Niall Ferguson (2011 Event)
Are we living through the dying embers of Western ascendancy? For Scottish historian and broadcaster Niall Ferguson, the ‘killer applications’ test is the best way to measure our status with the rest of the world. So, how are we doing when it comes to science, democracy, medicine, consumerism and the work ethic? Not so well, he reckons. Civilization takes us on an extraordinary journey from Nanjing to Namibia, for a story of sailboats, missiles, vaccines, blue jeans and Chinese bibles. Niall Ferguson explains all to Iain Macwhirter in this hour-long event, recorded live at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Loading the player... if your browser supports audio and video it
should appear in a few moments.
Book Festival News
Our response to today's statement from Fossil Free BooksWednesday 15 May
Listen to more
Alan Johnson (2015 Event)
Anne Donovan reading Not Scotland
Paul Merton (2015 Event)
Lucy Hawking
Simon Sebag Montefiore
Bill Paterson
Patrick Gale (2018 Event)
Mark Billingham with Val McDermid (2016 Event)
David Mitchell with Sam Amidon: The Music of Utopia Avenue (2020 Event)
David Hare (2015 Event)