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A Dual Autobiography

by Will Durant , Ariel Durant

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 50 ratings · 4 reviews

In this readable autobiography by the authors of The Story of Civilization, Will & Ariel Durant celebrate & examine a lifetime of ideas, friendships, triumphs & love. The story of their life together, rich in anecdotes & with the countless famous people they knew, is a passionate record of their shared experience as lovers, as spouses, as world travelers &a ...more

Hardcover , 1st , 420 pages

Published November 15th 1977 by Simon & Schuster (NYC) (first published 1977)

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The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir

Books About Wives of the Famous

89th out of 104 books — 136 voters

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Mar 14, 2008 Paulius rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Will and Ariel Durant: A Dual Autobiography (1977)

When Will was less than twenty years old he made lists of literature and people. The writing process and the people who wrote were always a passion of his. He carried this passion for individuals’ achievements into all fields of endeavor from artists and Popes to generals and kings and scientists. He had his own special talent for finding words to express himself, such as, “the difference between man and the gorilla is largely a matter of trouser ...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommends it for: Non elitist history and philosophy buffs

Shelves: biography , will-durant

I recently completed The Life of Greece, the second volume of The Story of Civilization. While writing my review, I decided to create a Will Durant shelf on my Goodreads page. Before I die, I will finish The Story of Civilization.

This is the first book by Will Durant that I ever completed. In April, 2001, I was in the midst of his first volume in The Story of Civilization series. (More about that in my next review.) I had attempted to study history in college, but being a lazy student in those d I recently completed The Life of Greece, the second volume of The Story of Civilization. While writing my review, I decided to create a Will Durant shelf on my Goodreads page. Before I die, I will finish The Story of Civilization.

This is the first book by Will Durant that I ever completed. In April, 2001, I was in the midst of his first volume in The Story of Civilization series. (More about that in my next review.) I had attempted to study history in college, but being a lazy student in those days, I would get bored. From my college texts it seemed that history was just a list of rulers and wars. I could not see how it was helping me to understand the world. Later in life I actually learned how to study by looking up the words I did not know in a dictionary, using a globe and an atlas to find locations geographically, and taking the time to ponder how I could use what I was studying in life. When I heard that Will Durant wrote books about history and philosophy (another subject that baffled me in college) with the aim of making them accessible to lay readers, I got curious.

So while making my way through Our Oriental Heritage, I discovered this autobiography of Will and his wife Ariel. Will Durant began his education studying religion, because his mother wanted him to be a priest. Like many people, not being really sure what he wanted to do or be in life, he tried to please his mother and dutifully entered the seminary after college. But his real passion lay in history and philosophy. In his autobiography he relates how the study of history and philosophy led to the loss of his religious beliefs. (More about that later as well.)

He became a teacher instead and in 1926 published a book called The Story of Philosophy. (I have read about three quarters of that one and it DID open up the mysteries of philosophy for me.) The book was a surprising bestseller and led Durant into a career as a traveling lecturer. He went all over the country, mostly by train, giving talks to many types of groups and continued to do this for most of the rest of his life. He was like a rock star of history. Between tours, he would travel the world, visiting the countries and historical sites about which he was writing; then he would go home and organize his data into books.

Back when he was still a teacher he met and married one of his students, Ariel, who was only 14 at the time! More rock star behavior. Wasn't it Jerry Lee Lewis who married a child bride? But also perhaps evidence of how deeply involved in history Durant was. Back in ancient times, plenty of women married when they were 14. Ariel became his devoted helper and by the seventh volume of The Story of Civilization, he gave her equal authorial billing.

Here is what I had to say in April 2001 when I finished A Dual Autobiography:

"I just spent almost a week of my life reading this book. It was utterly fascinating to me. Will Durant was a lover of philosophy and history. I can't even imagine how many books he must have read.

He devoted his life to writing about philosophy and history so that the common literate man could learn it, understand it, and hopefully learn from it, therefore becoming able to assist in building a lasting civilization.

I have found a new hero. I would like to read all his books, though it would take me so long. I wish I could have known him."

Yes, I was right. It is taking me years and years to get through his books. But every hour spent has turned out to be worth it. ...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I bought this book at a used book sale, because, reading the flyleaf I discovered that Ariel Durant was only 14 when she married Will Durant...and then they stayed married for 60-some years, and she collaborated with him on the later volumes of their famous work, The Story of Civilization. Fourteen years old! Even more - with her mother's permission! (This was in 1912, but still -- it was young for then, too.) I have not read any of The Story of Civilization, but hey, I've heard of it! And I hav ...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

BEAUTIFUL! I fell in love with Will Durant and everything he writes.

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About Will Durant

William James Durant was a prolific American writer, historian, and philosopher. He is best known for the 11-volume The Story of Civilization, written in collaboration with his wife Ariel and published between 1935 and 1975. He was earlier noted for his book, The Story of Philosophy, written in 1926, which was considered "a groundbreaking work that helped to popularize philosophy."

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Our Oriental Heritage (The Story of Civilization, #1)

The Story of Civilization (11 Volume Set)

Caesar and Christ (Story of Civilization, #3)

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