How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe (The Hinges of History)

How the Irish Saved Civilization Thomas Cahill published this slender essay in 1995. It stayed on the New York Times best seller list for two years, which gives us a reason to read it. Other reasons abound. Cahill has an accomplished background in the ancient languages of Latin and Greek. He spent two years studying Hebrew and theology at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He also reads English, Italian and French, more modern languages. Cahill must be considered a complete and focused scholar. He has taught at several famous colleges and universities. His style is fluid and erudite without being pretentious and never becomes boring. This volume begins a so far six volume series he calls 'The hinges of History Series', all works on key elements of Western Civilization. In “How the Irish Saved Civilization” he outlines the Western World as it existed around the year 400, its political structure, its religious basis in its magnificent achievements literature and philosophy. Then he shows us how this world disappeared under the waves of the Barbarian invasions. Literacy declined, books vanished into the fires of illiterate warriors and cities empties. The Dark Ages overcame classical civilization. But in Ireland there was no fall. It had never been built up in the first place. The Irish squabbled happily among themselves, content with their bards and poets. Saint Patrick changed all that with his missionary conversion of the Irish. They took to Christianity at once, and once introduced to the idea, became not just literate but scholarly. Isolated monks gathered here and there to pray and study. And to copy. They had a fierce delight in the written word. Most importantly, they copied everything they could get their hands on from saintly lives to the works of Livy. A generation later, the monkish monasteries began to send out missionaries of their own. They colonized first Scotland then Northern England, planting monasteries in their mode, complete with scriptoriums. In another generation, Irish monks spread across Europe founding astonishing numbers of monasteries. Irish monk-scholars popped up everywhere, in France, in Germany, in the Alps and all the way to Italy. Some of the most famous and important monasteries in Europe were founded by Irish holy men. And in every one of these dozens, scores of holy retreats, young monks copied madly everything that they could get their hands on. Without the holy dedication and patience of these men much of the ancient lore of the classic age would be forever lost, as much was in spite of their efforts. This book, for all of its scholarly intent, is a fast read. And a fascinating one.

I've heard much about the book over the years. But it really isn't a period of history that i am particularily interested in, so i never followed up on the hearing about it to buy a copy. So it got into that list of book:"if you trip over a copy, pick it up and read it". It ought to have been in the "must read now" list. I'm sorry i postponed reading it and don't really understand why, i wonder how many other gems i know about but haven't looked at. sure wish "God doesn't deduct from man's allotted time, the time spent reading"...but i know better. IT was a joy to read, from clever word choices to hints of big ideas long suppressed or overlooked in the usual historical textbooks, a hint of esoteric knowledge hidden from mere mortals. The major themes are probably at least partial true, but after finishing the book, i'm not sure it matters, it is just an engrossing story told by a very competent and interesting storyteller. That is the great strength of the book, it is a tale well and interestingly told. There is one thing i'd like to specially follow up on in my reading. That is how the Irish "temper" modified the "Roman" and yielded a different kind of Christianity as the Irish monks carried their books back into Europe. This is the theme of Celtic Christianity that i see occasionally as i browse bookstores for the new and interesting. The problem, for me, is that it is a nearly cultic topic that consists of a lot of trash to be waded through to find the gems. So like the best of books, it engrosses and allows you to loose yourself in the reading and causes new ideas to bubble up and supply incentive to go to the library and get more. My highest recommendation which is "give to the wife and tell her to read it"..... one of the very best things about amazon reviews are emails from people who read the review. i received an interesting note about this review and thought i'd include my response to it here, so i edited the review and added to it. this is not an historical epoch i am particularly well read in. which is why i didn't spend time talking about the historical facts but rather spoke about style and how i was effected by the book. to see if the book is historical fiction or good history writing is beyond both my abilities and my current interests. at this point, i'm content to classify it as a jolly good read and move on to the next book in my TBR pile. did the Irish save civilization? i don't know. does it matter? history interests me yet isn't always a definitive subject like physics. there is more than a little room for interpretation. what is best about the book is the style and engrossingly interesting reading. to understand the issues will require several more books that concentrate on the details of the issues and not, like this book, on convincing people of the big issue. thanks for reading the review. and please share anything about the book to rwilliam2@yahoo.com subject book reviews (to get past spam filters) especially about my research question above concerning celtic christianity and how it might differ from the more intellectual roman variation that won the day.

Fantastic deep dive into pre and early Christian Ireland. The author does appear to have somewhat of a Roman Catholic bias by my observation. But even as a Protestant I enjoyed it. He does a great job of illustrating Patrician spirituality and the effect of St Patrick upon Irish history to this very day. He also shows how the syncratic adoption of Christianity in Ireland has preserved not only many pre-christian Irish traditions, could also Western Latin literature.

Everyone should read this book! In the depths of the dark ages, 400 years after the fall of Rome, the only place in the world where the art of illuminated scripture was still being practiced was in the monasteries of Ireland: a place so remote and primitive that they were barely aware that they were no longer part of the Roman Empire. The clergy of Europe had become as illiterate as the peasants, but they memorized and recited tthe Bible from memory. Errors conpunded themselves as recondite knowledge was passed orally from generation to generation among the priests. The Irish monks, led by a man named Patrick,were the last literate Northern Europeans. They began traveling through Europe and teaching the clergy how to read. Absent their efforts, civilization as we know it would have passed out of existence: there would have been no Charlemagne to consolidate Europe again, no Elizabeth to sponsor the Reformed Church and the arts, and no Queen Isabella to finance the discovery of the Americas, because they would have all existed (if at all) barely above the level of cavemen. It is for this reason that Patrick was sainted: the stories of ridding Ireland of snakes is just a fairy tale made up by those who didn't read and didn't know why he was sainted. Skip this book, and your life will be poorer in its ignorance! Cahill writes beautifully, and he brings the book to life: he presents history as saga, and the truth he gives us is more enjoyable and fulfilling than any fiction!

I think this is an entertaining read. It’s the logic that is bad. There’s a big difference between saying: 1. The Irish helped save civilization (as did everybody else). 2. But for the Irish, civilization would have perished. Problem is that the book seems to think it proves #2. It does not. The main argument seems to be: The Irish copied and distributed a lot of manuscripts. Without these manuscripts, civilization would have perished. Therefore, without the Irish, civilization would have perished. Nonsense. Maybe others did not do a lot of copying because the Irish were doing it, and if the Irish had done less of it, they would have done more of it. The landscaper mowed my lawn. Therefore, my lawn would not be mowed if the landscaper had not mowed it. (Wrong, I would have mowed it.) This sort of demented reasoning (the historical fallacy) forms the foundation for the entire “Hinges of History” series. It’s good entertainment, just don’t take it seriously. Of course, we should give the Irish credit for what they did. But saying civilization would have perished but for the Irish is just unprovable and unfalsifiable speculation. And occasionally Cahill strays into bizarre speculation, e.g. “traces of the buildings of these Iberian Celts may have been found as far away as New Hampshire.” Nobody in his right mind believes that. Similar speculation, stated as fact, about St. Brendan visiting North America. At least he doesn’t suggest St. Brendan was first to the North Pole.

Best history book I ever read.

There are countless history books that relate dates, times and places, but little more. Rare is the author that can look at a period of history from a broad perspective, interpret it intelligently and logically, and draw conclusions that reverberate today. It is not what happened in the past that is important; it is how those events changed the course of history and affect the modern world that brings history alive, far beyond dry dates and times. Cahill does this brilliantly. His premise is simple; that Ireland's isolated location and highly developed monastic community is singularly responsible for the preservation of priceless intellectual treasures and no less than the sum total of early human knowledge--and civilization--at a time when barbarians ravaged mainland Europe and the Dark Ages threatened to send humanity back to pre-history. It is a premise backed up with solid research and facts that are difficult to argue with. His is not a far-out concept or wild theory; upon reading the book, which is a pleasure, it is impossible not to conclude that indeed, the Irish did save civilization. Highly recommended, and not just for fans of history or of Ireland. As Cahill demonstrates, were it not for the anonymous monks toiling away in their dimly lit rooms, the world today would be a much different--and darker--place.

Perhaps like yourself, I gained only a spotty appreciation of world history in high school and college, but since then have started to build a better picture in my mind of the twisted path taken by civilization in the East and the West, by reading lots of good books. This is one. "How the Irish..." is written in a laid-back yet scholarly way, and it's a fun read because of the wit and irreverence of the author, whose conversational familiarity with the singular characters of medieval Europe (including St. Patrick) operating in the century or two around the Fall of the Roman Empire provides a tour de force of story-telling. While, I had known that the Church and literacy were deeply coupled, I had not realized how this coupling could lead to a "single point failure" where we almost lost both together following the demise of the Empire. Why is this important? Because along with losing libraries, we almost lost the foundations of democracy, justice, science, and philosophy as propounded and recorded by the Greeks and Romans. The rescue of our civilization, the theme of this book, is surprising as for per identity of it's heroes and improbability of the rescue at all. To quote (as does the author) Kenneth Clark: "It is hard to believe that for quite a long time - almost 100 years - western Christianity survived by clinging to places like Skellig Michael, a pinnacle of rock eighteen miles from the Irish coast, rising seven hundred feet out of the sea." One of the most amazing revelations of this book was the depiction of a golden age in Ireland where the best of the Irish socially-oriented, humorous upbeat spirit was combined with the best of Christianity (think St. Francis) and other acquired themes (Egyptian, Armenian, Yiddish) to yield a flower-child period of faith in action on the Emerald Isle. I will definitely read the subsequent volumes of this series: the Hinges of History series by Tomas Cahill

Physically talking, the book is worth buying, containing detailed maps, illustrations, and at the end, a Chronology and a Pronunciation Guide to Key Irish Words. When I embarked on this book, 'How the Irish Saved Civilization' by Thomas Cahill, I was skeptical about the bold claim encapsulated in its title. Was Cahill using hyperbole, or was there substance to the notion of the Irish playing a pivotal role in saving civilization? While the title might seem grandiose, the narrative unfolds into a fascinating exploration of a lesser-known part of history that, if true, carries profound implications. The book commences with an examination of the Fall of the Roman Empire, attributing its decline to reasons like indolence, decadence, and disease. Cahill contends that amid this collapse, the invaluable libraries of Ancient Rome and its wealth of learning faced imminent peril. The invading barbarian hordes, being pagan and illiterate, posed a significant threat to the preservation of knowledge. Enter the Irish, whose role in rescuing Western civilization forms the crux of Cahill's narrative. The author recounts a condensed version of St. Patrick's history and highlights how Irish abbots and monks ventured across the continent, reviving Christianity in places where it had waned or never taken root. They meticulously copied manuscripts, preserving classical texts through generations, often when they were lost elsewhere. Cahill emphasizes their use of the vernacular Irish language, even providing a Pronunciation Guide at the end of the book. The influence of Plato's philosophical texts is also explored. If Cahill's assertions are accurate, Irish monks played a pivotal role in saving civilization by safeguarding classical literature. As the Dark Age gave way to the Medieval Age, these Irish scholars disseminated the knowledge they had preserved throughout Europe. The very idea that such a significant historical event is not more widely known raises doubts. Shouldn't an event of such magnitude be a more prominent part of historical discourse? Compounding the uncertainty is the fact that Cahill himself is not a historian. While this isn't inherently problematic, as compelling histories and biographies can be written by journalists, the best ones typically include exhaustive notes and sources to substantiate their claims—something notably absent in this case. After completing the book, I find myself grappling with uncertainty. The overarching premise—that Irish monks saved civilization by preserving classical literature—feels dubious. However, the narrative is compelling, and certain aspects resonate with logic. Perhaps, amid the uncertainties, there are kernels of truth that merit further exploration.

Très bonne description des faits historiques

Un arricchimento incredibile, witty e profondissimo - da leggere con attenzione!

アイルラン人が文明を救った？！と意表を突くタイトルで、米国アマゾンブック・レヴュー数も500以上！かつ評価も高く！！という訳で読んでみたら、ローマ帝国崩壊から8世紀頃までのキリスト教会史でした。ただ、こまかい傍証を省いた司馬遼太郎風記述で読みやすい。初め、聖アウグスチヌスの話が長く、？？？だったが、これは前座で、真打はアイルランドの守護聖人、聖パトリックだ。彼が蛮族の海に飲み込まれるローマからアイルランドに渡り、その地にローマのキリスト教文明を伝え、栄えさせ、後継者たちが逆に輸出することになった。聖パトリックが創立した僧院では徹底的に写本に取り組んだために、本家のローマでは失われた貴重なギリシャ・ローマの文書が後世に伝えられることになった由、感謝せねばハイ。聖パトリックの布教に際し、殉教者がいなかったことは興味深い。土俗宗教と融合・すみ分けしたのだろう。その為、アイルランド教会独特の性格が形成されたのだろう。ハロウィーンのような。著者は勿論アイルランド人で、内容プラス民族愛に訴えての大ヒットか・・・

Many reviewers have detailed the content so I will not repeat this. But I want to point out one thing: the author has the ability to convey a large amount of historical information and understanding in a thrilling way while leaving a smile on your face asa you recall the charms of Ireland.