Rating: 
Summary: History, Yep.
Review: To encompass so many ideas in such a concise and readable casing is remarkable. I have recommended this book to just about everyone I know with nearly universal success. It may not give scholars any moments of clarity, but for the casual reader is it fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect for those who feel they lack historical perspective
Review: I love history, but I always felt that I didn't know the whole picture. While this book is far from comprehensive in it's coverage of human history, it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do--giving the readers a complete overview of history without becoming tedious or boring, something I think most everyone fears when the subject is broached. Not only that, but the tidbits of information are utterly fascinating! I found myself putting the book down repeatedly to inform those unlucky souls around me of some gold nugget I had just uncovered. I'm sure some of the more "scholarly" readers will pick apart the book, but for the average person this is a great springboard into uncovering other interesting areas of history. (Roman Empire, here I come!) Highly, highly recommended. I gave away four copies for Christmas, and they all love it.
Rating:
Summary: A must for anyone interested in history
Review: At last a concise and brilliantly connected history of thought. Beginning with the "knowledge of the ancients" (which, to my pleasure, included information from ancient India, China and the Americas as well as from Egypt and the Middle East), Van Doren covers all the great theories and discoveries of the human race. Although I read it cover to cover, it would be just as useful (and enjoyable) to dig in and read it piecemeal.The contributions of Einstein, Newton and Galileo are here, as are the ideas of Buddha, Martin Luther and Boethius. This is more than just a cataloguing of ideas and discoveries, though. Portraits of these individuals are made, and their contributions are placed in historical context. What is most remarkable, however is that van Doren has managed to squeeze all this information into a mere 412 pages. The only shortcoming of the book is perhaps is length - but Van Doren sets out only to summarize, highlight and explain. With this in mind, he does an admirable job. The book is simply fascinating, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview
Review: Van Doren's thesis is that the history of knowledge is really the history of man. And not specific, time and place, knowledge, but rather abstract, timeless, knowledge. It struck me in reading this excellent book that it was a life's work, and this life's work keeps good from beginning to very end. If you passed through high school and college, and even grad school, without ever getting a comprehensive sense of history -- the key players, the key ideas, how societies rose and declined and why -- and you want educate yourself in this sense, then this is one supurb place to start. It's a terrific and learned distillation.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating, and well-written
Review: Offering no less than a summary of the history of human thought, from the beginning to today (or at least 1992). Sometimes van Doren stretches himself a bit too far on a point, but for the most part I think he is very solid in what he posits, and backs it all up very well. Do not let this be your only history of knowledge book, however (and, obviously, that advice rings true for any subject - never stick with just one book or author). But, for the person who is interested in this topic, but does not feel the need to do a master's degree on it, "History of Knowledge" is just what you need.
Rating:
Summary: A nice survey of man's search for knowledge
Review: A solid overview of humanity's leading minds. A bit thin in places, but that's to be expected in a book this short covering a topic this broad. Van Doren's occasional musings on certain points adds a little perspective from an obviously intelligent observer, even though he occasionally slips into an accusatory tone, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries. If you liked this book (a lot), try Daniel Boorstin's Knowledge trilogy, The Discoverers, The Creators, and The Seekers, which is much broader, much deeper, much more detailed (and much, much longer). In total, this is easily digested, and a great starting point for anyone interested in history.
Rating:
Summary: Does what it sets out to do.
Review: This book does exactly what it sets out to do. While some may argue that it is only a compilation of 'Western' thought, this is untrue for many reasons. It shows how western civilization has influenced, and been influenced by, the world at large. It doesn't act as if western thought is the origin of knowledge. In fact, it doesn't recognize the existence of knowledge period, only the culturally relative aspects that have influenced the world up to present. Being that Eastern philosophies have always shunned the world at large, it is hard to say that this book has excluded Eastern philosophies as much as Eastern philosophy has excluded itself. All in all, this is a great reference tool for those wanting to know how the paradigms of today came to be.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding work!
Review: What a thrilling ride through the annals of time, almost like a time machine. Your peering out of this time machine into the most extrordinary events and people in the history of the world.Breath-taking. A good read for all levels.
Rating:
Summary: A History of 'Western' Knowledge
Review: This book doesn't quite accomplish what its title promises to. After reading through all the chapters, I felt that I had been given a very good overview of how things came to be the way they are for western thought. Anything not traditionally thought of as the West has been mostly ignored throughout. Sure, there are token chapters devoted to the Egyptians, Babylonians, Chinese, and Arabs, but nothing beyond that. Chinese civilization and thought was advanced way before anything approaching it appeared in the Old World, but Van Doren does not make any in depth examination of their knowledge and their thinkers. Similarly, nothing is said of Arabic studies in astronomy, medicine, and history, though philosophy is mentioned. Same goes for the Egyptians. With that said, I think the book is a great read if one is trying to understand the History of Knowledge in the West. There is expansive coverage of the Greeks, the Romans, the Middle Ages of Europe, the Renaissance, and so on. During his discussions, the author provides some incisive comments and thoughts on the way things are now and ties them very nicely to the great events that occurred in Western thinking.
Rating:
Summary: Made me a lover of history
Review: This book was the key that opened my eyes to human history. I had never really thought much about how hunters and gatherers lived. Nor did I know that Aristotle was a pupil of Plato. Great overview and interesting reading from the start.
|
