Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

PRAISE FOR

THE MODERN MIND

“A remarkable narrative history of all the significant intellectual advances that made the century so glorious, so tragic, so revolutionary, so exciting…. So lucid and engaging that even the most complex and arcane thoughts and subjects are inviting.”

—Indianapolis Times

“Teeming with stories and ideas, alive with excitement of the time. He summarizes accurately, elegantly, and enthusiastically the lives and thoughts of hundreds of impactful thinkers in almost every discipline. He makes archaeology, history, and economics as scintillating as poetry, music, and astral theory. His inexhaustible interest is infectious. His all-devouring appetite stimulates the reader’s hunger for more material…. The result is breathtakingly entertaining, endlessly instructive, irresistibly enjoyable.”

—Felipe Fernandez-Armstrong, Sunday Times

“It is lively, opinionated, and written with verve. Watson takes the reader on a narrative tour of the intellectual, scientific, and artistic landmarks—some familiar, some unfamiliar—of the last century. Whether read consecutively, dipped into on occasion, or used as a reference work, The Modern Mind is impressive in both its range and ambition.”

—Bruce Mazlish, professor of history, MIT

“Chronicles this contentious century with a panoramic overview of the history of ideas in the twentieth century. Watson provides an evenhanded account of the development of ideas in disciplines ranging from philosophy and religion to the social sciences, economics, art, literature, history, science, and film.”

—Christian Science Monitor

“Watson has achieved the near-impossible: a concise reference that is also intellectually compelling—and a fascinating read.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“While this work is reminiscent of Paul Johnson’s Modern Times, Watson’s scope goes far beyond politics and history. This book will be read and consulted for many years.”

—Library Journal