k+ ratings
The Philosophy of the Enlightenment
by Ernst Cassirer • 1932
The Enlightenment remade reason: not a storehouse of truths, but a way of discovering them.
4.11
258
The Philosophy of the Enlightenment Summary
The Philosophy of the Enlightenment 89%
The Enlightenment remade reason: not a storehouse of truths, but a way of discovering them.
by Ernst Cassirer 1932
4.11
258 ratings
The Victory of Reason
by Rodney Stark • 2005
The 'Dark Ages' were an era of explosive innovation, lit by the Church's obsession with reason.
3.99
927
The Victory of Reason Summary
The Victory of Reason 89%
The 'Dark Ages' were an era of explosive innovation, lit by the Church's obsession with reason.
by Rodney Stark 2005
3.99
927 ratings
Industry and Empire
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1968
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
3.92
574
Industry and Empire Summary
Industry and Empire 89%
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1968
3.92
574 ratings
The Almost Nearly Perfect People
by Michael Booth • 2014
The Nordic countries top happiness rankings. Here's what the rankings don't tell you.
3.86
12k+
The Almost Nearly Perfect People Summary
The Almost Nearly Perfect People 89%
The Nordic countries top happiness rankings. Here's what the rankings don't tell you.
by Michael Booth 2014
3.86
12k+ ratings
The Case for Colonialism
by Bruce Gilley • 2023
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
4.32
191
The Case for Colonialism Summary
The Case for Colonialism 89%
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
by Bruce Gilley 2023
4.32
191 ratings
Chavs
by Owen Jones • 2011
The British working class wasn't only abandoned. It was mocked so the abandonment felt deserved.
4.08
11k+
Chavs Summary
Chavs 89%
The British working class wasn't only abandoned. It was mocked so the abandonment felt deserved.
by Owen Jones 2011
4.08
11k+ ratings
The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective
by Robert C. Allen • 2009
Britain's Industrial Revolution was an accident of wages and coal prices, not genius or empire.
4.00
264
The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective Summary
The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective 89%
Britain's Industrial Revolution was an accident of wages and coal prices, not genius or empire.
by Robert C. Allen 2009
4.00
264 ratings
Heroic Failure
by Fintan O'Toole • 2018
Brexit wasn't about economics. It was a culture of glorified defeat and shared self-harm.
4.11
2k+
Heroic Failure Summary
Heroic Failure 89%
Brexit wasn't about economics. It was a culture of glorified defeat and shared self-harm.
by Fintan O'Toole 2018
4.11
2k+ ratings
Conquests and Cultures
by Thomas Sowell • 1998
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
4.44
964
Conquests and Cultures Summary
Conquests and Cultures 89%
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
by Thomas Sowell 1998
4.44
964 ratings
National Identity
by Anthony D. Smith • 1991
Nations feel ancient, but they are modern inventions built from ethnic memories and myths.
3.71
243
National Identity Summary
National Identity 89%
Nations feel ancient, but they are modern inventions built from ethnic memories and myths.
by Anthony D. Smith 1991
3.71
243 ratings
The Full English
by Stuart Maconie • 2023
England, 90 years on: the mills gone, class divides intact, a startling diversity.
4.04
1k+
The Full English Summary
The Full English 89%
England, 90 years on: the mills gone, class divides intact, a startling diversity.
by Stuart Maconie 2023
4.04
1k+ ratings
10 Books That Screwed Up the World
by Benjamin Wiker • 2008
Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.
3.43
1k+
10 Books That Screwed Up the World Summary
10 Books That Screwed Up the World 89%
Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.
by Benjamin Wiker 2008
3.43
1k+ ratings
The Gifts of Athena
by Joel Mokyr • 2002
The modern economy runs on a feedback loop between understanding nature and manipulating it.
4.02
136
The Gifts of Athena Summary
The Gifts of Athena 89%
The modern economy runs on a feedback loop between understanding nature and manipulating it.
by Joel Mokyr 2002
4.02
136 ratings
Empire
by Niall Ferguson • 2003
Piracy, sugar, and debt built the largest empire ever. The collapse outpaced the climb.
3.93
10k+
Empire Summary
Empire 89%
Piracy, sugar, and debt built the largest empire ever. The collapse outpaced the climb.
by Niall Ferguson 2003
3.93
10k+ ratings
The Theory of Moral Sentiments
by Adam Smith • 1759
Before he explained markets, Adam Smith explained why you want a promotion more than a full pantry.
4.06
5k+
The Theory of Moral Sentiments Summary
The Theory of Moral Sentiments 89%
Before he explained markets, Adam Smith explained why you want a promotion more than a full pantry.
by Adam Smith 1759
4.06
5k+ ratings
The Great Debate
by Yuval Levin • 2013
Burke and Paine split over human nature and justice. Their argument became right and left.
3.87
1k+
The Great Debate Summary
The Great Debate 89%
Burke and Paine split over human nature and justice. Their argument became right and left.
by Yuval Levin 2013
3.87
1k+ ratings
The Ancient Celts
by Barry Cunliffe • 2018
Two millennia of reinvention: the Celts as barbarians, noble savages, and nationalist ancestors.
3.92
1k+
The Ancient Celts Summary
The Ancient Celts 89%
Two millennia of reinvention: the Celts as barbarians, noble savages, and nationalist ancestors.
by Barry Cunliffe 2018
3.92
1k+ ratings
Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution
by Maxine Berg • 2023
Sugar, copper, cotton, and credit: how enslaved labor built the Industrial Revolution.
4.42
26
Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution Summary
Slavery, Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution 89%
Sugar, copper, cotton, and credit: how enslaved labor built the Industrial Revolution.
by Maxine Berg 2023
4.42
26 ratings
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1987
History's pattern: empires die, and their true heirs are the churches they tried to crush.
4.11
543
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6 Summary
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6 89%
History's pattern: empires die, and their true heirs are the churches they tried to crush.
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1987
4.11
543 ratings
The Great Divergence
by Kenneth Pomeranz • 2000
Europe's industrial breakthrough wasn't its own genius. It took colonial land and underground coal.
3.68
1k+
The Great Divergence Summary
The Great Divergence 89%
Europe's industrial breakthrough wasn't its own genius. It took colonial land and underground coal.
by Kenneth Pomeranz 2000
3.68
1k+ ratings
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations
by David S. Landes • 1998
Coal and colonies don't explain Western wealth. The real reason: a culture that rewarded dissent.
3.96
4k+
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations Summary
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations 88%
Coal and colonies don't explain Western wealth. The real reason: a culture that rewarded dissent.
by David S. Landes 1998
3.96
4k+ ratings
Tory Nation
by Samuel Earle • 2023
One party has ruled Britain for two-thirds of the last two centuries. This is how.
4.18
65
Tory Nation Summary
Tory Nation 88%
One party has ruled Britain for two-thirds of the last two centuries. This is how.
by Samuel Earle 2023
4.18
65 ratings
The Lost History of Liberalism
by Helena Rosenblatt • 2018
Liberalism was born as duty and generosity. The individual-rights version is only seventy years old.
4.04
448
The Lost History of Liberalism Summary
The Lost History of Liberalism 88%
Liberalism was born as duty and generosity. The individual-rights version is only seventy years old.
by Helena Rosenblatt 2018
4.04
448 ratings
The Diversity Illusion
by Ed West • 2012
Three million newcomers, zero economic gain. The real cost: a society that stopped trusting.
4.04
226
The Diversity Illusion Summary
The Diversity Illusion 88%
Three million newcomers, zero economic gain. The real cost: a society that stopped trusting.
by Ed West 2012
4.04
226 ratings
The Celts
by Alice Roberts • 2015
Classical writers got the Celts wrong. They were Atlantic traders, not central European barbarians.
3.92
1k+
The Celts Summary
The Celts 88%
Classical writers got the Celts wrong. They were Atlantic traders, not central European barbarians.
by Alice Roberts 2015
3.92
1k+ ratings
War and Peace and War
by Peter Turchin • 2005
Empires aren't conquered. They dissolve from within, on a schedule that mathematics can model.
4.17
928
War and Peace and War Summary
War and Peace and War 88%
Empires aren't conquered. They dissolve from within, on a schedule that mathematics can model.
by Peter Turchin 2005
4.17
928 ratings
The Theological Origins of Modernity
by Michael Allen Gillespie • 2008
The modern world is a theological argument that left the church and took over everything.
4.23
270
The Theological Origins of Modernity Summary
The Theological Origins of Modernity 88%
The modern world is a theological argument that left the church and took over everything.
by Michael Allen Gillespie 2008
4.23
270 ratings
The Square and the Tower
by Niall Ferguson • 2017
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
3.65
4k+
The Square and the Tower Summary
The Square and the Tower 88%
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
by Niall Ferguson 2017
3.65
4k+ ratings
The Birth of Plenty
by William J. Bernstein • 2004
Four conditions built the modern world; without them, even silver empires collapse.
4.19
858
The Birth of Plenty Summary
The Birth of Plenty 88%
Four conditions built the modern world; without them, even silver empires collapse.
by William J. Bernstein 2004
4.19
858 ratings
Values, Voice and Virtue
by Matthew Goodwin • 2023
Britain's new class war: the university 25% versus the rest. The grads are winning everything.
3.68
338
Values, Voice and Virtue Summary
Values, Voice and Virtue 88%
Britain's new class war: the university 25% versus the rest. The grads are winning everything.
by Matthew Goodwin 2023
3.68
338 ratings
Age of Anger
by Pankaj Mishra • 2017
Today's global resentments echo the fury that tore through modernizing Europe.
3.64
3k+
Age of Anger Summary
Age of Anger 88%
Today's global resentments echo the fury that tore through modernizing Europe.
by Pankaj Mishra 2017
3.64
3k+ ratings
The South Was Right!
by James Ronald Kennedy • 1991
The South legally seceded. The North invaded for economic gain. The rest is propaganda.
3.93
482
The South Was Right! Summary
The South Was Right! 88%
The South legally seceded. The North invaded for economic gain. The rest is propaganda.
by James Ronald Kennedy 1991
3.93
482 ratings
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization
by Thomas E. Woods Jr. • 2005
Universities, science, and human rights emerged not despite the Catholic Church but because of it.
4.12
3k+
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization Summary
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization 88%
Universities, science, and human rights emerged not despite the Catholic Church but because of it.
by Thomas E. Woods Jr. 2005
4.12
3k+ ratings
A Short History of the World
by Christopher Lascelles • 2011
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
3.86
2k+
A Short History of the World Summary
A Short History of the World 88%
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
by Christopher Lascelles 2011
3.86
2k+ ratings
To End All Wars
by Adam Hochschild • 2011
A general led Britain's army. His sister led its pacifists. The Great War as family feud.
4.14
9k+
To End All Wars Summary
To End All Wars 88%
A general led Britain's army. His sister led its pacifists. The Great War as family feud.
by Adam Hochschild 2011
4.14
9k+ ratings
Humanly Possible
by Sarah Bakewell • 2023
Humanism's 700-year bet: that reason and kindness, not gods or ideologies, will save us.
4.01
2k+
Humanly Possible Summary
Humanly Possible 88%
Humanism's 700-year bet: that reason and kindness, not gods or ideologies, will save us.
by Sarah Bakewell 2023
4.01
2k+ ratings
The Empathic Civilization
by Jeremy Rifkin • 2009
Every energy revolution expanded human empathy. Now that same engine threatens to undo us all.
4.03
937
The Empathic Civilization Summary
The Empathic Civilization 88%
Every energy revolution expanded human empathy. Now that same engine threatens to undo us all.
by Jeremy Rifkin 2009
4.03
937 ratings
Strange New World
by Carl R. Trueman • 2022
The creed of inner feelings has a genealogy, and the sexual revolution made it law.
4.47
5k+
Strange New World Summary
Strange New World 88%
The creed of inner feelings has a genealogy, and the sexual revolution made it law.
by Carl R. Trueman 2022
4.47
5k+ ratings
The Age of Abundance
by Brink Lindsey • 2007
Postwar abundance split America into two rival faiths; their deadlock still defines us.
3.51
134
The Age of Abundance Summary
The Age of Abundance 88%
Postwar abundance split America into two rival faiths; their deadlock still defines us.
by Brink Lindsey 2007
3.51
134 ratings
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