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The Age of Louis XIV is the biography of a period (1648-1715) that Spengler considered the apex of modern European civilization. "Some centuries hence," Frederick the Great correctly predicted to Voltaire, "they will translate the good authors of the age of Pericles and Augustus." Those authors are lovingly treated here: Pascal, Racine, and Boileau, Madame de Sโ(R)vignโ(R), Madame de la Fayette, and above all the philosopher-dramatist Moliโยฟre, who so memorably exposed the vices and hypocrisies of the age. Central to the book is the "Sun King" himself, Louis XIV. Louis XIV ruled France for over seventy years, longer than almost any European ruler in history. He is the subject of a character study that runs through seven chapters, revealing the flesh and blood beneath the purple and the crown. He is seen at his worst in his struggle with Jansenists and Huguenots, at his best in his patronage of literature and art, and at his most human in his love affairs with Henrietta Anne of Orlโ(R)ans, Louise de La Valliโยฟre, Madame de Montespan, and Madame de Maintenon. From France the narrative passes to the Netherlands, and after pausing to examine the domestic idylls of Vermeer, shows the Dutch opening their dikes to save their land from Louis XIV and sending William of Orange to become king of England and a leader of the European alliance against Louis' hegemony. In England we contemplate the heyday of virtue under the Puritans and study the strange character of Cromwell. We see Milton's passionate career as part of the vain effort to prevent the Stuart Restoration. We find Charles II, the "Merry Monarch," with more manners than morals, attend boisterous Restoration plays; we skim the diaries of Evelyn and Pepys; and we follow Jonathan Swift from genius to insanity. Crossing the North Sea we trace the tragic heroism of Charles XII of Sweden and the attempt of Peter the Great to lead Russia from barbarism to civilization. We accompany the noble Sobieski of Poland as he rescues Vienna from the Turks. We visit Italy and Spain. We see the Jews proscribed and impoverished in Europe but rising to riches in Amsterdam and following Sabbatai Zevi in a desperate hope of regaining Palestine and freedom. All this forms the background for the "intellectual adventure" of the European mind in its passage from superstition, mythology, and intolerance to education, science, and philosophy, for this was the age when Newton and Leibniz gave simultaneous birth to calculus, when Newton bound the planets and the stars with a chain of universal gravitation. Toward the end of the volume the authors revert to their favorite subject, philosophy, and devote a full chapter, with love and care, to Spinoza. The book ends with the sunset of Le Roi Soleil: Louis punished for his aggressions by a swarm of enemies gathering around him; fighting till his people are destitute and disillusioned, till his treasury and his heart are empty; dying defeated and repentant, begging his grandson and successor not to imitate his taste for splendor and war; and followed in his funeral by the insults of the crowd. Review: Delightful - Let's face it, just about anything by Will Durant rates five stars with me, but this is a particularly delightful romp through European history. A bit shorter than some of the other volumes in this series, it still has considerable heft, and Durant's penchant for not slighting intellectual and cultural history in favor of political and military history is one of the chief aspects of his books that rescues them from academic dreariness...that and his colorful, witty writing style. Above all, Durant is not interested in institutions, organizations, structures, and other such abstract invitations to dullness; he is interested in people, and every major figure in history has a story to tell. His histories are basically composite biographies of the leading individuals of the periods he covers, and they are superb portraits of distinct eras of western civilization. I highly recommend this book even if you don't care to read all the books in the series or read them in order. A great read! Review: Slow going but worth it. - I had this in hardback and added the Kindle version to make reading this tome in bed a little easier. The Durants were great wordsmiths and proved capable of summarizing and highlighting great historical periods. I've been reading the series. I read one a year. More than that and nothing else gets read. I have a stack of books to tackle now that I just finished this volume. This volume is more about emerging philosophies and changing attitudes about religion. Some of the others are endless roles of princes killing kings. The Durants write some great sentences summarizing complicated topics in a few words. Sometimes I laugh; sometimes I just ponder that thought for a day.
| Best Sellers Rank | #9,200,712 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #323 in French History (Books) #517 in History of Civilization & Culture #11,913 in England History |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 71 Reviews |
A**H
Delightful
Let's face it, just about anything by Will Durant rates five stars with me, but this is a particularly delightful romp through European history. A bit shorter than some of the other volumes in this series, it still has considerable heft, and Durant's penchant for not slighting intellectual and cultural history in favor of political and military history is one of the chief aspects of his books that rescues them from academic dreariness...that and his colorful, witty writing style. Above all, Durant is not interested in institutions, organizations, structures, and other such abstract invitations to dullness; he is interested in people, and every major figure in history has a story to tell. His histories are basically composite biographies of the leading individuals of the periods he covers, and they are superb portraits of distinct eras of western civilization. I highly recommend this book even if you don't care to read all the books in the series or read them in order. A great read!
O**R
Slow going but worth it.
I had this in hardback and added the Kindle version to make reading this tome in bed a little easier. The Durants were great wordsmiths and proved capable of summarizing and highlighting great historical periods. I've been reading the series. I read one a year. More than that and nothing else gets read. I have a stack of books to tackle now that I just finished this volume. This volume is more about emerging philosophies and changing attitudes about religion. Some of the others are endless roles of princes killing kings. The Durants write some great sentences summarizing complicated topics in a few words. Sometimes I laugh; sometimes I just ponder that thought for a day.
A**F
The Story of Civilization
Will and Ariel Durant's eleven volume story is without a doubt the most engaging and scrumptious reads of all time! You dont just read their works, you feast on them. I have made it a life goal to read all 11 volumes before I die. So far have totally enjoyed four of them. You dont even realize your reading about the subjects at hand but feel like you are there meeting all the players in person. Highly recommend this series to anyone..
C**E
Great Historical Read
Although I'm still reading this book, I can highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning not only about Louis XIV, but what was also going on in the rest of Europe at that time. They take you into the politics of England and what happened with the beheading of the king, Civil war and events thereafter and wars between Holland. It's easy to read, albeit lengthy, but well written.
A**A
Wonderful !
Every book by the Durants is a pleasure to read. Well informed, well written and entertaining.
S**E
Easy to read
I loved this books as a child, and find them nice to reread. I found that the writing style was easy for me to read, and I wasn't as bored as when I was in class. Some of the things in them don't agree with current ideas, but in a way that makes them charming.
L**Y
Five Stars
This entire series is the height of historical writing,
J**R
Great
Will Durant has always been one of my favorites - all his books are great reads. I highly recommend all his writings.
C**S
Essential Reading For All
Just stop everything, and read or listen to the entire series. You don't have to listen in order, unless you have that inclination. It will expand your mind in a good way.
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