Will Durant Books

Volume 3 of the monumental Story of Civilization, CAESAR AND CHRIST depicts the rise of Rome from a crossroads town to empire. The world's first republic, Rome spread its civilization over the Mediterranean and western European world. Its long, slow crumbling and final collapse plunged Europe into darkness and chaos.The Pax Romana broke some heads. Jews felt the scourge in Judea, where Jesus of Nazareth met a dissident's death. His agony foreshadowed the Empire's over the next few centuries."Lively, stimulating and accurate." (Saturday Review of Literature)

The Age of Voltaire (Volume 9): A biography of a great man and the period he embodied. We witness Voltaire's satiric work in the salons and the theater as well as his banishment to England. With him we view the complex relationships between nobility, clergy, bourgeoisie and peasantry in the France of Louis XV. We explore the music of Bach and the struggle between Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa of Austria. And finally we hear an imaginary discussion between Voltaire and Pope Benedict XIV on the significance and value of religion.

Focusing on Greek civilization's evolution and the Near East's development after Alexander's death, this volume delves into the intricate cultural, political, and social changes leading up to the Roman conquest of Greece. As part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning series, it offers a comprehensive exploration of historical events and their impact on civilization, providing readers with a rich understanding of this transformative period in history.

A history of European civilization from 1789 to 1815.

Here is the first volume of this Story of Civilization, Our Oriental Heritage, complete in itself. Dr. Durant worked on it steadily from 1927 to 1932, & the book represents the third complete rewriting. Our Oriental Heritage deals first with the establishment of civilization, then takes up, not in rapid review but in richly fascinating detail, the colorful, complex dramas of the Near East, India & her neighbors, & the Far East. The story is carried up to mid-30s. The Story of Civilization represents the most comprehensive attempt in our times to embrace the vast panorama of human history & culture.

A history of European civilization from Wyclif to Calvin: 1300-1564.

This final work by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Will Durant offers a deeply personal insight into his thoughts and experiences, revealing aspects of his life and philosophy. Discovered decades after his passing, the book is celebrated for its profound revelations, showcasing Durant's mastery in weaving history with personal reflection, making it a significant addition to his body of work.

This endlessly inspiring & instructive chronicle of the worlds greatest thinkers, from Socrates to Santayana, describes not only their ideas but their place in history & their influence on our modern intellectual heritage.

Includes material on the influence of biology, race, character, morals, religion, economics, socialism, government, and war on history.

In 1930, a stranger walked up to the home of Will Durant and asked Durant if he could give him one good reason not to kill himself. The encounter so moved Durant that, in 1932, Durant released On the Meaning of Life, a collection of essays from various public and private figures ruminating on the meaning of life. Long sought and hard to come by, this book is one of the most meaningful books Will Durant ever brought to the public.