The Lessons of History

A concise survey of the culture and civilization of mankind, The Lessons of History gathers work by Will and Ariel Durant drawn from a lifetime of research. The book presents an accessible compendium of philosophy and social progress and traces large patterns in human development. The Durants take readers through history to examine the possibilities and limitations of humanity. By juxtaposing great lives, ideas, and accomplishments with recurring cycles of war and conquest, they highlight towering themes and aim to give meaning to our own times.