Author: Niall Ferguson
# of Pages: 432 (paperback)
Genre: Non-fiction, History, Economics
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Synopsis: How did the West overtake its Eastern rivals? And has the zenith of Western power now passed? Acclaimed historian Niall Ferguson argues that beginning in the fifteenth century, the West developed six powerful new concepts, or “killer applications”—competition, science, the rule of law, modern medicine, consumerism, and the work ethic—that the Rest lacked, allowing it to surge past all other competitors. Yet now, Ferguson shows how the Rest have downloaded the killer apps the West once monopolized, while the West has literally lost faith in itself. Chronicling the rise and fall of empires alongside clashes (and fusions) of civilizations, Civilization: The West and the Rest recasts world history with force and wit.
Review: I shouldn't have been surprised how pro-Western Ferguson was going to be.
Ferguson tries to be relatable by using apps on a phone as an analogy for the aspects of Western society that made them "superior" to the Rest. This analogy falls miserably flat; I thought he was going to compare competition, science, property, medicine, consumerism, and work ethic (the six "killer apps") to actual apps that could be found on a phone (Twitter, Instagram, Trivia Crack).
Despite this, the book had a strong start. I had heard that this book was difficult to get through, but I found it easier to read that The History of the World in 6 Glasses. However, the book got progressively worse until one reached the last chapter where Ferguson speculates about the end of the world.
Overall, not recommended.
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