Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud

by Peter Watson

Book Overview

Peter Watson's hugely ambitious and stimulating history of ideas from deep antiquity to the present day—from the invention of writing, mathematics, science, and philosophy to the rise of such concepts as the law, sacrifice, democracy, and the soul—offers an illuminated path to a greater understanding of our world and ourselves.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060935642
• ISBN13: 9780060935641
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 852 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 7.1" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Mind blowingly good

Do you want to know everything about history but just don't have the time to read all the classics and the right "must read" novels and written works from Plato to Darwin (or perhaps like me you dont have the trained intellect to digest a lot of these works)? This book is the solution. It satisfied my massive curiousity of all ideas of man from the hunter gatherers through to Freud, and the best part was that it was an absolute joy to read. A two fold joy in that it is not overtly taxing due to Watson's ability to put ideas (and their context) forward in the most succinct fashion, and secondly the sheer scope of this book consistently amazed me. So many things I didn't know which have had such an important effect on mankind, and so many of the myths now explained. I read this book over the space of about 8 months. As I work full time and with a small child I dont get all the reading time I would like, but I found I also needed some time after reading a few chapters to absorb the enormity of some of the information contained therein. I was compelled to write this review after reading one of the final chapters (on Darwin's evolution) and I had the sensation of my mind literally expanding!! If you have a thirst for knowledge of the history of mankind and its ideas I can offer you no better reading, and as a supremely added bonus it is an absolute pleasure. I have only three chapters to go and I am already worrying myself as to what will take its place once I have finished it! Thank you Mr Watson you have increased my understanding of man exponentially. I look forward to your next publication.

The Long and Short of It

Ideas, A History of Thought and Invention from Fire to Freud is an amazing book. Peter Watson knows his brief and can explain some of the most difficult ideas ever conceived by man in words that make them understandable to the popular reader. No, he makes them more than understandable - he makes them fascinating and relevant, showing how they have shaped the fabric of human life to this very day. Watson's capacity to discuss some of the key controversies of modern science in an even-handed manner is almost as impressive as his scholarship. Nonetheless, it is worth pointing out that it is impossible to publish a book of this scope that will not be out of date in some respects within months. The artifacts reflecting python worship 70,000 years ago in Botswana and found by Sheila Coulson from the University of Oslo, for instance, is strong support for the view that abstract thought emerged gradually in Africa and at a far earlier date than those arguing for a genetic change in European Homo sapiens 40,000 year ago. Nor, perhaps, may the discovery of Homo floresiensis face us with the challenges of explaining how a different human species with such a small brain reached the Indonesian island where their skeletons were found. It is a surprise that a book about the power of ideas throughout human history should close suggesting that there is probably no such thing as the Platonic "inner self." While discoveries of modern neuroscience are making this an increasingly respectable position to argue, Watson's defense of his view is surprisingly poor. Despite its riveting interest, actually reading this book is a challenge. Its 822 8x10" pages weigh over 8 pounds, which makes cumbersome bedside reading. The Big Bang to Now: A Time Line, the slim volume by T. H. Sissons, covers much of the same ground as Watson's book but in far less detail. For those not sure they are ready for a heavyweight like Watson or for anyone looking for a quick overview alongside Watson's estimable tome, The Big Bang to Now may be either a good starter or accompaniment.

A book on History from a different perspective...

This is a fantastic book that covers how ideas have developed through History and explains a lot of things about ourselves, members of the Western world in the 21st century. If you are like me, you didn't enjoy your History classes much when they were all about the particular (and too often unrelated) dates of political and military events. Fortunately, brilliant historians such as Peter Watson know how to weave countless facts into an engaging history, from Gilgamesh to the Cavendish Laboratory at the dawn of the 20th century. Don't you know what Gilgamesh is? Maybe you should take a look at this book and enjoy yourself learning and thinking about things you might have taken for granted and never questioned. This book is highly recommended for those who, keeping an open mind, want to be aware of how humans have evolved through History and would like to get to the roots of our many habits and traditions. I wish all educated people could enjoy the insightful comments and innumerable associations of ideas that Peter Watson shares with us in his delightful history of ideas. Maybe the most encompassing book on History ever written. Certainly the best I have ever read. A book on History from a different perspective.

A university education in itself

This is a splendid book. People who did not have a chance to go to university will find, after reading it, that -- if they couldn't before -- they can now hold their end up in a conversation with any history or social science major. Indeed, if they pay close attention to what they read here, they can probably dominate the conversation! But if you did go to university, here is the chance to (1) fill in all the gaps, those courses you didn't have time to take or slept through, and/or (2) if you are "of a certain age" catch up with what's been happening in your field (and others) since you graduated. Mark Steyn had a column recently in which he attacked the author for saying that monotheistic religion had been a bad idea, historically. Be that as it may, this is a splendid book, and my only question is: how the devil did the man find time to write it? Or did he have a mulit-disciplinary army of graduate students reading hundreds of books and summarizing them? If I only bought one book this year, this would be it.

Every person that would like to call him/herself educated should read this book

An absolutely amazing book. It has illuminated so many cause and effect chains for me that I can hardly believe how much I've learnt in such a short time. If history at school could be presented from this angle, it would fundamentally increase the general understanding of who, what and where we are. Watson is a great writer that conveys an incredible amount of information with a story teller's flair. Quite an investment in time, worth every second.