1Bibliophile-I
How many here have the EP edition of Will Durant’s The Story of Civilization, and what do you think of it?
2jroger1
I think it might be the finest multi-volume history ever written. I read all 11 volumes on my Kindle by taking it to breakfast and lunch over a span of 2 or 3 years. The Durants made history read like a novel.
3jhicks62
I have the EP edition, and while I have not read them all yet, I love their coverage of the history along with the cultural elements.
4HugoDumas
>1 Bibliophile-I: I read them all, a few of them twice. Perhaps it is the single greatest historical literary journey of human civilization since the beginning of recorded time, a literal tapestry of mankind’s achievements in science, art, literature, music, architecture, philosophy, politics, and theology in both times of peace and war.
The author apologizes for the amount of time he spent on writing about war; how could this be helped since mankind has been at peace a total of about 275 years in the last 60 centuries? He summarizes his life’s work beautifully in 3 small volumes: 1. Lessons from history, 2. Heroes of history, 3. Fallen leaves. EP published the first 2 in red leather.
Regarding EP’s publication in leather. They are all a drab tan with a pasted label on the spine. EP could have been more creative and published them in a more colorful design like the original Simon and Schuster edition. (See eBay dust jackets); I would have preferred something more original, decorative and inspiring like the 7 volume gorgeous F. Scott Fitzgerald set.
The books are very thick and heavy (5 pounds each), and paper thin. The distance between the bottom gilt and your bookshelf is a precarious 1/4 inch at best, guaranteed to result in loss of gilt as you slide your volume on and off your shelf a few times. Do yourself a favor with this $1,000+ investment….cut book braces to protect your books.
Finally I wish Will and Ariel Durant had lived longer perhaps so they could have taken us at least through the 19th century.
The author apologizes for the amount of time he spent on writing about war; how could this be helped since mankind has been at peace a total of about 275 years in the last 60 centuries? He summarizes his life’s work beautifully in 3 small volumes: 1. Lessons from history, 2. Heroes of history, 3. Fallen leaves. EP published the first 2 in red leather.
Regarding EP’s publication in leather. They are all a drab tan with a pasted label on the spine. EP could have been more creative and published them in a more colorful design like the original Simon and Schuster edition. (See eBay dust jackets); I would have preferred something more original, decorative and inspiring like the 7 volume gorgeous F. Scott Fitzgerald set.
The books are very thick and heavy (5 pounds each), and paper thin. The distance between the bottom gilt and your bookshelf is a precarious 1/4 inch at best, guaranteed to result in loss of gilt as you slide your volume on and off your shelf a few times. Do yourself a favor with this $1,000+ investment….cut book braces to protect your books.
Finally I wish Will and Ariel Durant had lived longer perhaps so they could have taken us at least through the 19th century.
5Bibliophile-I
>4 HugoDumas:, I’ve held the volumes of this set at a local used and rare bookstore. Heavy, yes, in more ways than one. However, the binding will last, unlike the original trade editions. I hope EP will publish a nice edition of Fallen Leaves. That’s a dream of mine.
Join to post
