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wooknight's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful to have Mr and Mrs Durant as your guide on this joyride. I imagine I have to come back to this one several times before I will be completely satisfied
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
3.0
Another in The Story of Civilization. Grover Gardner reads.
extragravy's review against another edition
4.0
Pleasure to read, good historical survey especially over culture and prominent figures.
endlessmidnight's review against another edition
5.0
One of the clearest volumes covering early modern europe and asking why did the age of reason called it. And well, this explains why. The reformation preceded and set up the age of reason in almost every way.
guojing's review
4.0
Unlike all the previous books of this series, each of which I have awarded a perfect 5-star rating, this one was different. Unfortunately, I might add. This period is probably my favorite, but something about the writing of this volume was different to its predecessors. While all of his works tend to have very intelligent and witty humor, this one suffered from an extreme overabundance of droll remarks which made the readings of some pages almost painful; I noted none in the last few chapters, which was both surprising and warmly welcomed. Had his style been marred by this mark of senility (or did the increased contribution of his wife have something to do with it?) throughout, rather than only on occasion, I would have been even more harsh in my rating.
However, of course, this volume is brilliant, a shining light in the sea of ignorance which seems to have flooded much of the thought and lives of humanity's last five millennia. I shall never regret having dedicated so very many hours to reading the thousands of pages which constitute Will Durant's The Story of Civilization. It is a beautiful read: so charming, so erudite, so diverse. From the continuation of the religious wars and persecutions and calumnies described so vividly in the previous volumes, to the dawn of our current rational (I laugh as I write that, but compared to the eras long since past) age, Will Durant is himself the closest thing to a master of history I have ever encountered. This work as a whole shall remain on my list of most highly recommended books for however so long I shall ever have such a list.
However, of course, this volume is brilliant, a shining light in the sea of ignorance which seems to have flooded much of the thought and lives of humanity's last five millennia. I shall never regret having dedicated so very many hours to reading the thousands of pages which constitute Will Durant's The Story of Civilization. It is a beautiful read: so charming, so erudite, so diverse. From the continuation of the religious wars and persecutions and calumnies described so vividly in the previous volumes, to the dawn of our current rational (I laugh as I write that, but compared to the eras long since past) age, Will Durant is himself the closest thing to a master of history I have ever encountered. This work as a whole shall remain on my list of most highly recommended books for however so long I shall ever have such a list.
darwin8u's review
4.0
"If we interpret philosophy not as metaphysics but as any large perspective of human affairs, as a generalized view not only of the cosmos and the mind but as well of morals, politics, history, and faith, Shakespeare is a philosopher, profounder than Bacon, as Montaigne is deeper than Descartes; it is not form that makes philosophy."
-- Will Durant, The Age of Reason Begins
A great survey of the start of the Age of Reason (1559 to 1648). Will Durant (with Ariel Durant) continues to amaze me. Some parts drag just a bit, but for a survey this large, I'm constantly impressed that I'm rarely bored. His passion for people, history, philosophy and art jumps off every page. Volume VII starts with Queen Elizabeth and Shakespeare and ends with Descartes.
I'll add more later I'm sure.
-- Will Durant, The Age of Reason Begins
A great survey of the start of the Age of Reason (1559 to 1648). Will Durant (with Ariel Durant) continues to amaze me. Some parts drag just a bit, but for a survey this large, I'm constantly impressed that I'm rarely bored. His passion for people, history, philosophy and art jumps off every page. Volume VII starts with Queen Elizabeth and Shakespeare and ends with Descartes.
I'll add more later I'm sure.
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