Human Accomplishment

The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950

Nonfiction, History, World History, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science
Cover of the book Human Accomplishment by Charles Murray, HarperCollins e-books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Charles Murray ISBN: 9780061745676
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books Publication: October 13, 2009
Imprint: HarperCollins e-books Language: English
Author: Charles Murray
ISBN: 9780061745676
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
Publication: October 13, 2009
Imprint: HarperCollins e-books
Language: English

A sweeping cultural survey reminiscent of Barzun's From Dawn to Decadence.

"At irregular times and in scattered settings, human beings have achieved great things. Human Accomplishment is about those great things, falling in the domains known as the arts and sciences, and the people who did them.'

So begins Charles Murray's unique account of human excellence, from the age of Homer to our own time. Employing techniques that historians have developed over the last century but that have rarely been applied to books written for the general public, Murray compiles inventories of the people who have been essential to the stories of literature, music, art, philosophy, and the sciences—a total of 4,002 men and women from around the world, ranked according to their eminence.

The heart of Human Accomplishment is a series of enthralling descriptive chapters: on the giants in the arts and what sets them apart from the merely great; on the differences between great achievement in the arts and in the sciences; on the meta-inventions, 14 crucial leaps in human capacity to create great art and science; and on the patterns and trajectories of accomplishment across time and geography.

Straightforwardly and undogmatically, Charles Murray takes on some controversial questions. Why has accomplishment been so concentrated in Europe? Among men? Since 1400? He presents evidence that the rate of great accomplishment has been declining in the last century, asks what it means, and offers a rich framework for thinking about the conditions under which the human spirit has expressed itself most gloriously. Eye-opening and humbling, Human Accomplishment is a fascinating work that describes what humans at their best can achieve, provides tools for exploring its wellsprings, and celebrates the continuing common quest of humans everywhere to discover truths, create beauty, and apprehend the good.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A sweeping cultural survey reminiscent of Barzun's From Dawn to Decadence.

"At irregular times and in scattered settings, human beings have achieved great things. Human Accomplishment is about those great things, falling in the domains known as the arts and sciences, and the people who did them.'

So begins Charles Murray's unique account of human excellence, from the age of Homer to our own time. Employing techniques that historians have developed over the last century but that have rarely been applied to books written for the general public, Murray compiles inventories of the people who have been essential to the stories of literature, music, art, philosophy, and the sciences—a total of 4,002 men and women from around the world, ranked according to their eminence.

The heart of Human Accomplishment is a series of enthralling descriptive chapters: on the giants in the arts and what sets them apart from the merely great; on the differences between great achievement in the arts and in the sciences; on the meta-inventions, 14 crucial leaps in human capacity to create great art and science; and on the patterns and trajectories of accomplishment across time and geography.

Straightforwardly and undogmatically, Charles Murray takes on some controversial questions. Why has accomplishment been so concentrated in Europe? Among men? Since 1400? He presents evidence that the rate of great accomplishment has been declining in the last century, asks what it means, and offers a rich framework for thinking about the conditions under which the human spirit has expressed itself most gloriously. Eye-opening and humbling, Human Accomplishment is a fascinating work that describes what humans at their best can achieve, provides tools for exploring its wellsprings, and celebrates the continuing common quest of humans everywhere to discover truths, create beauty, and apprehend the good.

More books from HarperCollins e-books

Cover of the book Warrior Angel by Charles Murray
Cover of the book You and No Other by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Where Do Nudists Keep Their Hankies? by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Vapor Trail by Charles Murray
Cover of the book An Everlasting Love by Charles Murray
Cover of the book To Wed a Stranger by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Windmills of the Gods by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Atlantis by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Well of Darkness by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Corps Business by Charles Murray
Cover of the book The Mighty and the Almighty by Charles Murray
Cover of the book What Were They Thinking? by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photographs by Charles Murray
Cover of the book Year's Best SF 13 by Charles Murray
Cover of the book My Prison, My Home by Charles Murray
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy