How the Scots Invented the Modern World

By Arthur Herman,

Book cover of How the Scots Invented the Modern World

Book description

Who formed the first modern nation?
Who created the first literate society?
Who invented our modern ideas of democracy and free market capitalism?
The Scots.

Mention of Scotland and the Scots usually conjures up images of kilts, bagpipes, Scotch whisky, and golf. But as historian and author Arthur Herman demonstrates,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked How the Scots Invented the Modern World as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

In preparation for visiting Scotland in the summer of 2023, I read this book.

It makes a fascinating argument that this small country on the edge of Europe, in a dazzling and brief burst of intellectual creativity, invented the modern world. It is a huge claim but is backed up in the discussion of how Scots such as Adam Smith invented economics, the geologist James Hutton gave us the idea of deep time, and David Hume was the first philosopher of modernity.

OK I am biased. I was born in Scotland. But even if you did not have the good…

Want books like How the Scots Invented the Modern World?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like How the Scots Invented the Modern World.

Browse books like How the Scots Invented the Modern World

Book cover of The Scottish Enlightenment: The Scots' Invention of the Modern World
Book cover of The Scottish World: A Journey Into the Scottish Diaspora
Book cover of How Russia Shaped the Modern World: From Art to Anti-Semitism, Ballet to Bolshevism

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,347

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in modernity, the Age of Enlightenment, and Scottish people?

Modernity 55 books
Scottish People 29 books