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  • The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time

  • By: Will Durant
  • Narrated by: John Little
  • Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (45 ratings)

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The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time

By: Will Durant
Narrated by: John Little
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Publisher's Summary

Best-selling historian and philosopher Will Durant devoted his entire life to studying the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. Here is a summation of Durant's work, as he presents the best of world history, from "The One Hundred Best Books for an Education" to "The Ten Greatest Thinkers," "The Ten Greatest Poets," "The Ten Peaks of Human Progress," and "Twelve Vital Dates in Human History." Filled with Durant's renowned wit, knowledge, and unique ability to explain events in simple and exciting terms, it is a concise liberal arts education.
©2003 John Little and the Estate of Will Durant; 2002 John Little, Monica Ariel Mihell, and William James Durant Easton (P)2003 The Audio Partners Publishing Corp.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
World Literary History & Criticism Consciousness & Thought Epistemology History World History
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Critic Reviews

"This compact work is a gem that elevates historical writing to the level of superb literature." (Booklist)
"[An] engaging, accessible book of essays...in prose peppered with biographical bon mots and excerpts of the world's loveliest poems. Lay folks especially will find this a delightful introduction to Durant's irrepressible style." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Really interesting. Listened more than once

Really interesting, fascinating story as to what made the list and why. Seems only those that still rely on religion as their preferred crutch, could reality complain. It’s an entertaining set of lists of the best of a variety of things.

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Profile Image for Stacey

Silly Enlightenment Belief in Progress, etc.

An entertaining enough listen, and quite well narrated, but hardly to be taken seriously by anyone except those who already share the author's worldview- i.e. an Enlightenment enthusiast who has drunk the kool-aid. This is owing to its simplistic understanding of humanity, great-man theory of history approach, and continual dismissals of religion (in just about any form) as mere medieval superstition. Contemporary Christians such as Alvin Plantinga, for example, are not superstitious and under-enlightened, but highly educated and erudite. One imagines that there are also educated and aware Buddhists (for e.g.) who would object to the condescending ways in which their worldview is treated here.

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