Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read
Review: The Scottish have never been a particularly united people, nor have they been particularly wealthy in Scotland. I always find it amusing the books written about "Scotland and the Scottish" will tend to gloss over this basic fact, still somewhat true today. Those that leave tend to have the greatest success - and there are over 10 times the number living outside of Scotland that can claim Scottish descent than there are in Scotland!) They are not respected by their large neighbor to the south, England, as being uncouth, crass, cheap(!), and unsophisticated, generally. The English will list loads of reasons of why the Scottish have not been as good or successful as they claim, but the English vigorous denial and defensiveness makes one curious about the record, as well as illustrate how much they need each other. Truth be told, considering the history of poverty, it is remarkable to have produced the people it had, even if you do not buy into the "...Invented the Modern World and Everything In It" parts.
The Scots have also left Scotland in droves to seek their fortunes - and if successful, even generations later, Scots remind everyone that this person as "one of their own." This book is one of those reminders - and what redeems it is not its absolute accuracy but rest upon the writing and clarity of vision of the author. The subject covered in this book (Scottish Enlightenment & the effects on the world) is presented in an interesting manner and is above all else, easy to read.
For a nation so poor, the fact that many Scots left to achieve success and wealth is not as remarkable as the fact that so many people who have come from Scotland (or have had parents, grandparents, great-granparents, etc. from there) still feel Scottish and will buy into this books' thesis. Perhaps this reason alone makes the book a compelling thesis!
Rating:
Summary: Neat Book
Review: I'm all for bold and provocative titles, and I suppose this book's title is appropriate for the subject matter. When I was about half way through though, I read some of my fellow Amazon readers' comments about the author's lack of supporting information and sources for some of his claims. As I continued reading, I was more aware of this, and it did begin to bother me to see unsupported claims presented as fact. On the whole though, it was a great read. Call it boosterism if you want, but the writing is definitely accessible to all readers and on subjects and themes so diverse that the connections the author makes between them often make for more interesting reading that the colorful stories themselves.
Rating: 
Summary: A Convincing Argument On Scottish Contributions To Mankind
Review: The sensations I have upon completing an exceptional book are very akin to the refreshment, exhilaration, and enlivenment that I feel after drinking a glass of ice water on a hot day. Those were the feelings I had after finishing How The Scots Invented The Modern World.My feelings were the result of the remarkable way in which Herman organized and presented his work. Herman lays out his case in both chronological and subject order. The result of this organization is that the reader gets a true sense of how the Scottish Enlightenment's ideas not only grew from one thinker to another, but also how they moved across subject fields to create innovations in those areas as well. Herman also provides impeccable sources for his thesis, thereby giving credence to the theories he presents on the depth of Scottish contributions. Finally, he writes these theories and evidence in a way that is very accessible to the average reader. Even the chapters on philosophy, which had the potential for being very difficult, are presented in a comprehensible style. Because the concepts are depicted in an easy-to-understand manner, the reader can recognize the relevance of those ideas to modern life. How The Scots Invented The Modern World should be required reading for college level history or philosophy classes. However, this is not a work that should be solely confined to the classroom. Any reader that finishes this book will find it impossible not to have an appreciation for the tremendous contributions that the Scots have made to the world.
Rating:
Summary: Don't let the title keep you away from this book.
Review: Don't let the title keep you from reading this book. While it does trumpet the achievements of the Scottish people, it is primarily a history of the Scottish enlightenment and its impact on the world. Indeed, it was a remarkable period with a lasting influence. Among the products of this era were Adam Smith, David Hume, and Edward Gibbon. While it is a book of history, as the title suggests, it is a popular history so don't expect lots of footnotes. It is very well written and kept my interest from start to finish.
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