2 of 3 copies available
Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization. Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars"—and thus preserve Western culture while Europe was being overrun by barbarians.
In this entertaining and compelling narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Europe evolved from the classical age of Rome to the medieval era. Without Ireland, the transition could not have taken place. Not only did Irish monks and scribes maintain the very record of Western civilization — copying manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers, both pagan and Christian, while libraries and learning on the continent were forever lost—they brought their uniquely Irish world-view to the task.
As Cahill delightfully illustrates, so much of the liveliness we associate with medieval culture has its roots in Ireland. When the seeds of culture were replanted on the European continent, it was from Ireland that they were germinated.
In the tradition of Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, How The Irish Saved Civilization reconstructs an era that few know about but which is central to understanding our past and our cultural heritage. But it conveys its knowledge with a winking wit that aptly captures the sensibility of the unsung Irish who relaunched civilization.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
July 5, 2000 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780307877642
- File size: 231096 KB
- Duration: 08:01:26
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Starred review from February 13, 1995
With the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, Ireland, according to the author, ``had one moment of unblemished glory''-when Irish monks copied almost all of Western classical poetry, history, oratory, philosophy and commentary. But this book is more than the story of monks preserving manuscripts; it is an irreverent look back at how Ireland came to be. Celts who had traversed Europe, Irish warriors and their women were primitive and blatantly sexual. Next came a taming of the land with the help of St. Patrick, who hated slavery and loved scholarship. Patrick was followed by St. Columcille, a great lover of books who became embroiled in a war and, as penance, exiled himself to the island of Iona, off Scotland. It was here that Ireland became ``Europe's publisher,'' as other warrior-monks followed Columcille's example and began to colonize barbarized Europe. They put Ireland in the vanguard of intellectual leadership, a position the Irish would not surrender until the Viking invasion of the 11th century. Cahill (A Literary Guide to Ireland) has written a scholarly, yet cheeky, book that will have strong appeal to Celtophiles. Illustrations not seen by PW. -
This interesting view of Irish history at the time of the Dark Ages begins after the fall of Rome. Cahill's work will particularly interest medievalists and students of Irish culture while the casual listener may be bogged down in post-Roman events and shifts of power. Liam Neeson's rich, smooth voice delineates each element of political, religious and cultural alliance. He adds appropriate emphasis to details and gives context and scale to the narration. The cadence and softened consonants of his speech make appealing and pleasant listening. Though recording this work makes it accessible to an audience who might not otherwise read Cahill's work, the density and detail of this history demand studied listening. R.F.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine -
Donal Donnelly projects a scholarly, yet ironic tone, as if to remind us that history, while important, is capricious, and we'd best not forget it. The listener must wade through much Roman and Celtic culture before getting to hear about the BOOK OF KELLS. E.K.D. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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January 29, 1996
An account of the pivotal role played by Irish monks in transcribing and preserving Classical civilization during the Dark Ages.
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