Kindle
$13.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$30.25
Paperback
$18.48
Buy new:
-37% $30.25
FREE delivery May 20 - 23 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: Shakespeare Book House
$30.25 with 37 percent savings
List Price: $47.95

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery May 20 - 23 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery May 20 - 22
In Stock
$$30.25 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$30.25
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$7.23
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Tuesday, May 14. Order within 14 hrs 6 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$30.25 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$30.25
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Daniel J. Boorstin
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself Hardcover – October 12, 1983

by Daniel J. Boorstin (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 590 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$30.25","priceAmount":30.25,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"30","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"25","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"5ymCMrjKkPXDqZQVsr%2FGxY%2Fxyji9kvlyeBC86a8rOVaEDJt9TG%2BKkNBJcnX3DWbr2ubmmOv4BdzHf2B9dAYjwxlZuxEZTNc32vMGSEhbNao952C6T%2BgmE95TFAWZnzm4PcKIOu8RmSqfRbz%2BlizKzpY1etf358G8cPdEaQ7HOc%2BB7yHNH%2BwiLASL%2Bd%2F39rTN","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$7.23","priceAmount":7.23,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"23","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"5ymCMrjKkPXDqZQVsr%2FGxY%2Fxyji9kvlyVLr%2BvlWWEjNCwl7NqiX2TwOQtiJadIhemuxMmONiWsEDDh0Hfo5hLkfBK%2B1VycV92FpH3ekf511y6zwNEqVmPq%2BLb8V0MpMQS2mz1HJ7NKsYQ4jGwzM95gLucr0%2B0Ouv2kKOCtGiKfdBcsbZ9KZPShAeRQisVSU9","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

An original history of man's greatest adventure: his search to discover the world around him.


From the Trade Paperback edition.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Book 2 of 3
    Knowledge Series
  2. Print length
    747 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Random House
  5. Publication date
    October 12, 1983
  6. Dimensions
    6.5 x 2.25 x 10 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0394402294
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0394402291
  9. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

The Discoverers: A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself
$30.25
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Aura Gemstone Designs and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
The Creators: A History of Heroes of the Imagination
$15.92
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by SellersPremium and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
The Seekers: The Story of Man's Continuing Quest to Understand His World
$4.27
Get it May 16 - 17
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by CYCLE BOOKS.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" A remarkable narrative of the grand intellectual venture of humankind, rich in fascinating, often dramatic details"-- (The Wall Street Journal)
" A sumptuous, totally engaging panorama. No one who reads it will look at the chronicle of human ingenuity in the same way again." --David McCullough


From the Trade Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

history of man's greatest adventure: his search to discover the world around him.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House; 1st edition (October 12, 1983)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 747 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0394402294
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0394402291
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.72 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 2.25 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 590 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Daniel J. Boorstin

Daniel J. Boorstin

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
590 global ratings
What was promised has been delivered to me.
5 Stars
What was promised has been delivered to me.
Christmas morning excitement opening my package, and finding exactly what I wanted. I am very pleased. Thank you for being honest.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Water World Wizard
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional "overhead" view of history.
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
The stories and vignettes enhance the historical narrative, bringing History into a personal perspective.
I found myself carried along in the story's stream, which were connected by a common motif.
Very scholarly yet readable.
Helpful
 Report
Tomasz Stasinski
5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent, eye-opening history of the human knowledge
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2008
Verified Purchase
This is a truly excellent book I highly recommend. Its main target audience should be anyone interested in the history of mankind, but in particular - the history of shifting paradigms and notions of the world.
Boorstin doesn't concentrate on listing geographic or scientific discoveries, but instead gives an in-depth description of how our understanding of time, space, history, science or society has varied in time and space. These are notions we usually take for granted, but Boorsting convincingly proves that our understanding of the world might have turned out a different way, and in fact in many cultures did.
In particular Boorstin is concerned with what he called "illusion of knowledge" stemming mostly from satisfaction with belief such as astrology or religion. In this aspect "The Discoverers" is highly critical of the Church's role in hampering or reversing progress, which as I noticed gave the book a few one-starred reviews from more religious readers.
Other than that I was immensely impressed with the author's knowledge and command of facts. It was truly an eye-opener for a person who knows history superficially to read for example that the Mongols were more tolerant and open than more civilized countries of the era. Even if you think you know it all, Boorstin will surprise you with something new or a new angle of seeing history.

There are two flaws I must point out. One is lack of illustrations, especially of devices and maps that could complement or replace some written descriptions. I hope an illustrated or multimedia edition is on its way.
The second is its quality. For a book of over 700 pages paperback is not really an option and the 1985 copy I read is horribly dog-eared with plastic covers peeling off. In my opinion the book is well-worth spending twelve bucks for a paperback, but personally I just ordered the hardcover edition for myself.
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Guillermo Maynez
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful adventure
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2003
Verified Purchase
I agree with other reviewers here who say that this book should be used in classes, instead of the boring, stiff and uninformative bricks we are given in school. Boorstin, an erudite man if there is one, has a unique skill to deliver complex stories in a most readable and interesting way, and probably the secret lies in that he gives us the human dimension. His book is centered on the persons who made all these discoveries, not on the discoveries themselves, and that makes it all the more appealing.
I had read his book "The Creators" (another must-read focused on art) and I think the same element is present. In "The Discoverers", Boorstin takes us by the hand and guides us through the history of Man's search for knowledge. And it is a romp. The cast of characters is as varied as humanity itself, from crazy madmen to admirable heroes of knowledge. Among the ones I remember best: Galileo was a great guy, I would have loved to meet him; Newton not, he was not a nice guy (and I couldn't understand any of his thoughts anyway); Paracelsus was a total whacko; Columbus was admirable in his obstination; Linnaeus was great too; but the guy who discovered metabolism was the craziest of them all. Just imagine a guy weighing his body before and after meals, and then weighing... ugh, his excrements to measure the difference. Thank God somebody did it, but it sounds awful.
Read this book and you will learn a lot more than in three years of school.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
RN
4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing trove of knowledge
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
Most difficult book I ever read other than the Old Testament perhaps. There is unimaginable knowledge that had to be unraveled to reach where we are today . This book is for the erudite, and you will be more erudite if you read The Discoverers. Plan on reading this slowly, but worthwhile.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Bailey
5.0 out of 5 stars Popular History at its Best
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
This history by the astonishingly accomplished Daniel J. Boorstin takes the reader through the moments in history where the great leaps forward took place. Many were the product of individual people, such as Prince Henry the Navigator, who insisted that vessels of exploration continue past a particularly featureless section of the West African coast despite sailors' fears that it was the beginning of the end of the world. Boorstin introduces the human aspect of each drama of discovery, including illuminating and frequently petty concerns that sometimes animated the great thinkers and doers of the ages.

It will amaze you how many aspects of modern life remain linked to a very human story of discovery.

In some ways the book is subtly subversive. Much history of discovery turns out to be history of un-learning. Many of the great moments of advancement were those when a person, group, or culture managed to escape the constraints of mysticism, religion, racism, and dogma in order to discern actual truths. The roughly 1,000 years during which Europe collectively rejected knowledge and thought in favor of religious cosmology is treated for what it is: a colossal waste of lives and human potential. In many cases, too, the seemingly great discovery of the moment was totally, factually wrong, its importance lost on the discoverer because the real discovery was not the answer to a question, but the asking of it. The story of human progress could be terribly frustrating, but Boorstin's focus on the positive moments of rising above the muck of ignorance invites the reader to focus on the hope that humanity can continue on this path.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful books, great quality product
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
The paperback versions of this book were terrible. This 2 volume hard cover box set is excellent.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
1931
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read
Reviewed in Canada on December 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed this particular connecting of the dots. Nice essay.
Report
Francois
5.0 out of 5 stars Incontournable
Reviewed in France on September 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Ce livre est bien écrit, agréable, bourré de savoir et très inspirant. Bien sûr le style est un peu daté et assez académique mais ce livre permet de prendre de la hauteur et de comprendre les grandes étapes de la civilisation occidentale.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Explorer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in India on March 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Awesome Book
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding presentation of the history of mankind
Reviewed in Germany on May 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
The content and the way of presentation of this book are unmatched. Boorstin had a deep understanding of history, technology and science. And he mastered the language (the languages, he obviously knew various of these) like few others. If you are fluent in English, try to read this!
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
I love it. It's written in a way that most people should be able to understand the language used.It's a fountain of knowledge and intriguing. Highly recommended for people who want to broaden their knowledge.
Report