Thomas Cahill
How the Irish Saved Civilization
The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe
New York 1995
Stron X+246, format: 14x22 cm
16 czarno-białych ilustracji
Książka jest bez śladów używania.
"A shamelessly engaging, effortlessly scholarly, utterly refreshing history of the origins of the Irish soul and its huge contribution to Western culture."
—Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List
From the fall of Rome to the rise of Charlemagne—the "dark ages"— learning, scholarship, and culture disappeared from the European continent. The great heritage of Western civilization—from the Greek and Roman classics to Jewish and Christian works—would have been utterly lost were it not for the holy men and women of the unconquered Ireland.
In this delightful and illuminating look into a crucial but little-known "hinge" of history, Thomas Cahill takes us to the "island of saints and scholars," the Ireland of St. Patrick and the Book of Kells. Here, far from the barbarian despoliation of the continent, monks and scribes laboriously, lovingly, even playfully preserved the West's written treasury. With the return of stability in Europe, these Irish scholars were instrumental in spreading learning. Thus the Irish not only were conservators of civilization, but became shapers of the medieval mind, putting their unique stamp on Western culture.
"A lovely tale...Graceful and instructive."
—Richard Eder, Los Angeles Times
"Cahill's lively prose breathes life into a 1,600-year-old history."
—Boston Globe
"When Cahill shows the splendid results of St. Patrick's mission in Ireland—among them, the preservation and transmission of classical literature and the evangelization of Europe—he isn't exaggerating. He's rejoicing." _ & j & —The New Yorker
"Delightfully written...full of bold insights into the Irish character and its continuity through the ages."
—Kirkus Reviews
Tlable of Contents
introduction: low Real Is History? I
i : the end of the world: How Rome Fell—and Why 9
ii : what was lost: The Complexities of the Classical Tradition 33
iii: a shifting world of darkness: Unholy Ireland 69
iv: good news from far off: The First Missionary 99
v: a solid world of light: Holy Ireland 121
vi: what was found: How the Irish Saved Civilization 145
vii : THE END OF THE WORLD: Is There Any Hope? 197
Pronunciation Guide to Key Irish Words 219
Bibliographical Sources 221
Chronology 231
Acknowledgments 235
Index 239
Contents
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