I started this “A history of knowledge” - thought it would be fun way to get an overview of history. Well - if you like Western arrogance around what is knowledge, no scholarly references (or any for that matter) and dumbed down writing - then this is a good one. I had to stop before I got past “Wisdom of the ancients.” Fortunately Van Doren does touch on non-western countries, but only so much as to give them credit for certain ideas and notions - as though there was nothing else to them of importance or any linkage in anyway. And some of the ideas that he touches on are questionable. For example, the only thing to come out of India is the Caste system. Huh? I realize that in 400 pages you can’t really do much more than an over view, but for a book far more interesting and worthwhile with reasonable thought, check out “Guns, Germs & Steel”.

Originally published on WordPress on July 09, 2007. Migrated to this blog on May 29, 2025.