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An Intellectual History of the 20th Century: A Journey Through the Ideas That Shaped Our World

Warren Bell

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Published in The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History Of The 20th Century

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The 20th century was a time of unprecedented intellectual ferment. From the rise of modernism to the fall of communism, from the Enlightenment to the digital age, the past hundred years have witnessed a dizzying array of new ideas and movements that have transformed our world.

In this sweeping narrative, acclaimed historian Tony Judt traces the development of the major intellectual forces that have shaped the 20th century. From the early stirrings of modernism in the late 19th century to the rise of postmodernism in the 1960s, from the horrors of World War I to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Judt offers a comprehensive and engaging account of the intellectual currents that have shaped our world.

The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

by Peter Watson

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4315 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	868 pages

Judt's book is not simply a history of ideas, however. It is also a meditation on the role of intellectuals in society. Judt argues that intellectuals have a responsibility to speak truth to power, to challenge the status quo, and to defend the values of freedom and democracy. He also warns of the dangers of intellectual conformity and the rise of anti-intellectualism.

An Intellectual History of the 20th Century is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the intellectual forces that have shaped our world. It is a sweeping narrative that is both erudite and accessible, and it offers a profound meditation on the role of intellectuals in society.

Chapter 1: The Rise of Modernism
Chapter 2: The Enlightenment and the French Revolution
Chapter 3: The Industrial Revolution and the Rise of Capitalism
Chapter 4: The Rise of Socialism and Communism
Chapter 5: The First World War and the Russian Revolution
Chapter 6: The Interwar Years and the Rise of Fascism
Chapter 7: The Second World War and the Cold War
Chapter 8: The Postwar Era and the Rise of Postmodernism
Chapter 9: The Digital Age and the End of the 20th Century

Reviews

"A magisterial work of scholarship and synthesis, An Intellectual History of the 20th Century is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the intellectual forces that have shaped our world." - The New York Times

"Judt's book is a tour de force. It is a sweeping narrative that is both erudite and accessible, and it offers a profound meditation on the role of intellectuals in society." - The Washington Post

"An Intellectual History of the 20th Century is a masterpiece. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the intellectual forces that have shaped our world." - The Guardian

Author Biography

Tony Judt was a British historian and essayist. He was a professor of European studies at New York University and a contributing editor to The New Republic. Judt was the author of numerous books, including The Burden of Responsibility: Blum, Camus, Aron, and the French Twentieth Century, Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945, and Ill Fares the Land: A Treatise on Our Present Discontents.

Judt died in 2010 at the age of 62. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Homans, and his two children, Adam and Isabel.

The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century

by Peter Watson

4.5 out of 5