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From Dawn to Decadence : 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present

From Dawn to Decadence : 500 Years of Western Cultural Life 1500 to the Present

List Price: $29.95
Your Price: $19.77
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: More of a sustained thesis than history
Review: This is an entertaining book, but I wouldn't classify it as history. It's more of a sustained argument defended by countless exempla. The author makes several good points, but I think it would have been more interesting if cut in half wihtout all of the fluff. There are a number of things that I found incredibly irritating.

1.) No *historical* synthesis: The narrative rambles between historical anecdotes and "ominous" modern parallels. There is a chronological sequence, but it is vague and fuzzy. The historical narrative is choppy and frequently pedestrian. This is not Macauley or Gibbon.

2.) The author has a number of sidebars, "Cross Sections", in which he supposedly analyzes a *city* during a certain point in time. However, he doesn't do this at all. He begins with a basic overview of the city, but then jumps all over the place. For example, his section on Weimar begins in Germany, then, within the space of four pages, drifts to the American colonies, with an account of Baumarchais.

3.) The personalities that are highlighted are often obscure, and aren't as representative of the period as the author would wish us to believe.

4.) The prose is frequently irritating. Barzun hammers into the reader all of the kitschy political terms that are central to his thesis, writing them all in caps: EMANCIPATION, INDIVIDUALISM, SELF-AWARENESS...

So why four stars and not two, or three? -- The answer is that I did enjoy it, but I just didn't find it *historically* incisive. It's Western Civilization painted in broad strokes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An Extremely Worthwhile Read
Review: FROM DAWN TO DECADENCE is a book that dares to tackle one of the "biggest" subjects imaginable: The cultural history of the West over the past 500 years. Beginning with the Protestant Reformation and working his way forward, Barzun touches on nearly aspect of society as he goes along.

Barzun's thesis is that western culture has moved through various phases of ascendency, along the way allowing certain trends (such as "emancipation" to develop), and that those trends (along with the culture itself) are now pretty much played out. (This is described as a natural course of a society's evolution). He makes a compelling argument that western culture has been in a state of decline since the outbreak of World War I, and sits today in a state of limbo, waiting for the next cultural phenomenon to take place.

To support this position, Barzun takes us on an amazing tour of the last 500 years, with innumerable stopping points along the way. In the process we meet several mostly forgotten individuals who helped to shape our society, and we are present as several modern "politically-correct" assumptions are debunked. The author joyfully celebrates the importance of western culture in the world's development, never succumbing to brainless modern platitudes of "oppression" such as blaming Columbus for everything that followed (at the same time, though, he's willing to lay blame where it is legitimately due). We're also treated to an incredible bibliography, allowing us to branch out into any of the areas Barzun introduces.

Interestingly, this is not really a history book. The author assumes a general knowledge of events like the French Revolution, World War One and other epoch-making events. Rather, this is exactly like the subtitle says: A review of the elements that go to making up culture...in other words, how the events of history shaped people's lives and society's essence, rather than the events themselves.

This is not light reading (although highly readable); to really penetrate it requires slower, deliberative study and thought. I also wouldn't characterize Barzun as an "excellent writer"; his excellence is in content, not style. But the content is so consistently, magnificently interesting that one gets the feeling this book wil be consulted for a long time to come. Recommended.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The World's Gone to Hell in a Handbasket
Review: "From Dawn to Decadence" says it all in the title. Western Civilization used to be great, and now people don't even dress well, don't respect elderly college professors (like the author), and blah, blah, blah. A view of the past five hundred years from the point of view of a crabby, old Frenchman. Like too many historians, his fatal error is in comparing the upper-class civilization of the past (which was enjoyed by maybe 2 percent of the population) with the popular culture of today. Guess what? He figures out that Beethoven is better than Eminem. Brilliant, what?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Monumental
Review: First a few words of caution: in my opinion, it is NOT a good book if you're looking for a general introduction to the European history from 1500 to the present. It does help a lot if the reader is familiar with the general course of events, without that, I am afraid, it would be pretty unreadable -- Barzun does not concentrate on "what happened", rather than "why it came to pass", and "how was it important", describing relations rather than events themselves. As such, "From Dawn to Decadence" shouldn't be read *instead* of other history books, it should be read to complement them, to put things into different perspective.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Barzun's way of shedding light on things that otherwise might have gone unnoticed. One doesn't necessarily have to always agree with author's line of reasoning, nor with his opinions held, but it certainly was a very interesting journey through those 500 years for me.

Also, I found the author's way of pointing to further references extremely useful -- if something catches your interest you can go on and leave no stones unturned, while, at the same time, if something is of only casual interest to you, there is no need to wade through every tiny detail.

To those denouncing the book as dry, flawed, incomplete and unreadable, I'd like to quote a classic line from Oliver Cromwell's letter to the elders of the Scottish Presbyterian Church (which I personally didn't know of before): "I beseech you, by the bowels of Christ, to consider that you may be mistaken".

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Dull: his arbitrary opinions are fun but that's about it
Review: one would be better served by reading Jensens's Reformation and Ren. books, as well as Palmer and Colton's textbook. These are dull books, but they are no more so than JB's. The only good parts of DD are the end and begining--where he let's it all hang out. Otherwise, it is spotty, insipid, and dull. Read a textbook, you will be better served. (and Davies is better) ...But a hell of a lot better than Paul Johnson.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: I couldn't finish it: uninteresting and flawed execution
Review: I took this book on an extended out-of-town trip to Europe. Actually being in some of the places where the events unfolded should have made it more meaningful to me, but once I returned home, I put the book on the shelf and never opened it up again.

Don't get me wrong--it wasn't a waste of time. When I see the name Paracelsus over a Swiss doorway, I have a new found appreciation for who he was. Jonathon Swift is another European personality I now understand in a deeper way. But I found it a chore to wade through this book. If you check out some of my other reviews, you'll see that I have read some pretty dry books, and that I normally avoid trivial works. I consider myself a serious and motivated reader, and I still thought this was boring, with material of wildly inconsistent relevance.

I found the author's attempts to redefine the English language as distracting and ill-conceived. I encourage any writer to attempt to change prevailing attitudes and shine new light on old material--but I just wasn't sold by all of Barzun's attempts at making obscure personalities relevant. I finally gave up somewhere in early 19th century. Perhaps I'll finish it somebody, but the book is in storage now and I've found other sources that are more useful to my attempts to better understand Europe.

I'm currently reading "Europe" by Norm Davies. This is comparable in that it is equally long, and perhaps equally non-traditional. Many of the same historical figures are discussed, and like "Dawn to Decadence," it also requires a motivated reader. But in spite of the difficulties with Davies' book, I expect to rate it at a '4', and Barzun is only a '2' by me.

Some apparently do find this as a worthy text. That's fine, everyone has different tastes, but it would be helpful if those readers who liked this book could write reviews that would help prospective readers better evaluate whether it fit their tastes, too. I think personal taste has quite a bit to do with the individual reader's reception of this book--perhaps more so than a typical history book. Barzun had some interesting vignettes, but I just found the text uninteresting, and the author's agenda is annoying to me. I found it pretentious and overly-intellectual, but without substance. It is a significant tour de force of cultural obscurities, but it did not create a picture for me. I don't have any new insights or understandings.

Just because it is big, doesn't mean that it is worthy.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Absolutely BRUTAL!!
Review: This has to be one of the driest books I've ever bought!! I couldn't make it out of the first chapter without having to take a break. I thought I was buying a page-turning history of the past 500 years. Not quite. This book reminds me of something I was forced to read in a college history class years ago. If you are expecting something chronological (like, say "1500-1550: What's happening in Europe"), you'll be sorry.

Required reading for PhD candidates only!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Curmudgeonly critical of 20th Century culture
Review: I am not calling Jacques Barzun a curmudgeon. Far from it. Much in this book shows the esprit with which he writes and he is apologetic about the fact that we will find some things in the book less than pleasing. "I do not expect the reader to be steadily grateful. Nobody likes rooted opinions challenged...yet without exposure to this annoyance, one's understanding of our modern thought and virtues is incomplete". Nevertheless, Barzun's criticism of 20th century culture can't be called anything else but cantankerous. Maybe it's not surprising, afterall he has been writing about the 'Romantic Period' and it's flourishing culture for many years, and as a critic he has been bewailing the mediocrity in our arts and the lack of appreciation for culture in our schools. It does not matter anyway because I have nothing but respect for someone who can retain and recall, much less write about, so much cultural history AND do so at the age of 92. So, Mr Barzun, you can be in whatever mood you wish.

As it is, he has gone to a lot of trouble putting together a book that is accessible to readers. It's clearly set out. Barzun splits the Modern era into 4 Periods, each centered on a 'revolution' of sorts, and each making up one part of the book. Part I is focused on the religious revolution of Luther and covers the period 1500-1660. Part II looks at the monarchy and runs from 1661-1789. Part III focuses on social and economic upheavals spanning the period 1790-1920 and finally, Part IV from 1921 onwards looks at a combination of all that went before. Although encyclopedic and large (800 pages) the book is not dry, dusty or daunting. It's organized for ease of reading. There are no footnotes. Barzun uses small arrows < > followed by page numbers to indicate where, either earlier or ahead in the book, the specific topic is discussed. Small caps highlight themes which are basically ideas that run through time (eg. EMANCIPATION, SECULARISM). Bracketed suggestions are placed throughout to refer to other works [The book to read is...], and finally, in addition to the normal subject index there is also an 'Index of Persons'.

The Index of Persons is necessary because of the style used. Rather than have Chapters organized in a chronological date order, Barzun uses biographical narratives to tell the story. We learn some interesting facts about great men and women - our cultural heroes - the creators and initiators of the significant ideas and events of the Era. On many pages you will find quotes which are there to give a sense of the "voice of the person". Woven throughout the narratives are 'Cross Sections' focused on various cities (Madrid, Venice, London, Paris, New York) which provide a snapshot of culture at specific times in history. As if this were not enough, Barzun sweetens the enjoyment of the book by providing some 'Digressions on a Word' giving meaning, origin and alternate uses for some words.

Any criticisms? A few. As I said at the start, the book is very critical of 20th century culture. It's as if Barzun feels that nothing of much use has emerged from the century. Part IV begins at the point where he says we started our slippery slide downwards - the end of WWI. The 'Great War' snuffed out progress. "The impetus born of the Renaissance was exhausted, and the new start made...just before 1914 had been cut short". Perhaps his view is colored by his generation and birthplace - France. Certainly France was devastated by the War and for a young man it may very well have seemed apocalyptic. Another criticism has to do with the last 'Cross Section' from New York. It supposedly is by a historian who writes about his prophetic vision of what human culture will be like in the year 2300. This 4 page section reminds me of another history book that tried and also failed, in it's attempt at a little crystal ball gazing - 'The Rise and Fall of Great Powers by Paul Kennedy, ironically starting in 1500 also. Prophetic History is not only an oxymoron, it simply does not work and is the only blemish on Barzun's otherwise splendid book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a great fix for history junkies
Review: I'm only halfway thru and already I've dried up one hilighter. This book is rich, very rich. And like a rich desert you nibble at it, savor it. Not a page goes by where he doesn't refer you to other books to find out more detail about what he's glossing over. This makes it a great reference guide for furthering your knowledge in areas that excite you. The tidbits, the quotes, the thumbnail sketches of cultural giants, are all great candy for the brain, which serve to give one a deeper understanding of where we came from, why and how. Candy for the brain that eats like a meal. Reading the other reviews reminds me of how different people are, which I think is a good thing. Some people don't like his conclusions (which I have yet to get to) but trust me on this; the first half of the book alone makes it worth way more than the price of admission. Do yourself a big favor; stop watching late night TV for the next month and read this book instead. It's good for you and more entertaining (than TV)! And it'll make you a more interesting person to talk to at parties.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A negative review for contrast and discussion
Review: In FROM DAWN TO DECADENCE, Jaques Barzun shows himself clearly as a Francophile writing a Franco-centric critique of the Modern Era. Although this is refreshing amidst many histories (especially those on the arts) which focus predominantly on the Germano-Italian, I could not ignore Barzun's opinionated, French-nationalist standpoint. Through many dialogues, he constructs an argument that German culture is "slow-moving, musical, and pensive" and that German intellectuals were guilty of "constructing elaborate abstractions from narrow viewpoint[s]". He shifts the burden of proof by stating these opinions as the opinions of past writers, but Barzun himself cannot help from inserting little blurbs such as "German pedantry." It is difficult to see how Voltaire's Candide "shoots an arrow" at Leibniz's theories. Here Barzun seems to be pitting French literature against German scientific hypotheses. After finishing the work in full, we are left with a feeling that the French historical heritage is more intellectual, more important, and more "en vogue" in the mind of contemporary historians.


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