You can almost smell the pipe smoke

Avuncular. That's the only word to describe Will Durant's tone in this guided tour through several millennia. The author, a historian in his nineties, decorated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom-- America's highest civilian award-- isn't shy about giving his own judgement on the periods and figures he describes, or ocasionally switching from history to personal anecdote. But that's no bad thing in a man of such broad sympathies, such temperate wisdom. Durant doesn't lecture to you; he takes your hand and brings you on a ramble through the centuries.

This will serve as a good introduction to European history to those who know little of it so far. Those whose historical knowledge is more advanced won't learn very much new, but they might well be given a new perspective on what they do know.

The book is called Heroes of History, but heroes and villains seem to populate it in equal measure. Durant spends a dutiful (and short) chapters describing ancient China, Egypt and India, but he only warms to his theme when he reaches Ancient Greece. From the on, the focus remains resolutely upon the European mainland, until it shifts to the England of Queen Elizabeth at the very end.

Art history and drama are given special attention, along with religion-- Durant trained to be a priest but drifted away from his faith, and believers may find his sceptical warmth towards Christianity a little patronising. Secularists, on the other hand, might find it wooly-minded. But, on the whole, Durant is a genial guide, and offers some insights well worth attending to. Anyone interested in history, and especially the history of ideas, will take something from this book.

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8 people found this helpful

Wrong title

Why is it called heres of history if is more about the papality? Overall a good book

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it's listening to 40/50s propaganda film voiceover

I couldn't get through it. Loved the sweeping writing of the author, but the narrator was awful (to my ears). The cadence and intonation makes it sound like I am listening to one of those propaganda films from around WW2. Completely out of touch.

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Spoiled by narrator's pronunciation

A good book in its written format but spoiled by the all too common refusal of narrators to learn how to pronounce non-English words. The narrator's mangling of Latin and Greek is so atrocious that I just couldn't continue listening. Surely correct, or at least standard, pronunciation should be a basic requirement for professional narrators? A decent work spoiled by a lazy and incompetent narrator.

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