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Heroes of History: A Brief History of Civilization from Ancient Times to the Dawn of the Modern Age Audiobook
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(3.08) - 196 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
At Will Durant's death in 1981, his personal papers were dispersed among relatives, collectors, and archive houses. Twenty years later, scholar John Little discovered the previously unknown manuscript of Heroes of History in Durant's granddaughter's garage. Written shortly before he died, these twenty-one essays serve as an abbreviated version of Durant's bestselling, eleven-volume series, The Story of Civilization. Durant traces the lives and ideas of those who have helped to define civilization, from Confucius to Shakespeare, from the Roman Empire to the Reformation, spanning thousands of years of human history. A volume of life-enhancing wit and wisdom, Heroes of History draws upon Durant's expansive knowledge and singular ability to translate distant events and complex ideas into easily accessible principles.
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"I've read history all my life, and this was a refresher course on European history, art and philosophy by Will Durant who studied it for his lifetime. Some of it was new to me, some not. But Durant breathed life into ideas that were once new. "
— Nicole (5 out of 5 stars)
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“An old-fashioned air about it…Fans of Durant’s brand of sweeping narrative history will enjoy having these final words from the master.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review -
“[Durant] again displays his talents for popularizing history, most notably a remarkable ability to summarize complicated thoughts and events in a few succinct words…This book is likely to find a wide audience among those looking for an introduction to world history.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Grover Gardner takes advantage of that rare aural bounty to weave an entertaining tapestry of great historical figures that listeners will find enjoyable as well as thoughtful.”
— AudioFile -
“For the general reader, this work will be both enjoyable and informative, providing a basis for those who wish to delve even deeper into the history of some of these civilizations.”
— Booklist
Heroes of History Listener Reviews
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Matthew M. , 9/30/2023
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" Published posthumously. I need to go back and finish this sometime -- only got to page 114. Good summaries of people important to the civilization of the world, not just the West. Quick read, but wrong time of year. "
— Lora, 12/4/2013 -
" A great book written by Will Durant, "a philosopher writing history." My favorite way to study history. "
— Brooke, 9/10/2013 -
" I loved this book because it was enlightening and educational. For the most part it is very readable and even a page turner in some parts. It basically reviews people and events who have had an impact on modern civilization and philosophy. "
— Elaine, 8/27/2013 -
" I thought this would be more about individuals, instead it was an abridged version of his history of civilization. I don't agree with him completely. about 2 1/2 stars. "
— Jeanne, 5/17/2013 -
" Excellent. What I should have learned and hopefully remember. It makes our current times seem so civilized. I'm glad I didn't live in any previous century, and get to contribute today to the emergence of a world civilization. "
— Chet, 7/9/2012 -
" I've read history all my life, and this was a refresher course on European history, art and philosophy by Will Durant who studied it for his lifetime. Some of it was new to me, some not. But Durant breathed life into ideas that were once new. "
— Nicole, 6/24/2012 -
" Wonderful book. Its my first time reading Will Durrant and I am very impressed. He walks you through history with such familiarity you'd think he'd lived through it all. The book reads like a conversation rather than a lecture. "
— Bronson, 3/8/2012 -
" Interesting walk through history from the Ancients to the Enlightenment. I learned a lot, and there's a lot to learn. The book itself is somewhat dated, so I wonder if we've learned more beyond. It can also be pretty slow going in spots. "
— Erika, 12/9/2011 -
" Overly ambitious, perhaps, but still fun to read. "
— Colin, 5/26/2011 -
" Interesting walk through history from the Ancients to the Enlightenment. I learned a lot, and there's a lot to learn. The book itself is somewhat dated, so I wonder if we've learned more beyond. It can also be pretty slow going in spots. "
— Erika, 4/27/2011 -
" I thought this would be more about individuals, instead it was an abridged version of his history of civilization. I don't agree with him completely. about 2 1/2 stars. "
— Jeanne, 7/15/2010 -
" I loved this book because it was enlightening and educational. For the most part it is very readable and even a page turner in some parts. It basically reviews people and events who have had an impact on modern civilization and philosophy. "
— Elaine, 8/17/2008 -
" Wonderful book. Its my first time reading Will Durrant and I am very impressed. He walks you through history with such familiarity you'd think he'd lived through it all. The book reads like a conversation rather than a lecture. "
— Bronson, 7/23/2008 -
" A great book written by Will Durant, "a philosopher writing history." My favorite way to study history. "
— Brooke, 4/16/2008 -
" Overly ambitious, perhaps, but still fun to read. "
— Gaius, 2/27/2008
About Will Durant
Will Durant (1885–1981) was an award-winning American writer, historian, and philosopher. He and his wife were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1968 for Rousseau and Revolution, and he was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Durant spent over forty years writing the critically acclaimed eleven-volume Story of Civilization, the later volumes with the help of his wife, Ariel. He sought to revitalize history by unifying and humanizing the great body of historical knowledge, which had become voluminous and fragmented into esoteric subcategories. He also strove to bring philosophy to the common man. Durant was a champion of human rights, social reform, and the brotherhood of man long before they became well-known issues.
About Grover Gardner
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.