4Real Forums: Durant's Story of Civilization

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Topic: Durant's Story of Civilization

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Patty
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Posted: March 30 2006 at 8:00am \| IP Logged

I have seen a series of books (11 volumes in the whole set I believe) of books called The Story of Civilization by Will & Ariel Durant in used book stores and was wondering about them. Has anyone read any of these, and did you like them? What is the viewpoint of the authors? Did you find anything problematic?

Patty

MacBeth
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Posted: March 30 2006 at 9:05am \| IP Logged

The Durants were atheists, but they treated Christianity quite fairly. I have not read the whole series (it is also available on audio tape), but what I have read is very straight-forward. Perhaps others have read more and can add comments?

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JennGM
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Posted: April 16 2012 at 10:55am \| IP Logged

I'm bumping this very old thread. Wondering if anyone can provide a review on this series?

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TxTrish
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Posted: April 17 2012 at 7:51pm \| IP Logged

I have read the entire series. The actual books - I still own them. It has been many years now, but I have reread portions over the years.
I think that is likely enough to tell you I loved them!

I know that in one of the volumes I read the authors preface, and that he stated that he was Catholic, or raised Catholic. . .
Couldn't find what I was looking for in the books, so instead of obsessing I quick searched online and here is what I found. (How do I forget the internet anyway?)

They were hardly athiests, okay, I wouldn't describe them as athiests I suppose is a better way to put it.

"In 1900, Durant was educated by the Jesuits in St. Peter's Preparatory School and, later, Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey. Historian Joan Rubin writes of this period, "Despite some adolescent flirtations, he began preparing for the vocation that promised to realize his mother's fondest hopes for him: the priesthood. In that way, one might argue, he embarked on a course that, while distant from Yale's or Columbia's apprenticeships in gentility, offered equivalent cultural authority within his own milieu."[6]

The above is from Wiki - check here for better bio:
http://www.willdurant.com/bio.htm

and best of all check this one out =
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recn um=2873
Deathbed reversion - Deo Gratias!

Trish

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