Ok, so here's another book recommendation: How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It by Arthur Herman.
I'll start by saying that it was pretty interesting. He looked at several ideas in the education system that eventually led to those great philosophical ideas we study in school and, one person that I knew very well from school, Adam Smith. And then it also described the Scottish culture influenced the US, Canada, and other areas of the British Empire as the Scots left Scotland in waves.
There were a few little known facts, at least to me, that I found fascinating. And this may be because I've always had a fascination with words and sometimes I think I really should have gone to school to become a linguist. For example, the old political party, the Whigs, was derived from a Scots word, whigg. And it's interesting to note that Tory apparently comes from an Irish word. Bu Herman writes "Whigg is Scots for a kind of sour milk or whey....Whiggamore [sour milk men] soon shortened to Whig; in John Locke's day, it referred to anyone bound and determined to have a Protestant succession, whether in Scotland or England."
The Scottish also went South and influenced endearing parts of "Southern" culture in the US. Herman mentions some words that were also generated from the Scottish and parts of Southern culture, which is strange because I wouldn't at first think of it as particularly Scottish.
It's the little facts that I really like. In my Euro class back in high school, my teacher loved the little facts and one of her biggest things were quotes. We had to memorize a quote from a certain time period or in the case of school, from a chapter. But it was fun and they stick with you. I know I've already brought up the Whig party to a few people.
The book is also a fairly quick read. Yes, it's a history book and history can be...complicated. Complicated in that certain people or families keep popping up and you may have to go back and refresh where they came from initially or why they're on one side of history as opposed to the other (even if they may have been on the other). But that's what makes it interested. I think that there could have been more dates in the book as there were a few times when I had to flip back several pages to figure out what time period, since the entire book wasn't chronological. It was for the most part, but when you have a chapter or two on a cultural aspect, time lines are going to flow back and forth quite readily.
I'll try and be better about my book recommendations. Right now my 'to-read' stack is a little daunting. I've got about 11 books stacked up on a console table, not to mention that there are several on my bookshelves that I'd like to reread. Ordinarily I'll read one, and then quickly jump to the next one for that feeling of accomplishment in seeing my stack decrease. And of course, let me know if you have any suggestions.
I'll start by saying that it was pretty interesting. He looked at several ideas in the education system that eventually led to those great philosophical ideas we study in school and, one person that I knew very well from school, Adam Smith. And then it also described the Scottish culture influenced the US, Canada, and other areas of the British Empire as the Scots left Scotland in waves.
There were a few little known facts, at least to me, that I found fascinating. And this may be because I've always had a fascination with words and sometimes I think I really should have gone to school to become a linguist. For example, the old political party, the Whigs, was derived from a Scots word, whigg. And it's interesting to note that Tory apparently comes from an Irish word. Bu Herman writes "Whigg is Scots for a kind of sour milk or whey....Whiggamore [sour milk men] soon shortened to Whig; in John Locke's day, it referred to anyone bound and determined to have a Protestant succession, whether in Scotland or England."
The Scottish also went South and influenced endearing parts of "Southern" culture in the US. Herman mentions some words that were also generated from the Scottish and parts of Southern culture, which is strange because I wouldn't at first think of it as particularly Scottish.
It's the little facts that I really like. In my Euro class back in high school, my teacher loved the little facts and one of her biggest things were quotes. We had to memorize a quote from a certain time period or in the case of school, from a chapter. But it was fun and they stick with you. I know I've already brought up the Whig party to a few people.
The book is also a fairly quick read. Yes, it's a history book and history can be...complicated. Complicated in that certain people or families keep popping up and you may have to go back and refresh where they came from initially or why they're on one side of history as opposed to the other (even if they may have been on the other). But that's what makes it interested. I think that there could have been more dates in the book as there were a few times when I had to flip back several pages to figure out what time period, since the entire book wasn't chronological. It was for the most part, but when you have a chapter or two on a cultural aspect, time lines are going to flow back and forth quite readily.
I'll try and be better about my book recommendations. Right now my 'to-read' stack is a little daunting. I've got about 11 books stacked up on a console table, not to mention that there are several on my bookshelves that I'd like to reread. Ordinarily I'll read one, and then quickly jump to the next one for that feeling of accomplishment in seeing my stack decrease. And of course, let me know if you have any suggestions.
4 comments:
Being of Scottish descent myself, I love this kind of thing. When I started playing 5-string banjo, I learned that bluegrass music descends directly from Scots fiddle music. I had a friend that was a Scottish fiddler, and on many occasions we were surprised to learn that we knew exactly the same tunes, only he knew the traditional Scottish title and I knew the bluegrass title.
Oh that's interesting, about knowing how to play the same tune without knowing the other person had the same piece...just under a different name. I hadn't realized before how much of a Scottish influence there was in the South, especially since it doesn't seem that way today.
Well then, I'd recommend this book to you. I'm sure you might find it interesting. :)
I will certainly look this book up.
You should visit the hills of NC, northern Georgia and western Tennessee. Lots and lots of Scottish place and family names. I think that, at some level, the southern Blue Ridge Mountains reminded the Scottish settlers of the highlands back home.
I think the book mentioned that as well, about the similarities here to back home.
Thanks again for the comments and if you get a chance to read the book, I hope you enjoy it!
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