The Lessons of History

This was a very short collection of essays, but the brevity didn’t detract from the writing at all. You don’t learn about fine details of any specific historical events, but Durant paints a picture of what he sees as the largest over-arching patterns throughout Human time. And due to the scale of his goal - which is more concerned with ‘history as a whole’ than anything - he mentions the Philosopher quite a lot. By that I mean it’s clear that Durant has a philosophical-bent, and he appreciates the role of philosophy throughout Human development, and he’s careful to demonstrate that side of history for us. This doesn’t mean that this is a book for or about philosophers, just that Durant finds it necessary to include that archetype (which I appreciated).

I thought the writing was splendid. Even with something like History, which many people can find dull, Durant’s writing is so lively and clever that it compels you to keep reading. Beyond the writing, the substance of the thing was satisfying. I think it helps to know a little history when reading this, as it feels more like a refresher than an introducer. It reminds you of the great journey that took us to where we are now, and of course, the great journey ahead of us.