The Lessons of History

By: Will, Ariel Durant

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A concise survey of the culture and civilization of mankind, The Lessons of History is the result of a lifetime of research from Pulitzer Prize–winning historians Will and Ariel Durant.

The authors devoted five decades to the study of world history and philosophy, culminating in the masterful eleven-volume Story of Civilization. In this compact summation of their work, Will and Ariel Durant share the vital and profound lessons of our collective past. Their perspective, gained after a lifetime of thinking and writing about the history of humankind, is an invaluable resource for us today. The rare archival recordings of the Durants in conversation, made from 1957–1977, illuminate our present condition and offer insightful guidance for the future.

©2004 John Little, Monica Ariel Mihell, and William James Durant Easton (P)2004 Durant archival recordings 1957-1977 used with permission of John Little, Monica Ariel Mihell, and William James Durant Easton

Patterns in History

This book is made for those of us who Ray Dalio would say are looking for "another one of those". It isn't that history repeats itself. It is more that we have not changed all that much in all of recorded history so we keep doing the same things over again. Call it a lack of options or a lack of creativity, the result is patterns that tend to manifest and repeat. This book explores those patterns juxtaposed against various frames of reference (like morality for instance).

excellent book great read

really good book and narrator just didn't like the awful sound effects between each chapter

A fast and to the point summary of history.

If you have ever complained about a book dragging on or taking ten pages to cover what could have been presented in just one then this book is not it. It is a quick review of Durant's conclusions about the success and failure of civilizations. I thought the book was well done and it included recorded discussions with Durant between each chapter which were very interesting. We have all heard it; a civilization that does not know the history of the success and failures of other civilizations is doomed to relive the mistakes of the past. This is your chance to hear a summary of all the major civilizations and their eventual demise and the reason they failed according to Durant. From the information presented in this book you can extend your reading to a more detailed look at a civilization that interests you.

Excellent history lesson

Loved it! Experienced many emotions while listening to this audiobook. What I love most and will treasure is the author's perspective on history. Schools I attended might have engaged my interest more with that perspective.

Great Summary of Their Larger Anthology

A kind of "Cliff's Notes" of their multi volume History of Civilization. Thourouly enjoyed listening to this and hearing the Durant's commentary.

Wisdom!!

Powerful lessons from History! I can see how the nature of man is still the same. The lessons mentioned are relevant today as they were throughout history.

Beautiful, Long Lost Mastery of The English Language

Chock full of thought provoking reflections on the history of civilization.
Dense with brilliant prose.
I mistakenly thought it was a modern book and did not realize until near the end that it was written in 1968! Timeless

excellent

great narration, which always makes books like this a dream to listen to. powerful lessons here.. I will be reading this again and again

The book was OK

At times it felt like the included interviews were edited with an agenda. Probably not, but it's obvious there were multiple interviews merged into one with no clear separation.

What a gem!

Absolutely love this. Great breakdown of a very sharp way of looking at history.