The Reformation

A History of European Civilization from Wycliffe to Calvin, 1300 - 1564 (The Story of Civilization, Book 6)

De: Will Durant

Narrado por: Stefan Rudnicki

An engrossing volume on the European Reformation by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Will Durant.

The sixth volume of Durant's acclaimed Story of Civilization, The Reformationchronicles the history of European civilization from 1300 to 1564. In this masterful work, listeners will encounter

• the schism within the Roman Catholic Church and the formation of early Protestantism;
• the theology of Martin Luther and his societal impact;
• the rise of Humanism and the life of Desiderius Erasmus;
• the royal monarchies of England, France, Spain, and Italy;
• the imperial conquests of Christopher Columbus and the discovery of the Americas;
• the Bohemian revolution of Eastern Europe, the unification of Russia, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire;
• the teachings of John Calvin; and
• the Counter-Reformation of the sixteenth century.

©1957 Will Durant (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

The Power of Change

See my review of Our Oriental Heritage for my notes on the series as a whole.
This is another great volume of Durant’s great History series. This volume covers the Renaissance outside of Italy, the Reformation, and Counter-Reformation and overlaps quite a bit in time with volume 5 (The Renaissance).

The Reformation is not quite as dramatic as most of the other volumes of this series. There is a lot of politics and religion and strong historical figures but not a lot of heroes or inspiring stories. As always Durant provides a compelling integrated history of the period, going over the same period several times from the different perspectives of the historical individuals. Particularly compelling is a long overview of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation as a set of monologs by a hypothetical composite character representing the reformers, the traditional catholic, and the humanist.

This was well worth the time and I (re)learned a lot. It is quite amazing how decisions of people hundreds of years ago still effect our daily lives today. Durant tells the story of History is a way that makes one feel a part of history. He shows us quite normal individuals that made a difference centuries ago and how that difference has flowed through time all the way to us (and lets us see our own power to make such differences).

The narration was excellent with a lot of character and passion which helped keep me engaged in the stories.

A masterpiece to cherish for all times.

Beautifully read, this 6th volume of Durant's "History of Civilization" is a true gift from a brilliant mind. Henry VIIIth, Martin Luther, the Borgia Pope Alexander, Isabella and Ferdinand, these are just a few of the enormous personalities of these times. I enjoyed every minute of this audiobook. Thank you to those who made this treasure available in audio format!
Though I recommend starting from the beginning, each volume of this "Story of Civilization" is a stand-alone history. It's worth the time and money to listen to each word in this 11 volume series. Truly an amazing and engrossing work of scholarship and humanity!

Third times a charm

I’m on my third listen though of this series. I’ve listened in different orders each time. Each time I finish one, I just simply can’t wait to start the next. The Durants are master storytellers and hit both big picture and small, cultural elements of the period. Love it.

If you are interested in history...

you'll love this book. Fascinating story of European history. I'm a novice and it was captivating for me. I'm sure there is much here for the well versed, too.

Stephen Rudnicki brings the Durant monument to life

We’ve been listening to these on sleep timer before bed - the narrative is amazing and the reading magnetic. Would recommend for folks who like history and go deep.