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  • The Story of Philosophy

  • The Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers
  • Written by: Will Durant
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (37 ratings)

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The Story of Philosophy

Written by: Will Durant
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's Summary

The product of 11 years of research, The Story of Philosophy is an endlessly inspiring and instructive chronicle of the world’s greatest thinkers, from Socrates to Santayana. Written with exacting and scrupulous scholarship, it was designed both to command the respect of educators and to capture the interest of the layman.

Durant lucidly describes the philosophical systems of such world-famous “monarchs of the mind” as Plato, Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Spinoza, Kant, Voltaire, and Nietzsche. Along with their ideas, he offers their flesh-and-blood biographies, placing their thoughts within their own time and place and elucidating their influence on our modern intellectual heritage. This book is packed with wisdom and wit.

Will Durant (1885-1981) was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He spent over 50 years writing his critically acclaimed 11-volume series The Story of Civilization. A champion of human-rights issues such as social reform and the brotherhood of man long before they were popular, he continues to educate and entertain readers and listeners worldwide through his writings.

©1926 Will Durant (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What the critics say

“A delight.” ( New York Times)
“Easily the most engaging writer of Western intellectual history in the English language, Will Durant breathes life into philosophers and their ideas. He is colorful, witty, and above all, informative.” (Amazon.com review)

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What listeners say about The Story of Philosophy

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Fantastic, ageless, and tremendously expansive!

Will Durant is becoming a favorite historian of mine, I wish i had found him sooner. Grover Gardner is also fantastic, his voice is incredible! I try to take in as much of his audio as I can

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