Summary of The Discoverers

The Discoverers is a book by Daniel Boorstin that chronicles the history of human knowledge through a narrative of the great explorers and adventurers. It examines how discoveries made by these pioneers have shaped the world we know today. Through the stories of exploration, the book looks at the progress made in science, astronomy, oceanography, geology, botany, and other fields – the great leaps in understanding that came as a result of crossing oceans, scaling mountains, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. The book then traces the development of an increasingly global knowledge network, with each explorer expanding and enhancing knowledge of the world. At the heart of the book is the idea that “discoveries, not chance, have shaped the human record”.