100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

New on the blog! πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Japanese Healing Fiction & β˜• The Perfect Winter Reads

Modern Mind

4.3 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,136 ratings, 115 reviews)
Brief Description
Delve into the profound exploration of human thought in the twentieth century with The Modern Mind by Peter Watson. This meticulously researched work presents an expansive narrative that captures the essence of the century's intellectual evolution. Watson guides readers through a labyrinth of ideas and innovations... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$5900
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

A compelling survey of the ideas, discoveries, individuals, and cultural expressions that comprise the intellectual history of the twentieth century covers the gamut, from Freud's psychotherapy to the War in Kosovo. Reprint.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Delve into the profound exploration of human thought in the twentieth century with The Modern Mind by Peter Watson. This meticulously researched work presents an expansive narrative that captures the essence of the century's intellectual evolution. Watson guides readers through a labyrinth of ideas and innovations that have shaped modern civilisation, from groundbreaking scientific theories to powerful philosophical doctrines and significant cultural shifts.

The Modern Mind is a vast tapestry of interconnected characters and concepts. Watson seamlessly weaves together the stories of influential figures such as Sigmund Freud and his revolutionary take on the human psyche, and Albert Einstein with his transformative Theory of Relativity, which redefined our understanding of time and space. For literary enthusiasts, the analysis of thought-provoking works like George Orwell's Animal Farm offers insights into the complex interplay between politics and literature.

Peter Watson's engaging narrative extends beyond the celebrated figures to include movements like the counterculture of the 1960s, which challenged societal norms and sparked a new era of personal freedom and expression. As the reader journeys through these pages, they encounter Sartrean existentialism, the evolution of modern art, and the socio-political transformations epitomised by initiatives like the Great Society.

This scholarly tome is more than just a chronicle of historical facts; it is a captivating exploration of how ideas shape reality. Watson invites readers to ponder on the philosophical underpinnings that have constructed the modern world, considering the impact of science and culture in areas as distant yet connected as Kosovo’s conflict and global intellectualism.

With its encyclopedic scope and articulate prose, The Modern Mind offers a sweeping overview of the people and ideas that define the last century. It is a vital compendium for anyone eager to understand the foundations of contemporary thought and the intellectual legacy that continues to influence our lives today.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780060084387

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: HarperPerennial

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 51.0mm

Width: 159.0mm

Height: 248.0mm

Weight: 862g

Pages: 864

About the Author

Peter Watson has been a senioreditor at the London Sunday Times, a New York correspondentof the London Times, a columnist for theLondon Observer, and a contributor to the New YorkTimes. He has published three exposΓ©s on the world ofart and antiquities, and is the author of several booksof cultural and intellectual history. From 1997 to 2007he was a research associate at the McDonald Institutefor Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge.He lives in London.

Also by Peter Watson

View all
  • The French Mind
    β€˜Majestic, ambitious’ Literary Review We are endlessly fascinated by the French. We are fascinated by their way of life, their creativity, sophistication, and self-assurance, and even their insistence that they are exceptional. But how did France become the country it is today, and what really sets it apart? Journalist and historian Peter Watson sets out to answer these questions in...
    Paperback
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The German Genius
    The German Genius by Peter Watson is a sweeping and comprehensive chronicle that delves into the profound intellectual, cultural, and scientific accomplishments of Germany from the mid-18th century to the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1933. This masterpiece offers a riveting narrative that not only illuminates the extraordinary contributions of German thinkers, artists, and scientists but also examines how these...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Ideas
    Ideas by Peter Watson is a profoundly ambitious and exhilarating exploration of human thought history. Spanning an impressive timeline from prehistory to the modern age, the book redefines the world's narrative through the evolution of ideas. Watson meticulously traces the origins of consciousness back over a million years, contemplating how early humans conceived their first thoughts. By examining animal behaviours...
    Paperback
    $4500
    Elsewhere:
    $5199
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The French Mind
    β€˜Majestic, ambitious’ Literary Review We are endlessly fascinated by the French. We are fascinated by their way of life, their creativity and sophistication, and even their insistence that they are exceptional. But how did France become the country it is today, and what really sets it apart? Historian Peter Watson sets out to answer these questions in this dazzling history...
    Paperback
    $3500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The British Imagination
    β€˜Extensive and intelligent . . . a guide to the nature of British intellectual curiosity’ Spectator The reign of Queen Elizabeth I ushered in an unprecedented age of exploration and discovery. Over 500 years that saw β€˜the greatest expansion of ideas and knowledge the world has ever seen’, a small island nation, for centuries a cultural backwater, asserted itself as...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

More from Science & Nature

View all
  • Murder Under the Mistletoe
    BOOK 4 IN THE BESTSELLING CANON CLEMENT MYSTERY SERIES 'The best of the new cosy crime writers' Daily Telegraph 'You'll want to take a front row pew in Champton while this delicious series unfolds' Janice Hallett It is Christmas Day and at Champton Rectory, Canon Daniel Clement and his mother Audrey are joined by the residents and guests of the...
    Paperback
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • John and Paul
    THE SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'A triumph.' Deborah Levy, New Statesman 'Tremendous.' Alwyn Turner, The Times 'Revelatory.' Simon Schama, Financial Times 'The gold standard of Beatles books.' Anthony Quinn, Observer 'As enthralling and astonishing as their music.' Jon Dennis, Sunday Telegraph 'A masterpiece.' Dylan Jones, Evening Standard '[Ian Leslie]...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Raising Hare
    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE HATCHARDS AND BIOGRAPHERS' CLUB FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE HAY FESTIVAL, SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND iNEWS 'A beautiful book' - ANGELINA JOLIE 'I...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • What If? 10th Anniversary Edition
    CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' β€” BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' β€” TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' β€” NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...
    Hardback
    $4200
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Nuclear War
    The Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction thriller that has to be read to be believed. Baillie Gifford shortlisted, a favourite of Steven Bartlett, with an average reader rating of 4.6, sure to be a mass-market hit. Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Anxious Generation
    A powerful argument for reclaiming childhoodβ€”and all human relationshipsβ€”from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spacesβ€”communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Prisoners of Geography
    Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history – because if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...
    Paperback
    $2899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Booker Prize
    Orbital
    Winner of the Booker Prize 2024. Chair of the judges, Edmund de Waal, describes the winner as 'a book about a wounded world' adding that the panel's 'unanimity about Orbital recognises its beauty and ambition'. Life on our planet as you've never seen it before. A team of astronauts in the International Space Station collect meteorological data, conduct scientific experiments...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Diddly Squat: Home to Roost
    It's been another memorable year on Diddly Squat Farm - will the chickens finally come home to roost? Welcome back to Clarkson's Farm. The spring crop failed. Farming sheep, pigs, and cows was hardly more lucrative (better off breeding ostriches...) But in the face of uncooperative weather, bureaucracy, and the world's persistent refusal to recognise his genius, our hero's not...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Place of Tides
    To save the world, we have to start somewhere. One afternoon many years ago, James Rebanks met an old woman on a remote Norwegian island. She lived and worked alone on a tiny rocky outcrop, caring for wild ducks and gathering their down. Hers was a centuries-old trade that had once made men and women rich, but had long been...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Ultra-Processed People
    Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Island of Missing Trees
    The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is a captivating and poignant novel that delves into the intertwined lives of two star-crossed lovers in war-torn Cyprus and their enduring legacy decades later. This Sunday Times bestselling novel intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and identity amidst a backdrop of cultural and historical turmoil. Set in 1974 on the island...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.