Rousseau and Revolution: A History of Civilization in France, England, and Germany from 1756, and in the Remainder of Europe from 1715, to 1789 (Story of Civilization, 10)

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As Described.

Undoubtedly one of the great literary and intellectual efforts of the twentieth century was the series known as "The Story of Civilization," written by Will and Ariel Durant. (Will was primarily responsible for the early volumes. He and his wife collaborated on several of the later volumes.) Beginning with "Our Oriental Heritage" and continuing through "The Age of Napoleon," the Durants composed a work that ran in total to more than 10,000 pages. A couple years back I finished the project of reading each of these volumes, a project that spanned some five years. When I completed the last of them my only wish was that Will Durant had lived longer than his ninety-plus years so that he could have written another volume or two (perhaps on post-Napoleonic history)."Rousseau and Revolution" is no exception. Like the other volumes in this series it is well worth the time and effort it takes to read it. And like the other volumes, it is a comprehensive study of the period. The geopolitical history of Europe during this period is covered in detail. This includes the history of the reign of George III in England, the Seven Years' War, the ongoing disintegration of what was left of the Holy Roman Empire, the decline of the Hapsburgs and the rise of the Hohenzollerns as a major force in Central Europe, the emergence of the British Empire, and much more. Nor is the history of the papacy during this period neglected. Even though the popes had long since lost most of their political influence, they were still major figures in the religious scene of the day, particularly in Catholic Europe, and their decisions had significant ramifications on the subsequent course of the church. (For example, it was during this time that Clement XIV abolished the Society of Jesus, an extremely nearsighted move that had disastrous consequences for the missionary efforts of the church.)But this is far more than a book about the European powers during this period. It is also a comprehensive study of the intellectual and cultural history of the era. For instance, it admirably shows how the writings of Rousseau and other European authors prepared the intellectual climate of the day for revolution.For anyone wishing for a fairly detailed overview of eighteenth century Europe to the time of the French Revolution, this is a must read.

GOOD

In this, the tenth volume in the critically acclaimed series "The Story of Civilization," Dr. will & Ariel Durant have compiled a masterful dramatic exploration of the European climate and the events which paved the way for the French Revolution.The reader will be exposed to a vivid recount of the acts of: Rousseau, who confessed his most embarassing sexual and emotional episodes. England and the rise of her overseas empire. Catherine The Great of Russia. Frederick The Great of Prussia. The German Enlightenment. Marie Antoinette. France's impotent and frustrated King Louis XVI. And much, much more including plates and maps.Written to stand alone or within the series, the Durants have composed an unparalleled historical prose in smooth flowing narrative that is easy to read and understand by both professional and layperson alike. In short, this book is for everyone. I rate it as five stars. Bravo!

Half way through the book I am so bored with "Rousseau" that I may postpone the "Revolution" until a future life. Will Durant was a shameless Francophile who devoted three of eleven massive historical studies to the life and times of Frenchmen: Voltaire, Rousseau and Napoleon. After reading the Voltaire installment, I skipped Rousseau to get to Bonaparte, inadvertently saving the worst for last. The Voltaire story bustled along because the great satirist interacted with Frederic the the Great while that stalwart was changing the face of central Europe. The Napoleon volume was fascinating because the artillery officer's rise and fall is a grand tale of hubris. Unfortunately, Durant's Rousseau book is plodder, a shameless vehicle for French historical gossip. As Durant endlessly recounts Rousseau's pig-headed exploitation of all who came near him, I asked myself why does this lout's life (as opposed to his writings) deserve attention. To learn that Rousseau kept an illiterate girl barefoot and pregnant for years, fathering four children that he gave away to a state agency was enough to sicken me on the guy. Later on, Rousseau is described as sucking up to the rich and influential, women primarily, until he either discards them for younger blood or they get bored with his puerile behavior. Yet, the author does not cringe. He quotes or paraphrases contemporaries on every page, breathlessly detailing how every one of Rousseau's personal relationships turned ugly. An example or two would have sufficed to describe this rat. It is possible that Durant was being ironic. If so, the author's frequent trips to the Thesaurus hid it well.I love reading about the French Revolution but midway through this overblown expose I fear it has already used up too much of my time.