Dominion

The Making of the Western Mind

By: Tom Holland, Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Narrated by: Mark Meadows, Tom Holland

Christianity is the most enduring and influential legacy of the ancient world, and its emergence the single most transformative development in Western history. Even the increasing number in the West today who have abandoned the faith of their forebears, and dismiss all religion as pointless superstition, remain recognisably its heirs. Seen close-up, the division between a sceptic and a believer may seem unbridgeable. Widen the focus, though, and Christianity's enduring impact upon the West can be seen in the emergence of much that has traditionally been cast as its nemesis: in science, in secularism, and yes, even in atheism.

That is why Dominion will place the story of how we came to be what we are, and how we think the way that we do, in the broadest historical context. Ranging in time from the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC to the on-going migration crisis in Europe today, and from Nebuchadnezzar to the Beatles, it will explore just what it was that made Christianity so revolutionary and disruptive; how completely it came to saturate the mind-set of Latin Christendom; and why, in a West that has become increasingly doubtful of religion's claims, so many of its instincts remain irredeemably Christian. The aim is twofold: to make the reader appreciate just how novel and uncanny were Christian teachings when they first appeared in the world; and to make ourselves, and all that we take for granted, appear similarly strange in consequence. We stand at the end-point of an extraordinary transformation in the understanding of what it is to be human: one that can only be fully appreciated by tracing the arc of its parabola over millennia.©2019 Tom Holland (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

Terrific: bold, ambitious and passionate (Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads)

Tom Holland is fun to read, monstrously erudite, wickedly joyful, and ahead of the established consensus, on average, by four years, three months, and two days (Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of the Incerto (The Black Swan, Antifragile...))

This extraordinary book is vintage Tom Holland: history boldly and elegantly retold, with fascinating interconnections traced to create a narrative that cannot fail to stimulate, for it leads to a never-ending question (Diarmaid MacCulloch)

Fizzing with insights and challenges, this is one history book that is timely and important, as well as a feast of intellectual entertainment (Christopher Hart)

A rich and compelling history of Christendom . . . A masterpiece of scholarship and storytelling, Dominion surpasses Holland's earlier books in its sweeping ambition and gripping presentation (John Gray)

[Holland encapsulates] so much, so intelligently and entertainingly, in a book that's fizzing with ideas (Andrew Lycett)

Tom Holland's stupendous new book . . . There isn't a page of this magnificent book that does not contain some fascinating detail and the narrative is held together with a novelist's eye for character and theme (Tim Stanley)

A brilliant meditation on how Christianity in its Latin and Protestant forms entirely changed the way humans conceive life and their relationship to each other (Helen Thompson)

A comprehensive history of Christendom

Gripping storytelling, precise and ever encompassing - the story of Christendom as a myth and reality that spans milennia. Best history book I have read.

Wow

Eye opening and decently thorough considering the scope of history this book is covering. definitely recommend.

Too much to understand and learn.

Remarkable book. The finals remarks from im Holland are a clever ending to the story.

Interesting argument on the history of Secularism

Tom Holland makes an interesting argument for the intertwined history of Secularism and Christianity. In Dominion by showing the roots of the modern world in those of the early church, Mr Holland makes the point that concepts about society and justice that the modern world take to be self evident were far from it when Christianity was born.

It's an argument that many people both conservative and liberal I am sure will both find aspects that both clash and reflect their own worldview. An outlook both snowflakey and problematic. In this way it is in itself a reflection that the current culture war in the west is a civil war that stretches back to early Christendom. A civil war between people who fundamentally believe in the power of love and mercy.

great work of scholarship

magnificient story telling
great insight into contemporary culture
a great work of scholarship for lay people

This one not his best

I have read it listened to every book written by Tom Holland, truly a great historian and I have never been disappointed but this one is a bit too rambling, a bit too anecdotal and well, too LONG. Many of its assertions are interesting but remain assertions, many connections inspired but not demonstrated. The last three hours or so the 20th century truly taxed my patience, hopping here and there while endlessly pontificating...I wish I could like it better but I just can’t. Once it left the first Millenium A.D it just lost its way.

Great book, terrible reader

This is a really well-researched piece of work by Tom Holland. He has clearly done his homework and knows his history.

If only though the author had read the whole book instead of just the introduction. While the introduction really grabbed me with the way it was read, the rest of the book is read by someone trying desperately to emphasise certain points but coming off as dead boring. I found myself constantly tuning out while listening, which is disappointing for such a fascinating topic. Someone needs to tell the reader of the book that it’s not a novel; it’s history and therefore needs to be read differently.

I would still recommend the book for its great content, but perhaps the paper version would hold my attention a lot more.

Big-step overview to elucidate pervasiveness of cultural Christendom

Holland is great in sweeping hi-stories. His books on the Persian Empire and Roman Empire are quite magnificent. With this background I started Dominion. Its main goal is to clarify the origins and pervasiveness of Christian thought, in both religious and non-religious thinking. To this, it provides illustrations from more than 20 centuries history. While being well aware of e.g. Persian history, Holland is not (nor does want to be) aware of an at least neutral reading of e.g. the Gospels or the biblical book of Revelations. The latter is explicitly stated to aim to comfort prosecuted Christians (in ca 60-90 AD). However, Holland mocks it to be hallucinatory, and while his personal opinions can be his own, this stands any more than superficial reading.
It is, of course, a challenge to go to the same depth into all sources when spanning so much of history, yet precisely this part is both more easily accessible and understood than both the Persian and e.g. the Christian medieval histories.
Stepping over this, most of his story is nice to read or (as I do) listen to. The style combines specifics with overview, and is always as entertaining as informative. Kudos here!
The last part of the book, where it should all come together, however, contains strange corollaries. Salafism is argued to be not as much based in Islam as in Protestant Christianity (supposedly because both started with breaking down statutes). This was not at all convincing. More so was the appeal of e.g. #MeToo of #JesuisCharlie on fundamental Christian concepts. I see such trends now better based on what Holland clarified.

Do I recommend the book: sure! Especially as you can be as critical to Holland’s story as he would likely want you to be.

PS: very end of the audiobook contains nice, personal surprise - won’t tell what it is, but I could appreciate it.

This is the comprehensive guide of the genealogy of our modern ideas! Well worth the time to listen

This is a general history, so use more as a narrative frame work than a history book. That isn’t to diminish its significance however, it is revolutionary in our modern age as Tom shows the methods, ideals and theology of each time period to describe it whilst contrasting it to our secular ideas of the today. He explains and navigates the evolution of our modern secular world view by pointing to the legacy of Christendom beyond the naive world view of the new atheist styled interpretation so many of our thinkers and leaders think today.

Impressive book that grew in quality word by word

It took some time before I got the smile while I walked and listened to this book.

I must in the future return for a re-listen since the is still so much value that I was unable to harvest while listening to it the first time.