{"title":"Arthur Herman","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArthur Herman\u003c\/strong\u003e explores the pivotal moments and ideas that have shaped history and society. From the dramas of global conflict to the intellectual currents of the Scottish Enlightenment, his works invite readers to reconsider the forces that have forged the modern world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlending meticulous research with engaging narrative, Herman’s books delve into themes of invention, philosophy, and cultural transformation. Whether examining military history or the evolution of thought, his writing offers insightful perspectives for those drawn to history, biography, and philosophy.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-cave-and-the-light","title":"The Cave and the Light","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Cave and the Light\u003c\/em\u003e by Arthur Herman is a profound journey through the history of Western civilisation, framed as a battle of ideas that traces its roots to the captivating rivalry between two towering figures of ancient philosophy: Plato and Aristotle. This chronological exploration unfolds the enduring influences of their clashing philosophies across centuries, shaping the very essence of Western thought and culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArthur Herman eloquently demonstrates how the philosophical duel between Plato, with his idealistic pursuits of spiritual truth, and Aristotle, with his empirical quest to understand the tangible world, has instilled a distinctive dynamism in Western civilisation. From the realms of religion and the rise of Christianity to advancements in science, technology, and political systems, the contrasting visions of these seminal thinkers have been pivotal in moulding the various aspects of modernity, including the remarkable belief in the dignity of the individual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted as a definitive sequel to the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestseller \u003cem\u003eHow the Scots Invented the Modern World\u003c\/em\u003e, Herman's magisterial account in \u003cem\u003eThe Cave and the Light\u003c\/em\u003e meticulously lays out how the foundational ideas of Plato and Aristotle determined the unique features of our culture from antiquity to the present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe story delves into Plato's journey from a life of privilege in a distinguished Athenian family to becoming a disciple of Socrates, who immersed him in the rigorous life of a philosopher. Through Socratic reasoning, Plato discovered a path to wisdom that transcended the material world, leading him to establish the renowned Academy for imparting the higher truths of existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn contrast, Aristotle, born into a lineage of Greek physicians, cultivated an appreciation for observation and practical inquiry. As Plato's most brilliant pupil, Aristotle soon diverged, advocating that true knowledge stems from the empirical study of the world around us. This fundamental shift led Aristotle to establish his own school, the Lyceum, in Athens, thus beginning a significant intellectual rivalry that has persisted through the ages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhere Plato's metaphor of the cave encapsulated his vision of human enlightenment through the ascent to spiritual illumination, Aristotle maintained that understanding our place within the material world was the philosopher's greatest task. The intellectual duel between their schools of thought, embodied by the Academy and the Lyceum, set off a glorious and contentious journey in human thought that reverberates through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and even now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis compelling narrative spans historical epochs, featuring figures such as Martin Luther, who decried Aristotle as an enemy of true religion, and Karl Marx, whose revolutionary ideas bore the imprint of Platonic utopianism. Through riveting prose and accessible eloquence, Herman brings to light how these long-gone philosophers continue to shape contemporary debates and ideological struggles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArthur Herman's \u003cem\u003eThe Cave and the Light\u003c\/em\u003e is an astonishingly researched and artfully written work that presents an insightful new perspective on Western intellectual tradition. It is bound to engage readers, urging them to reflect deeply on the pervading impact of these ancient philosophies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePraise for The Cave and the Light:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A sweeping intellectual history viewed through two ancient Greek lenses... breezy and enthusiastic but resting on a sturdy rock of research.\"\u003c\/em\u003e – Kirkus Reviews\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Examining mathematics, politics, theology, and architecture, the book demonstrates the continuing relevance of the ancient world.\"\u003c\/em\u003e – Publishers Weekly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A fabulous way to understand over two millennia of history, all in one book.\"\u003c\/em\u003e – Library Journal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Entertaining and often illuminating.\"\u003c\/em\u003e – The Wall Street Journal\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45658111344876,"sku":"9780553385663","price":62.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780553385663.jpg?v=1724849497"},{"product_id":"the-scottish-enlightenment","title":"The Scottish Enlightenment","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Scottish Enlightenment\u003c\/em\u003e by Arthur Herman delves into the extraordinary transformation of Scotland from a land dominated by the rigid Scottish Kirk to one of the most enlightened and progressive societies in Europe. Taking readers on a captivating journey through the 18th century, Herman illustrates how a nation, once shackled by religious and political oppression, evolved to become a beacon of intellectual and cultural advancement. This remarkable metamorphosis gave birth to a modernity that has tremendously shaped Western civilisation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArthur Herman meticulously traces the roots of Scotland's \"miracle,\" examining the turbulent history marked by influential figures like William Wallace and the Presbyterian Lords of the Covenant. He posits that these historical struggles laid the groundwork for the country's cultural and intellectual flourishing. With a blend of compelling narrative and in-depth research, Herman brings to life a cast of pivotal thinkers and creators who were central to this revolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book highlights the remarkable contributions of luminaries such as Adam Smith, whose economic theories laid the foundation for modern capitalism, and David Hume, whose philosophical inquiries challenged and expanded the boundaries of human understanding. It also covers the lasting literary achievements of poets like Robert Burns and diarists like James Boswell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the philosophers and writers, \u003cem\u003eThe Scottish Enlightenment\u003c\/em\u003e sheds light on the architects, technicians, and inventors who propelled Scotland to the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. These individuals' collective legacy is explored extensively, illustrating how their innovations and ideas permeated into the 20th century and beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough Herman's engaging prose, readers gain a deep appreciation for the profound impact of Scotland's Enlightenment on the emergence of modern Western culture. The book is a testament to how a small nation, through the power of intellect and creativity, significantly altered the course of history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45687081599212,"sku":"9781841152769","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781841152769.jpg?v=1725472923"},{"product_id":"how-the-scots-invented-the-modern-world-by-arthur-herman-9780609809990","title":"How the Scots Invented the Modern World","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAn exciting account of the origins of the modern world\u003c\/b\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWho formed the first literate society? Who invented our modern ideas of democracy and free-market capitalism? The Scots. As historian and author Arthur Herman reveals, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Scotland made crucial contributions to science, philosophy, literature, education, medicine, commerce, and politics—contributions that have formed and nurtured the modern West ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHerman has charted a fascinating journey across the centuries of Scottish history. Here is the untold story of how John Knox and the Church of Scotland laid the foundation for our modern idea of democracy; how the Scottish Enlightenment helped to inspire both the American Revolution and the U.S. Constitution; and how thousands of Scottish immigrants left their homes to create the American frontier, the Australian outback, and the British Empire in India and Hong Kong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHow the Scots Invented the Modern World\u003c\/i\u003e reveals how Scottish genius for creating the basic ideas and institutions of modern life stamped the lives of a series of remarkable historical figures, from James Watt and Adam Smith to Andrew Carnegie and Arthur Conan Doyle, and how Scottish heroes continue to inspire our contemporary culture, from William “Braveheart” Wallace to James Bond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd no one who takes this incredible historical trek will ever view the Scots—or the modern West—in the same way again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45953975714028,"sku":"9780609809990","price":53.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780609809990.jpg?v=1732947417"},{"product_id":"1917-by-arthur-herman-9780062570895","title":"1917","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did two men move the world away from wars for land and treasure to wars over ideas and ideologies—a change that would go on to kill millions?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn April 1917, Woodrow Wilson—champion of American democracy but also of segregation, advocate for free trade and a new world order based on freedom and justice—thrust the United States into the First World War in order to make the “world safe for democracy”, only to see his dreams for a liberal international system dissolve into chaos, bloodshed, and betrayal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat October, Vladimir Lenin—communist revolutionary and advocate for class war and “dictatorship of the proletariat”—would overthrow Russia’s earlier democratic revolution that had toppled the powerful czar, all in the name of liberating humanity, and instead would set up the most repressive totalitarian regime in history, the Soviet Union.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this incisive, fast-paced history, the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author Arthur Herman brilliantly reveals how Lenin and Wilson rewrote the rules of modern geopolitics. Prior to and through the end of World War I, countries marched into war only to advance or protect their national interests. After World War I, countries began going to war over ideas. Together, Lenin and Wilson unleashed the disruptive ideologies that would sweep the world, from nationalism and globalism to Communism and terrorism, and that continue to shape our world today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur new world disorder is the legacy left by Wilson and Lenin, and their visions of the perfectibility of man. One hundred years later, we still sit on the powder keg they first set the detonator to, through war and revolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46541494157548,"sku":"9780062570895","price":55.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780062570895.jpg?v=1749678745"},{"product_id":"freedoms-forge-by-arthur-herman-9780812982046","title":"Freedom's Forge","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor admirers of books by Erik Larson and Stephen Ambrose, the story of how American big business set out to build the weapons and create the industrial muscle to arm the Allies and defeat the Axis in World War II, from the author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist \u003ci\u003eGhandi \u0026amp; Churchill\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew York Times Bestseller. Selected by The Economist as one of the best books of the year.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A rambunctious book that is itself alive with the animal spirits of the marketplace.\" — The Wall Street Journal\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eFreedom's Forge\u003c\/i\u003e reveals how two extraordinary American businessmen—General Motors automobile magnate William \"Big Bill\" Knudsen and shipbuilder Henry J. Kaiser—helped corral, cajole, and inspire business leaders across the country to mobilize the \"arsenal of democracy\" that propelled the Allies to victory in World War II. Drafting top talent from companies like Chrysler, Republic Steel, Boeing, Lockheed, GE, and Frigidaire, Knudsen and Kaiser turned auto plants into aircraft factories and civilian assembly lines into fountains of munitions. In four short years, they transformed America's army from a hollow shell into a truly global force, laying the foundations for the country's rise as an economic as well as military superpower. \u003ci\u003eFreedom's Forge\u003c\/i\u003e vividly re-creates American industry's finest hour, when the nation's business elites put aside their pursuit of profits and set about saving the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eFreedom's Forge\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A rarely told industrial saga, rich with particulars of the growing pains and eventual triumphs of American industry . . . Arthur Herman has set out to right an injustice—the loss, down history's memory hole, of the epic achievements of American business in helping the United States and its allies win World War II.\" — The New York Times Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Magnificent . . . It's not often that a historian comes up with a fresh approach to an absolutely critical element of the Allied victory in World War II, but Pulitzer finalist Herman . . . has done just that.\" — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A compulsively readable tribute to 'the miracle of mass production.'\" — Publishers Weekly\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The production statistics cited by Mr. Herman . . . astound.\" — The Economist\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A fantastic book.\" — Forbes\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ci\u003eFreedom's Forge\u003c\/i\u003e is the story of how the ingenuity and energy of the American private sector was turned loose to equip the finest military force on the face of the earth. In an era of gathering threats and shrinking defence budgets, it is a timely lesson told by one of the great historians of our time.\" — Donald Rumsfeld\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47470684799212,"sku":"9780812982046","price":61.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780812982046-freedom-s-forge.jpg?v=1775223724"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/arthur-herman.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}