100 Books that Shaped Modern Civilization

Author: Jia Jinjing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: A quick guide for readers, a toolbook for thinkers.
"Only when a ruler respects the rights of the people will the people obey their ruler" — Hobbes
"Religious despotism is the source of all imaginable folly and unrest; it is the mother of fanaticism and internal strife; it is the enemy of humanity" — Voltaire
"Government, even in the best case, is an inevitable evil; in the worst case, it becomes an intolerable evil. Government is like clothing, a symbol of the harm done to innocent and simple minds. The more civilized society becomes, the less reason there is for government to exist." — Paine
"Threats, shackles, and chains are both the most effective and commonly used means of subduing the people, and they also give the people a profound lesson." — William Godwin
"Nature has not limited the perfection of human abilities. The perfection of humans is indeed infinite. The improvement of this perfection is limited only by the duration of the existence of the earth we stand on, with no other restrictions." — Condorcet
This book, a quick guide for readers and a toolbook for thinkers, selects 100 essential works for modern human civilization from the vast sea of books. It clearly and concisely explains the main content of these works and tells their background stories. It guides you through the course of human civilization, allowing you to understand the profound and extensive masterpieces without missing the true treasures hidden in the unnoticed corners of some individuals.