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The West

A New History of an Old Idea

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The West

By: Naoíse Mac Sweeney
Narrated by: Shaheen Khan
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

*A BBC RADIO 4 Book of the Week*

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 stretching from classical antiquity to the countries of the modern Western world. But what if this is wrong?

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 – archaeologist and historian Naoíse Mac Sweeney charts how the idea of the West was invented, how it has been used to justify imperialism and racism, and why it is no longer ideologically fit for purpose today.

The result is a bold and empowering new story of the people and ideas who made us who we are today.

'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


©2023 Naoíse Mac Sweeney (P)2023 Penguin Audio
Civilization Philosophy Political Science Sociology United States Ancient History Imperialism Founding Fathers

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An interesting and thought provoking piece of work.

I really enjoyed the arguments presented by the author. It is refreshing to hear a well reasoned and thoughtful discussion about what the West really is and more importantly, isn’t. It is of ever greater resonance given the issues ‘The West’ faces today and the challenges arising from the ‘culture wars’ that have become so entrenched. It is well worth a listen and re-listen.

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