Welcome to Litsy!

★★★☆☆
I have a problem with the fact that the Irish were barely mentioned before page 70, that the author's main point didn't emerge until page 183 (this in a book of only 250 pages), and that the final 50 pages of core subject matter felt rushed. Also, the Irish didn't save civilisation in general as the title seems to say - they played a critical role in preserving Greek and Roman writings.

Cahill finally getting to his thesis on page 183:

'While Rome and its ancient empire faded from memory and a new, illiterate Europe rose on its ruins, a vibrant, literary culture was blooming in secret along its Celtic fringe.'

p. 108: 'So Patrick was really a first - the first missionary to barbarians beyond the reach of Roman law. The step he took was in its way as bold as Columbus's, and a thousand times more humane.'

Started

📖 How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill

A really fascinating look at the development of societies across the globe and why certain areas ended up with certain staples while other areas remained primitive for decades.
It is a bit dry and academic so if you can get past those elements then you will have a nice perspective of human development.

#nonfiction #history #pulitzer

#nonfiction #history

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1. Friends' second liver transplant took this time
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3. Got my goodreads challenge for last year
4. Had a quiet new years
5. My fising hut tent came. Now for the ice to form on the lake

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While there was some interesting aspects of Ireland in the Middle Ages discussed here, this book got too bogged down in Rome and its fall (like 40% into the book before we get to Ireland) and the author‘s concept of “civilization” is definitely Eurocentric (Irish scribes saved Roman literature, basically). But I learned a lot about St. Patrick and Irish monastic culture, which was interesting.🤔

The title here is Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard, his literary debut. I‘d call it speculative scifi & when i describe it it sounds ludicrous.

Earth is under oppressive martial law awaiting a coming alien invasion. 🛸👽

The aliens land. The aliens are devout Catholics.🧐

Sounds like satire. It is not.

Our main character is a Latin teacher that discovers studying Classics in college was a crackerjack major after all. 🤯