National Book Award Non Fiction Winner
The World of the Nations
by Peter Gay
Summary
A collection of essays applying the methods of intellectual history to a wide range of modern political and cultural problems, from German liberalism and Weimar culture to the uses and abuses of psychoanalysis in historical writing. Gay extends the defense of Enlightenment reason that animated his earlier work, treating liberal democracy as a fragile but indispensable inheritance. The pieces showcase his range as essayist, critic, and historian of ideas.
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Historical Context & Significance
During this period, the prize was often split into specific sub-categories; Gay won in the "Contemporary Affairs" division.