" The first in Cahill's Hinges of History series, this book explores the little-known fact that Christian monks in Ireland preserved the great works of Greek and Roman literature in an era when much of the western Roman Empire had lapsed into illiteracy. Later, the books--which were stored in monasteries and libraries across Europe--became the foundation texts of what we now consider Western society. The book's light tone makes it a very easy and quick read, but anyone with a background in this subject area will be disappointed quickly by the book's multiple and egregious historical errors. Muslims and Jews in the East also preserved the books of antiquity, for instance, and who's to say that their copies had less of an influence on the development of "the West" than those of the Irish? Cahill also fundamentally misunderstands (or misrepresents) the relationship between Christianity and Roman society, claiming that Roman society was little changed by Christianity while Irish society was profoundly changed. This is simply not true. Nevertheless, the book is enjoyable and nicely highlights the contributions of Irish women (but not Roman!)--a subject that is perhaps worthy of much fuller exploration. Recommended but with reservations. "
— Mary, 1/8/2014