Wisdom of the Ancients
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  • Published: 17 September 2020
  • ISBN: 9781473580480
  • Imprint: Transworld Digital
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $24.99

Wisdom of the Ancients

Life lessons from our distant past

Formats & editions
EBook
1 Oct 2020
Audiobook
17 Sep 2020
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Following on from the huge success of The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places, bestselling author and BBC historian Neil Oliver shows us how we can use the wisdom of our ancestors to find the answers for a more fulfilling life.

From the bestselling author of The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places comes this inspiring and beautifully written meditation on the wisdom inherited from our ancestors.

For all we have gained in the modern world, simple peace of mind is hard to find. In a time that is increasingly fraught with complexity and conflict, we are told that our wellbeing relies on remaining as present as possible. But what if the key to being present lies in the past?

In Wisdom of the Ancients, Neil Oliver takes us back in time, to grab hold of the ideas buried in forgotten cultures and early civilizations. From Laetoli footprints in Tanzania to Keralan rituals, stone circles and cave paintings, Oliver takes us on a global journey through antiquity. A master storyteller, drawing on immense knowledge of our ancient past, he distils this wisdom into twelve messages that have endured the test of time, and invites us to consider how these might apply to our lives today. The result is powerful and inspirational, moving and profound.
  • Published: 17 September 2020
  • ISBN: 9781473580480
  • Imprint: Transworld Digital
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $24.99
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About the author

Neil Oliver

Neil Oliver was born in Renfrewshire in Scotland. He studied archaeology at the University of Glasgow and worked as an archaeologist before training as a journalist. In 2002 he made his television debut presenting BBC2’s Two Men in a Trench in which he and Tony Pollard visited historic British battlefields. Since that time he has been a regular on TV, presenting A History of Scotland, Vikings, and Coast. He was appointed President of the National Trust in Scotland in 2017. He travels all the time, but his home is in Stirling, with his wife, three children and an Irish wolfhound.

portrait photo of Neil Oliver

Also by Neil Oliver

Hauntings
The Story of the World in 100 Moments
The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places
Amazing Tales for Making Men out of Boys
See all

Praise for Wisdom of the Ancients

Reading Wisdom of the Ancients is like putting on the finest headphones ever made. Here, cutting out the background noise of a society fevered by consumption and sensation...is a book that really makes you think and offers up the excitement of discovering things that when you read them make you fizz like understanding a foreign language you never realised you knew. This book is the equivalent of diving into a cool sea on a baking hot day, you emerge smiley and refreshed. I wish I had written this.

Tim Smit

Neil Oliver writes beautifully - bringing the past to life and letting us see ourselves in a new light.

Alice Roberts

A fascinating fact-laden expedition through the ages. Oliver's erudition shines off every page.

Anna Pasternak
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