How the Irish Saved CivilizationNATIONAL 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. |
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abbot Aemilia Ailil ancient apostles Ardagh Chalice Augustine Augustine's Ausonius barbarian become began BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES bishop Book of Kells Brigid Britain British Cahill called Catholic Celtic Celts chariot Christ Christian church Cicero City CLASSICAL TRADITION Cogitosus Columbanus Columbanus's Columcille Columcille's confession Connacht Cuailnge Cuchulainn culture curiales death Derdriu Donn Cuailnge druids Dying Gaul emperor empire English Europe eyes father fifth century Gaul German God's gods Gospel Greek heaven HOLY human Imbolc Iona Ireland Irish monks IRISH SAVED CIVILIZATION Kilcash king land Latin learning Lindisfarne literature lived lost Medb Medb's medieval MISSIONARY monastery monastic never Noisiu pagan Patricius Patrick philosopher Plato poem poet prehistoric Roman Rome sacrifice Saint Saint Gall Scotus scribe SHIFTING WORLD Skellig Michael slave SOLID WORLD soul story Tain things thought tion UNHOLY IRELAND Virgil warrior western word WORLD OF DARKNESS WORLD OF LIGHT