How the Irish Saved Civilization - (Hinges of History) by Thomas Cahill (Paperback)

About the Book

During the Dark Ages, learning, scholarship, and culture disappeared from the European continent. The great heritage of Western civilization would have been utterly lost were it not for the holy men and women of the unconquered Ireland. This delightful and illuminating book takes readers to the "island of saints and scholars" and shows how the Irish put their unique stamp on Western culture. 30 illustrations.

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A book in the best tradition of popular history--the untold story of Ireland's role in maintaining Western culture while the Dark Ages settled on Europe. - The perfect St. Patrick's Day gift!

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.

Review Quotes

"Charming and poetic ... an entirely engaging, delectable voyage into the distant past, a small treasure." --The New York Times

"A lovely and engrossing tale ... Graceful and instructive." --Richard Eder, Los Angeles Times

"Cahill's lively prose breathes life into a 1,600-year-old history." --The Boston Globe

About the Author

THOMAS CAHILL's appealing approach to distant history won the attention of millions of readers in North America and beyond. Cahill is the author of six volumes in the Hinges of History series: How the Irish Saved Civilization, The Gifts of the Jews, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, Mysteries of the Middle Ages, and Heretics and Heroes. They have been bestsellers not only in the United States but also in countries ranging from Italy to Brazil. He is also the author of A Saint on Death Row. He died in 2022.