The West: A New History of an Old Idea

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*A BBC RADIO 4 Book of the Week*
'A fantastic achievement' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads
'Bright, expansive, and iconoclastic, this deliciously witty book has the potential to upset the applecart of "Western Civilisation" itself... Magnificent' Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb
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A radical new account of how the idea of the West has shaped our history, told through the stories of fourteen fascinating lives.

We tend to imagine Western Civilisation as a golden thread, leading through the centuries from classical antiquity to the countries of the modern West. But what if this is wrong

In an epic sweep through the ages, prize-winning archaeologist and historian Naose Mac Sweeney charts the history of this idea - an idea of enormous political significance, but which is nonetheless factually incorrect and obscures the wondrous, rich diversity of our past. She reveals how this particular version of Western history was invented, how it has been used to justify imperialism and racism, and why it is no longer ideologically fit for purpose today.

Told through the lives of fourteen fascinating historical figures - including a formidable Roman matriarch, an unconventional Islamic scholar, an enslaved African American poetess and a British prime minister with Homeric aspirations - The West is a groundbreaking retelling of Western history and a powerful corrective to one of the greatest myths of all: Western Civilisation.

Reviews

One by one she takes on hoary old myths, explodes them with panache, and leaves us instead with a richer, fuller understanding of epochs, worldviews and fascinating individuals from the past... Lots of people will enjoy this clever and thought-provoking account * Guardian *
A forceful, well-written book, in which Mac Sweeney shows her command of a vast sweep of history -- Daily Telegraph
A bold, sweeping bird's-eye view of thousands of years of history that provides a truly global perspective of the past. A fantastic achievement -- Peter Frankopan, bestselling author of THE SILK ROADS
Bright, expansive, and iconoclastic, this deliciously witty book has the potential to upset the applecart of "Western Civilisation" itself ... A magnificent achievement -- Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb, award-winning historian and broadcaster
Awe-inspiring... Deeply researched, wonderfully well written and immensely thought-provoking, this is an important book which reshapes our understanding of the past -- Dr Janina Ramirez, betselling author of FEMINA

Author Bio

Naoise Mac Sweeney is Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Vienna having previously held posts at both Harvard and Cambridge University, and has won numerous academic awards for her work on classical antiquity and origin myths. Her previous book was shortlisted for major awards, and she has written comment pieces for The Times, appeared on Thinking Aloud on Radio 3 and was a reporter on BBC4's Digging for Britain TV series with Alice Roberts.