Inventing the Flat Earth

Inventing the Flat Earth examines the widespread misconception that medieval Christian scholars and church authorities believed in a flat Earth. The book tracks how this false narrative emerged and gained traction in modern times. Russell investigates key medieval texts, scientific works, and church documents to demonstrate that educated people in the Middle Ages understood Earth's spherical shape. He focuses on the 19th century origins of the flat Earth myth and its perpetuation through textbooks and popular culture. The work presents a case study in how historical errors can become accepted truth through repetition and cultural bias. Through analysis of primary sources and careful historical research, Russell corrects the record on medieval Christian views of cosmology and geography. This book contributes to broader discussions about historical accuracy, the relationship between religion and science, and how misinformation becomes embedded in public consciousness.

Readers appreciate Russell's thorough debunking of the "flat earth myth" and his detailed research showing medieval scholars knew the earth was spherical. Many note the book's clear explanations of how this historical misconception arose and spread. Readers highlight the book's examination of primary sources and its exposure of how 19th century writers like Washington Irving distorted medieval views. Main criticisms focus on the academic writing style, which some find dry or dense. A few readers mention the book's narrow focus and wish it covered more about actual flat earth beliefs throughout history. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (134 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (31 ratings) Sample reader comments: "Excellent scholarship that destroys a persistent myth" - Goodreads "Too focused on medieval Christian views rather than broader historical context" - Amazon "Dense but invaluable for understanding how this misconception developed" - LibraryThing

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🔸 The "flat Earth" myth gained significant momentum through Washington Irving's 1828 biography of Columbus, which incorrectly portrayed medieval scholars as opposing his voyage due to beliefs about Earth's shape. 🔸 Early medieval scholar Bede (672-735) explicitly taught that Earth was round, and this was standard in medieval universities, where students studied Aristotle's proofs of Earth's sphericity. 🔸 Author Jeffrey Burton Russell is a distinguished medieval historian who has written extensively about religious history, including a five-volume history of the concept of evil. 🔸 The book reveals that NASA's first administrator, James Fletcher, helped perpetuate the flat Earth myth in the 1960s to justify the space program's budget. 🔸 Though published in 1991, the book's insights remain relevant as recent surveys show up to 16% of young Americans still doubt Earth's spherical shape, despite medieval scholars having no such doubts.