About The Book

Big Ideas. Bizarre Beliefs. Blunders & Breakthroughs.
From medieval monks to Renaissance rebels, humanity kept the flame of knowledge alive—sometimes by candlelight, sometimes by bonfire.
In this smart, irreverent, and unexpectedly optimistic sequel to
From Cave to Colosseum, Scott Edwin Williams charts our uneven crawl out of the so-called Dark Ages. Meet the polymaths, philosophers, poets, plague victims, and pious priests who collectively rebooted civilization.
Along the way, you’ll encounter bumbling crusaders, overzealous inquisitors, rebellious peasants, and Cedric, the very unlucky plague doctor.
This isn’t a textbook: It’s a sideways look at the big ideas—scientific, spiritual, educational, and cultural—that shaped a thousand years of history.
SOME MOVED US FORWARD. SOME DRAGGED US BACK.
AND SOME, INEXPLICABLY, DID BOTH.
LIGHT THE CANDLE. ILLUMINATE THE WORLD.

Scott Edwin Williams

Hey there! Welcome to my store!

SCOTT EDWIN WILLIAMS is a writer, educator, and history nerd who believes the past is best explored with a plane ticket, a pen, and a pint. When he’s not nearly getting arrested in the world’s top historical sites, he writes about travel, history, and the weird, wonderful places where they collide. He's the author of the Lightbulb Moments in Human History series and a new series Unearthed: A History Nerd Abroad. Dig History. Travel Light. Embrace Chaos.

More Books by Scott Edwin Williams

We Rescued Civilization?

Twisted Medieval History

CIVILIZATION IS FRAGILE...
SOMETIMES IT NEEDS RESCUE
An Aztec girl witnesses the death of the sun. And its rebirth.
A monk flees a burning library clutching ancient scrolls.
A legendary explorer loses his pantaloons to pirates.
A teenage healer is the last one standing when plague sweeps England.
None of them set out to save the world.
They just refused to let it fall apart.
We Rescued Civilization?
is a twisted medieval history.
Tagging along — uninvited as usual — is Peaby: A fuzzy orange alien who has shadowed humanity for 20,000 years who’s seen this before.
And it didn't end well.
CIVILIZATION’S NOT GOING TO SAVE ITSELF.

We Invented Civilization?

Twisted Ancient History

SOMEONE HAD TO INVENT CIVILIZATION.
IT JUST WASN'T GOING TO BE PRETTY.

A cave girl whose ideas are dismissed by elders...
until the elders need saving.
A girl who sneaks into a forbidden temple to watch a mummification.
A boy with an obsidian knife who makes an impossible choice
about a human sacrifice.
None of them set out to invent civilization.
They just couldn't help themselves.
We Invented Civilization?
is a twisted ancient history co-piloted by Peaby: a fuzzy orange alien
who has shadowed humanity for 20,000 years and has strong opinions.
He’s watching where this is heading and he has popcorn.
CIVILIZATION’S NOT GOING TO INVENT ITSELF.

Unearthed

A History Nerd Abroad in Europe

AUTHOR ARRESTED IN MONA LISA MAYHEM!
"I could already picture the headline... But I hadn’t set out to cause an international incident."
After years of writing about the past from a safe distance, card-carrying history nerd Scott Edwin Williams—author of Lightbulb Moments in Human History—finally sets off to experience it firsthand. With his best friend and beer aficionado, CJ, in tow, he embarks on a whirlwind tour of Europe’s greatest historical sites.
Only they discover that history isn’t a passive observer. It lurks in alleyways—unpredictable, relentless, and hell-bent on robbing you of your dignity.
Part historical pilgrimage, part pub crawl, and all existential crisis, Unearthed is a celebration of family, friendship, curiosity, and finding meaning in the chaos.
Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson’s irreverent humor, Tim Moore’s misadventures, and travelers who know the best stories start when the itinerary falls apart.