Product Description: An original history of man's greatest adventure: his search to discover the world around him.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Amazon.com Review: Perhaps the greatest book by one of our greatest historians, The Discoverers is a volume of sweeping range and majestic interpretation. To call it a history of science is an understatement; this is the story of how humankind has come to know the world, however incompletely ("the eternal mystery of the world," Einstein once said, "is its comprehensibility"). Daniel J. Boorstin first describes the liberating concept of time--"the first grand discovery"--and continues through the age of exploration and the advent of the natural and social sciences. The approach is idiosyncratic, with Boorstin lingering over particular figures and accomplishments rather than rushing on to the next set of names and dates. It's also primarily Western, although Boorstin does ask (and answer) several interesting questions: Why didn't the Chinese "discover" Europe and America? Why didn't the Arabs circumnavigate the planet? His thesis about discovery ultimately turns on what he calls "illusions of knowledge." If we think we know something, then we face an obstacle to innovation. The great discoverers, Boorstin shows, dispel the illusions and reveal something new about the world.
Although The Discoverers easily stands on its own, it is technically the first entry in a trilogy that also includes The Creators and The Seekers. An outstanding book--one of the best works of history to be found anywhere. --John J. Miller
Amazing book from prehistory to circa 1900 This is a great trip through the great discoveries from prehistory (the concept of time being "discovered") up until the fleshing out of economics. It is highly readable for covering such sophisticated topics. A few negatives, though this book still gets a 10 for enjoyment and educational value - post 1900 is poorly covered - Keynes and Einstein are mentioned but not discussed to the degree of Columbus. Some more maps would be helpful. Also, the Koreans and Chinese are discussed, but once again, not to the degree of people like Columbus.
an excellent, eye-opening history of the human knowledge This is a truly excellent book I highly recommend. Its main target audience should be anyone interested in the history of mankind, but in particular - the history of shifting paradigms and notions of the world. Boorstin doesn't concentrate on listing geographic or scientific discoveries, but instead gives an in-depth description of how our understanding of time, space, history, science or society has varied in time and space. These are notions we usually take for granted, but Boorsting convincingly proves that our understanding of the world might have turned out a different way, and in fact in many cultures did. In particular Boorstin is concerned with what he called "illusion of knowledge" stemming mostly from satisfaction with belief such as astrology or religion. In this aspect "The Discoverers" is highly critical of the Church's role in hampering or reversing progress, which as I noticed gave the book a few one-starred reviews from more religious readers. Other than that I was immensely impressed with the author's knowledge and command of facts. It was truly an eye-opener for a person who knows history superficially to read for example that the Mongols were more tolerant and open than more civilized countries of the era. Even if you think you know it all, Boorstin will surprise you with something new or a new angle of seeing history.
There are two flaws I must point out. One is lack of illustrations, especially of devices and maps that could complement or replace some written descriptions. I hope an illustrated or multimedia edition is on its way. The second is its quality. For a book of over 700 pages paperback is not really an option and the 1985 copy I read is horribly dog-eared with plastic covers peeling off. In my opinion the book is well-worth spending twelve bucks for a paperback, but personally I just ordered the hardcover edition for myself.
Wisdom always comes at a price The Discoverers
I came across The Discoverers in a used book store in West Vancouver so I am a latecomer to reading this magnificent work. Published in 1983, this was released at a time when I was in my late 20's, just starting out in my professional career. I have read history, I've seen the movies based on historic events, but until I read this book I did not really understand history. This is a hefty book, I was a bit intimidating when I first picked it up, but once I starting reading it I found that I could not put it down.
A good read, but some disturbing tendencies The Discoverers is a facinating book, and tackles a very big topic: in effect, the history of knowledge of our world. The book is very readable, and Boorstin uses generally conversational, rather than pedantic, language.
All that being said, I was somewhat disappointed by Boorstin's constant portrayal of the Western Church as perhaps the single greatest obstacle to the advancement of knowledge. [Disclosure: I am a devout Catholic who has some familiarity with both the beauties and flaws of the Church.] While it is easy to play to common understandings -- and perhaps comfortable bigotries -- I would expect more from a scholar of Boorstin's reputation.
Boorstin never makes clear whether the Church, as he sees it, promoted ignorance deliberately as some nefarious program (in the spirit of the tendencious The Di Vinci Code) or more innocently out of its own intellectual limitations. In any case, he proceeds to neglect some obvious facts that run counter to his theme, the most notable of which is that the medieval church more than any other institution sponsored and guided the development of the university. This is not the sort of thing one would expect from an instution seeking to thwart learning.
There is a long list of church clerics who were literally "founding fathers" of scientific disciplines ranging from genetics and atomic theory to geology and seismology. None of these is even hinted at in The Discovers (although Boorstin finds room, oddly, for such "discoveries" as Keynesian economic theory). Most fundamentally, Boorstin never seems to recognize the peculiarity of his position -- that Western culture, so thoroughly and inextricably linked to a benighted Christian church, could produce the wide array of discoverers documented in his text.
An Old Fashioned Idea.. Admittedly, while I'm jumping into the fold a tad late, I think my review might benefit some who haven't yet read this glorious compendium of information. Yes, like one reviewer says, it is an encyclopedic collection of essential and non-essential information -- and at times a verbose one -- about life, history, culture and civilization. But in this wired age of getting information on the fly -- off a talking head on a wide screen, squinting at a one-inch-square cellphone web page, or listening to a scratchy bluetooth connection -- it is refreshing to learn of vast ideas and minutia and everything in between by turning 600+ pages of a heavy book.
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