The Story of Civilization (1935–1975), by husband and wife Will and Ariel Durant, is an 11-volume set of books covering both Eastern and Western civilizations for the general reader, with a particular emphasis on European (Western) history.
The series was written over a span of four decades.
The first six volumes of The Story of Civilization are credited to Will Durant alone, with Ariel recognized only in the acknowledgements. Beginning with The Age of Reason Begins, Ariel is credited as a co-author. In the preface to the first volume, Durant states his intention to make the series in 5 volumes, although this would not turn out to be the case.[1]
The series won a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1968 with the 10th volume in the series, Rousseau and Revolution.[2]
The volumes were best sellers and sold well for many years. Sets of them were frequently offered by book clubs. An unabridged audiobook production of all eleven volumes was produced by the Books on Tape company and was read by Alexander Adams (also known as Grover Gardner).[3]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Story of Civilization" is a monumental 11-volume work by historians Will and Ariel Durant, published between 1935 and 1975, which comprehensively covers the history of civilization from its earliest beginnings to the modern era, encompassing both Eastern and Western cultures. The series explores various aspects of human history, including politics, economics, religion, philosophy, science, art, and literature, organized chronologically from "Our Oriental Heritage" to "The Age of Napoleon." Known for their engaging and accessible writing style, the Durants make complex historical events and concepts understandable to a broad readership, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human history and culture, and the series remains highly regarded and influential in the field of historical scholarship.
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