Will Durant Popular Books
Will Durant Biography & Facts
William James Durant (; November 5, 1885 – November 7, 1981) was an American writer, historian, and philosopher. He became best known for his work The Story of Civilization, 11 volumes written in collaboration with his wife, Ariel Durant, and published between 1935 and 1975. He was earlier noted for The Story of Philosophy (1926), described as "a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize philosophy".Durant conceived of philosophy as total perspective or seeing things sub specie totius (i.e. “from the perspective of the whole”)—a phrase inspired by Spinoza's sub specie aeternitatis, roughly meaning "from the perspective of the eternal". He sought to unify and humanize the great body of historical knowledge, which had grown voluminous and become fragmented into esoteric specialties, and to vitalize it for contemporary application. As a result of their success, the Durants were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1968 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. Early life William James Durant was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, to French-Canadian Catholic parents Joseph Durant and Mary Allard, who had been part of the Quebec emigration to the United States.After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1903, Durant enrolled at Saint Peter's College (now University) also in Jersey City. Historian Joan Rubin writes of that 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."In 1905, he began experimenting with socialist philosophy, but, after World War I, he began recognizing that a "lust for power" underlay all forms of political behavior. However, even before the war, "other aspects of his sensibility had competed with his radical leanings," notes Rubin. She adds that "the most concrete of those was a persistent penchant for philosophy. With his energy invested in Baruch Spinoza, he made little room for the Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin. From then on, writes Rubin, "his retention of a model of selfhood predicated on discipline made him unsympathetic to anarchist injunctions to 'be yourself.'... To be one's 'deliberate self,' he explained, meant to 'rise above' the impulse to 'become the slaves of our passions' and instead to act with 'courageous devotion' to a moral cause." Durant graduated from Saint Peter's College in 1907. Teaching career From 1907 to 1911, Durant taught Latin and French at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.After leaving Seton Hall, Durant was a teacher at Ferrer Modern School from 1911 to 1913. Ferrer was "an experiment in libertarian education," according to Who's Who of Pulitzer Prize Winners. Alden Freeman, a supporter of the Ferrer Modern School, sponsored him for a tour of Europe. At the Modern School, he fell in love with and married a 15-year-old pupil, Chaya (Ida) Kaufman, whom he later nicknamed "Ariel". The Durants had one daughter, Ethel, and a "foster" son, Louis, whose mother was Flora—Ariel's sister. By 1914, he began to reject "intimations of human evil", notes Rubin, and to "retreat from radical social change." She summarizes the changes in his overall philosophy: Instead of tying human progress to the rise of the proletariat, he made it the inevitable outcome of the laughter of young children or the endurance of his parents' marriage. As Ariel later summarized it, he had concocted, by his mid-30s, "that sentimental, idealizing blend of love, philosophy, Christianity, and socialism which dominated his spiritual chemistry" the rest of his life. The attributes ultimately propelled him away from radicalism as a substitute faith and from teaching young anarchists as an alternative vocation. Instead, late in 1913 he embarked on a different pursuit: the dissemination of culture. In 1913, he resigned his post as teacher and married Ariel Kaufman; they had two children, Ethel and Louis. To support themselves, he began lecturing in a Presbyterian church for $5 and $10; the material for the lectures became the starting point for The Story of Civilization. Durant was director and lecturer at the Labor Temple School in New York City from 1914 to 1927 while pursuing a Ph.D. at Columbia University that he completed in 1917, the year he also served as an instructor in philosophy. Writing career In 1908, Durant worked as a reporter for Arthur Brisbane's New York Evening Journal. At the Evening Journal, he wrote several articles on sexual criminals. In 1917, while he was working on a doctorate in philosophy at Columbia University, he wrote his first book, Philosophy and the Social Problem. He discussed the idea that philosophy had not grown because it had refused to confront the actual problems of society. He received his doctorate from Columbia that same year. He was also an instructor at the university. The Story of Philosophy The Story of Philosophy originated as a series of Little Blue Books (educational pamphlets which were aimed at workers) and because it was so popular, it was republished as a hardcover book by Simon & Schuster in 1926 and became a bestseller, giving the Durants the financial independence that allowed them to travel the world several times and spend four decades writing The Story of Civilization. Will left teaching and began work on the 11-volume Story of Civilization. The Story of Civilization Throughout their writing of The Story of Civilization, the Durants strove to create what they called "integral history." They opposed the "specialization" of history, an anticipatory rejection of what some have called the "cult of the expert." Their goal was to write a "biography" of a civilization, in this case, the history of the West. Not only would it describe the usual history of the Western world's wars, the history of politics and biographies of people of greatness and villainy, but also the history of the Western world's culture, art, philosophy, religion, and the rise of mass communication. Much of The Story considers the living conditions of everyday people throughout the 2500-year period that their "story" of the West covers. These volumes also bring an unabashedly moral framework to their accounts, constantly stressing the "dominance of the strong over the weak, the dominance of the clever over the simple." The Story of Civilization is the most successful historiographical series in history. In the 1990s, an unabridged audiobook production of all 11 volumes was produced by Books On Tape and it was read by Alexander Adams (Grover Gardner). For Rousseau and Revolution (1967), the 10th volume of The Story of Civilization, the Durants were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for literature. In 1977, it was followed by one of the two high.... Discover the Will Durant popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Will Durant books.
Best Seller Will Durant Books of August 2022
Dragon's Breath
Michael GordonJuly 8, 2019GetWhat happens when a Dragon doesn't brush his teeth? Well...We all heard about the ''dragon's breath''. That's why learning proper dental care is really important for a little boy and h...
Without Mercy (A Dakota Steele FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)
Ava StrongJune 14, 2022GetMMA champ-turned-FBI Special Agent and BAU specialist Dakota Steele is as tough as they come—and as brilliant, too, able to crack serial killers that no one else can. But this new case is ...
Man Crush Monday
Kirsty MoseleyFebruary 3, 2020GetPerma-single Amy Clarke prides herself on three things: her pink hair, her Converse collection, and her ability to drink copious amounts of margarita without puking. She isn’t looking for ...
Falling for a Rake
Eve PendleNovember 29, 2021GetHe's the most notorious rake in England. She's a Perfect Lady. Their secrets will come tumbling out. . . A sexy opposites attract fake engagement romance! Lady Emily can't afford a scandal. ...
Romancing His Rival
Poppy St JamesAugust 16, 2021GetTwo enemies. One wedding. The plan was simple . . . until they started to fall for each other. Noah and Olivia are total opposites. She’s buttoned up and proper, focused en...
Right Time
Lexy TimmsFebruary 11, 2022GetDon't rush on anything. If the time is right, it will happen. Rae I've always known I was meant to get out of the dead-end side of town where I was born. Trevor is my plan. He's from t...
Outsmart Your Brain
Steven SchusterJune 8, 2020GetWhat motivates us into doing or avoiding things? Why do our predictions not reflect reality? Traditional economics claims humans are rational actors. But is this true? Think about the ...
So Wrong It's Right
Julie JohnsonNovember 2, 2018GetShelby Hunt has the perfect life, married to the perfect man. At least, that’s what anyone would think, looking at her. They couldn’t possibly know about the past five years of lonely ni...
Secrets of Willow House
Susanne O'LearyMarch 25, 2019Get‘ What a wonderful read this was! ... The definition of feel-good – reading it felt like sunshine… The first ‘feel good’ novel I’ve read this year that actually made me feel good...
iPhone User Guide
Apple Inc.September 20, 2021GetHere’s everything you need to know about iPhone, straight from Apple. This definitive guide helps you get started using iPhone with iOS 15 and discover all the amazing things it can do.
Mr. Trouble
Nana MaloneAugust 1, 2018GetYeah, I'm trouble...so what? Women like it. That and my big...bank account. Not to mention my, ah, silver tongue. I'm the prince of my world, right up until the king gets upset. My f...
Wedding Violet
Beverley OakleyMay 31, 2019GetAbandoned at the altar, Max, Lord Belvedere believes he's evaded family obligation in favour of a life of adventuring in Africa. But his ailing Aunt Euphemia has other ideas. When Max finds ...
Come Back for Me
Corinne MichaelsJanuary 7, 2020GetFrom New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes a new emotional and riveting standalone love story. One night, eight years ago, she gave me peace. No names. No prom...
Bred By The Boss #1: Alyssa
Arwen RichJuly 3, 2018GetAlyssa is untouched by any man – until her hot, demanding boss Mr. Ramirez comes into her life. Her fantasy comes true when he has his way with her, rough and unprotected. But as a result,...
Love in a Small Town
Zoe YorkOctober 6, 2020GetAre they one late-night hayride away from tumbling back into a very bad idea? Olivia Minelli needs a one-way ticket out of Pine Harbour. It's too small for both her and her ex-husband. So wh...
Falling for Prince Charming: A Feel-Good Romantic Comedy
Sophie-Leigh RobbinsSeptember 7, 2021GetFalling for your best friend's brother is tricky… unless you're keeping it a secret. Elle I never thought I'd be serving hotdogs dressed as an actual hotdog at the local amusement park. No...
The Bangover
Lili ValenteOctober 3, 2019GetNote to Self --Do NOT bang your best guy friend in the limo on the way to the swanky Vegas hotel. I give myself very good advice. Too bad I suck at taking it. If only Colin and I hadn't ...
High Conflict
Amanda RipleyApril 6, 2021GetWhen we are baffled by the insanity of the “other side”—in our politics, at work, or at home—it’s because we aren’t seeing how the conflict itself has taken over. That’s what ...
Unlocking Your Self-Confidence
James TurnbullNovember 15, 2021GetUnlock the secrets to developing self-confidence and unleash your true potential! James Turnbull's new book is primarily written as a short pocket-book guide for people with busy lives to ta...
The Crash
Skye WarrenJune 14, 2022GetCarter Morelli works alone, but his orders are clear. Pilot the small aircraft carrying the renowned photographer to a remote island. June Porter wants to stay on solid land. She doesn't...
Apple Watch User Guide
Apple Inc.September 16, 2021GetHere’s everything you need to know about Apple Watch and the Apple Watch app on iPhone, straight from Apple. This definitive guide helps you get started using Apple Watch with watchOS 8 an...
An Acquired Taste
Kelly CainJune 8, 2021GetMay the best chef win... After four years at the country’s top culinary school and several years as head chef in her mother’s restaurant, Rowan Townsend has built a notable reputation. H...
Girl, Alone (An Ella Dark FBI Suspense Thriller—Book 1)
Blake PierceDecember 16, 2020GetFBI Agent Ella Dark has studied serial killers from the time she could read, devastated by the murder of her own sister. With her photographic memory, she has obtained an encyclopedic knowle...
Bare Ass in Love
Sasha BurkeAugust 26, 2017GetThe woman's killing me. I'm not the kind of man who would normally even consider blurring the lines between landlord and tenant or boss and employee, but Summer is a walking temptation. Neur...
Lola Is Missing
Alison JamesFebruary 7, 2018Get‘I was hooked from page one and couldn’t put it down until I’d reached the end. The twists and turns just keep coming … will have you gasping in surprise.’ Goodreads Reviewer...
Let's Talk About Hard Things
Anna SaleMay 4, 2021GetFrom the host of the popular WNYC podcast Death, Sex, & Money , Let’s Talk About Hard Things is “like a good conversation with a friend” ( The New Yorker ) where “no topic is off...
Maneuver
Chelle BlissJuly 31, 2018GetThis isn’t how fairy tales typically begin, but it’s where mine starts… No money, no phone, and abandoned on the streets of Chicago. With my baby in my arms, I wander into a bar in a s...
Stop Procrastinating & Overthinking: Learn The Mind Hacks To Cure Your Procrastination Habit And Improve Your Perseverance To Overcome Laziness. Eliminate Negative Thoughts And Stop Worrying
Sebastian GoodwinMarch 25, 2021Get"I TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT IT'S STILL A NEVER-ENDING BATTLE…" Everybody knows that procrastination is the biggest waste of time – I am talking about those moments when you imagine wha...
Persuasion
Jane AustenJune 16, 2020GetPersuasion was published in 1817, six months after Jane Austen’s death, and is the last novel she completed in full. The novel tells the story of Anne Elliot, now in her late 20s, the daug...
Calamity Rayne: Gets A Life
Lydia MichaelsJanuary 20, 2017GetAn awkward girl's account of inexperience, sexual mishaps, and too much tequila... Needing a change, Rayne Meyers—a.k.a. Calamity Rayne—sets out to be a personal assistant for one of the...
Man In The Water
Jon HillOctober 5, 2021GetAn attempted murder. A missing spouse. And an international conspiracy that could change the world. Jack Green has always been skeptical of so-called facts. Though he's forced to confront th...
A Lot Like Home
Kathryn CantrellMay 21, 2018GetDestiny isn't a thing in her world. Smooth-talking strangers need not apply... Superstition Springs native Havana Nixon is convinced letting a big developer into their tiny Texas oasis is th...
The Baltic Run
Charles WhitingJune 15, 2020GetFrom the carnage of war a new hero is born. 1920. The slaughter of World War One is over, but already secret little wars are breaking out all over 'New Europe'. Sub-Lieutenant de Vere Smith ...
Don't Play With Odin
Cynthia EdenJuly 13, 2021GetBig, bad, and currently out of his element... Odin Shaw thought he’d spend his life on a battlefield. But fate had other plans, and now the former Special Forces operative has just landed ...
The Chase
Elle KennedyAugust 6, 2018GetNew York Times bestseller! Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from international bestselling author Elle Kennedy! Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because the...
Become A Better Version of Yourself
Ben LeightonFebruary 22, 2015GetThis ebook contains golden nuggets on how to motivate, inspire and improve your current situation. It encompasses the holistic view of self improvement from mental& emotional wellbeing, ...
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott FitzgeraldApril 10, 1925GetAn Apple Books Classics edition. The Roaring Twenties are in full effect in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s riveting classic. Man-about-town Jay Gatsby seems to have it all, including loads of money...
The Deal
Elle KennedyFebruary 24, 2015GetThe international bestseller! Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy! She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy… Hannah We...
Make Me Wilder
Serena BellMay 20, 2021GetShe's a city girl. I'm a mountain man. This shouldn't work. So why can't I stay away? Gabe: I promised my dad I’d take care of the Wilder family adventure business, including my rowdy co-w...
Contract with a SEAL
Kate AsterSeptember 7, 2016GetSome contracts are meant to be broken... Desperate to shake herself free from the humiliation of a very public divorce, TV financial correspondent Vi Owens makes a deal with a Navy SEAL Comm...
The Girl Outside: A Shocking and Gripping Psychological Thriller
James CaineJune 22, 2022GetHer daughter has a dark secret. One that will turn their perfect small town upside down. Now she's missing. Mandy Knox can't shake the gut wrenching feeling that something sinister hap...
Abigail's Shop
Rachael HerronOctober 22, 2021Get“I didn’t just imply that you weren’t welcome. I’m making sure you know that’s the case.” Don’t miss the incredible first standalone in this unputdownable series th...
Scraps of Paper
Kathryn Meyer GriffithSeptember 13, 2014GetAbigail Sutton's beloved husband walks out one night, doesn't return, and two years later is found dead, a victim of a long ago crime. It's made her sympathetic to the missing and their fami...
The Cornish Village School - Breaking the Rules
Kitty WilsonJune 11, 2018GetRosy Winter is definitely not looking for love. Following heartbreak, Rosy has rebuilt her life in the beautiful Cornish village of Penmenna. Now headmistress of the local school, she is liv...
Her Dream Cowboy
Laura AnnMay 9, 2022GetShe's fulfilling her mother's dying dream, he's leaving his legacy behind... When their paths cross, can they find love despite going in different directions? Scarlett Dylan was raised in th...
Take a Chance on Me
Kathryn R. BielMay 21, 2020GetShe's finally getting her life back together. His is falling apart. It's the perfect time to take a chance. Nobody likes packing up their things and moving to a small town in the middle of n...
Chasing Romeo
Sarah ReadyMay 25, 2021GetA laugh out loud, soul mate chasing rom-com romp, Sarah Ready's Chasing Romeo is a perfect feel-good novel about finding love where you least expect it. Chloe Daniels is a starry-eyed romant...
Explicit Erotic Sex Short Stories
Brenda BlanchardJanuary 5, 2021GetBestselling Erotica Author Brenda Blanchard Is Giving Away a Collection of Some of Her Best Work! "Explicit Erotic Sex Short Stories" by Brenda Blanchard gives you a sneak peek into the sedu...
Pride and Prejudice
Jane AustenJanuary 28, 1813GetAn Apple Books Classic edition. Jane Austen’s beloved classic opens with this witty and very memorable line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a...
Lost Souls
W.J. MayNovember 22, 2018GetYour curse is your biggest strength. I just didn't know it yet. Jamie Hunt's the high school quarterback in his senior year. He's popular, smart, got the prettiest girl in the school chasing...
Best Seller Will Durant Audio Books of August 2022
- You Are a Badass®Jen Sincero$14.99
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- It Ends with Us (Unabridged)Colleen Hoover$12.99
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- How To Win Friends And Influence People (Unabridged)Dale Carnegie$14.99
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- Never Split the DifferenceChris Voss & Tahl Raz$19.99
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- The 6:20 ManDavid Baldacci$16.99
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- Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireJ.K. Rowling$39.99
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- Greenlights (Unabridged)Matthew McConaughey$14.99
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- The Last Thing He Told Me (Unabridged)Laura Dave$16.99
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- The Fellowship of the RingJ.R.R. Tolkien$19.99
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- The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph (Unabridged)Ryan Holiday$12.99
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- The HobbitJ.R.R. Tolkien$14.99
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- It Happened One SummerTessa Bailey$14.99
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- PersuasionJane Austen$0.99
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- Finding MeViola Davis$19.99
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- The Hotel NantucketElin Hilderbrand$16.99
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- The Richest Man in BabylonGeorge S. Clason$3.99
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- Unfu*k YourselfGary John Bishop$12.99
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- Good to GreatJim Collins$19.99
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- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Unabridged)James Clear$14.99
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- The Power Of Positive Thinking (Unabridged)Dr. Norman Vincent Peale$19.99
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- The Terminal List (Unabridged)Jack Carr$16.99
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- Talking to StrangersMalcolm Gladwell$14.99
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- The End of the World is Just the BeginningPeter Zeihan$24.99
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- EndureCameron Hanes$16.99
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- The Girl UpstairsGeorgina Lees$2.99
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- Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds (Unabridged)David Goggins$21.99
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- Every Summer After (Unabridged)Carley Fortune$14.99
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- Ugly Love (Unabridged)Colleen Hoover$12.99
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- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanJ.K. Rowling$25.99
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- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual EnlightenmentEckhart Tolle$19.99
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