How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman

I have been working on this book for a few months now, mainly reading it on airplanes or when I am working off site and I finally finished it last night. Overall a pretty good book but a little weak at the end.

The first half of this book describes the origins of the Scottish Enlightenment and the conditions which led to the Scottish Diaspora. This is definitely the stronger half of the book. Herman outlines the thinking that led to classics such as "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith, and "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by William Gibbons, as well as the Political though that would surround the American Revolution and and the establishment of the United States.

That legacy can still be seen in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

The second half seems more tenuous. When Herman talks about the effects of the Scots on the policies that affected the formation of the United States, and on the British Empire his work stays strong. (in my opinion at least, but who am I? Maybe in the PHd world it's considered crap.) However, when he begins describing the effect of Scots in the area of industry it seems more rushed, and more stretched at times. Probably with more room he could have made a stronger case but here it seems a little weak.

Again overall a pretty good book.

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