Durant << duh RANT >>, Will (1885-1981), was an American historian, philosopher, and educator. He first won recognition for his book The Story of Philosophy, published in 1926. Durant began an 11-volume historical series, The Story of Civilization, in 1935 with Our Oriental Heritage and completed it in 1974 with The Age of Napoleon. His wife, Ariel, helped organize Durant’s extensive research materials and coauthored the last five volumes. Durant described the art, culture, geography, government, religion, and great men and women of different periods in Western civilization. The 10th volume, Rousseau and Revolution, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1968.
William James Durant was born on Nov. 5, 1885, in North Adams, Massachusetts. His other books written with his wife include The Lessons of History (1968), Interpretations of Life (1970), and A Dual Autobiography (1977). Durant died on Nov. 7, 1981.
