Customer Reviews

The Age of Voltaire: A History of Civilization in Western Europe from 1715 to 1756, With Special Emphasis on the Conflict Between Religion and Philosophy (The Story of Civilization, Vol. 9)

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I remember seeing these sets of books in my University Bookstore in College--never read them, but picked up the whole set for .25 each at a garage sale. Little did I know what I'd been missing. I also just started teaching history in Calgary--a colleague agreed with me that they are fabulous, but said the snobby professors looked down on the Durants as "popularizers." I can't think of a higher compliment. Excellent footnotes, with quotes from primary resources, all the marks of a hallmark historian. I reading these books like steamy romance novels--and they are a lot more fun. Durrant is not afraid to comment on the sexual mores/and morality of the times. His judgments are pithy and well, history is riveting. I would have paid full price for these if I'd known how good they were!

Durant's popularization of history, which he continues with this wonderful volume, has been and indeed, still is poo-pooed by many an academic. I first learned of this years ago while taking a never ending series of history courses in college. Almost to the man and woman, they, the professors, would gave collective fits if a student brought the name of Durant to class and heaven help the student who used a "popular history writer" to class in the form of a reference on a paper. I knew then that I had to own and read these books. I did and do now and have not regretted it one bit. Popular history, i.e. history that most of us can actually read and learn from is a wonderful thing. Few of us grow up to be academics and works such as these open many windows for us, the common person. I have been reading and rereading this series for years and have not regretted it one bit. This particular volume of course examines the French Revolution, it's results and those involved. Durant's style continues to come through and I promise you, you will learn much in a very enjoyable fashion. Recommend highly.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

This is the 9th volume of the Durant's impressive Story of Civilization. The subtitle of the book gives a good summary of the time period and emphasis of this history.

As usual, this is not a typical history book. It is a story of the major philosophers and intellects of this important age. It also goes into the customs and manners of all classes of people. The wars are mentioned and put into the perspective of how they impacted society, but details of the major battles are not covered, unless they impact a major character.

Durant uses an interesting method of covering this time frame. He covers the different nations histories in relation to the life and travels of Voltaire. He starts out giving a quick summary of Voltaire's early life, including his travels to England. He then talks about the history of England from 1714 to 1756 including all of their major rulers, philosophers, scientists and artists. This was the time of George I and II, William Pitt, John Wesley, David Hume, Alexander Pope, Henry Fielding, and Handel.

Next he has Voltaire going back to France and covers France's History from 1723 to 1756. This history covers the time of Louis XV, Mme. De Pompadour, and Montesquieu. Many of the ideas covered by the philosophers of England and France are the ones used later in the American Revolution.

He then has Voltaire going to Middle Europe and covers the History of Germany, Prussia, and Switzerland from 1713 to 1756. This is the time of Bach and Frederick the Great.

The authors then discuss the advancement of learning and talk about the scholarly revolution and many of the great advances in science during this interesting time. As a scientist myself, I was impressed with the many great scientists and discoveries that came from this relatively short time frame. This was the time of Euler, Lagrange, Laplace, Linnaeus, and Buffon and the beginnings of Geology, Botany, Zoology and Psychology.

The next section of the book covers the attack upon Christianity that took place during this time frame. This was the time of Diderot and the Encyclopedie, Helvetius, D'Holbach, and the great Voltaire. It was a time when nearly all of the intellectuals and many of the clerics in Europe claimed to be atheists. It also showed the beginnings of the many defenders of religion. It was interesting to see how many of the arguments are the same even today.

I highly recommend this book for anybody interesting in the history of this epochal time frame. I intend to continue with this series.

In this, the Ninth Volume in the classic "Story of Civilization" series, Dr. Will & Ariel Durant have compiled a massive historical examination of France and England in the first-half of the Eighteenth Century.

At over >800 pages, the reader is treated to a vivid recount of: The English ideas that inspired an Enlightenment in France. The Salons of Paris. The philosophies of both nation states. Voltaire! The Augustan Age. The decay of absolute monarchy. Diderot, Helvetius, and Holbach, compilers of the first encylopedia.

Written to stand alone, or as part of the series, the Durants have written a smooth prose of unparalleled historical accuracy to be enjoyed by professional and layperson alike! I rate it as five stars as a part of the Durant's Magnum Opus known as "The Story of Civilization."

Will Durant, initially by himself and later with his wife Ariel, has written some of the most readable and interesting histories of the 20th or any other century. I found these books in the early 1980s and took five years to read them all. It was the greatest intellectual experience of my lifetime, and now I am selectively reading them again. (Fortunately I then had the habit of underlining passages I found most compelling and facinating, and this is saving me a lot of time in my rereading of the Durants.) And this is perhaps the most informative of the books, especially given our present day American obscession with evangelical Christanity. Rereading Durant makes me conscious of just how destructive have been the Christian schools that so many of our students have been subjected to since the mid 60s. I think that the Durants would call today, with the eager reelection of Geo. W. Bush and his merry men, The Age of Ignorance. Would that our students of today felt compelled to read the Durants. wfh

This was without question one of the best purchases I have made. It exceeded all of my expectations. Thank you very much.