The Age of Reason Begins: A History of European Civilization in the Period of Shakespeare, Bacon, Montaigne, Rembrandt, Galileo, and Descartes: 1558-1648Simon and Schuster, 1961 - 729 pages If there is a linchpin to understanding modern European history, it lies in the period of religious strife & scientific progress between the 1550s & 1650s. In The Age of Reason Begins, Will & Ariel Durant bring together a fascinating network of stories in their discussion of the bumpy road toward the Enlightenment. This is the age of great monarchs & greater artists: on the one hand, Elizabeth the First of England, Philip II of Spain & Henry IV of France; on the other, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Montaigne & Rembrandt. It also encompasses the heyday of Bacon, Galileo, Giordano Bruno & Descartes--the fathers of modern science & philosophy. But it is equally an age of extreme violence, a moment in which all Europe was embroiled in the horrible Thirty Years' War--in some respects, the real First World War. Whatever the case, this is a chapter in cultural history one can't set aside. "Mr & Mrs Durant are admirably lucid...This is a book that can be commended very warmly."--The New York Times. |
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The Age of Reason Begins: A History of European Civilization in the Period ... Will Durant,Ariel Durant No preview available - 1993 |
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Antwerp army artists Bacon beauty became Ben Jonson bishops Calvinist Cardinal Catherine Catherine de Médicis Catholic Catholicism century Charles Christ Christian Church classic Coligny condemned Council court death Descartes died drama Duke Dutch ecclesiastical El Greco Elizabeth Elizabethan Emperor England English Europe faith father France French Galileo gave Germany Gustavus Henry Henry III History Huguenots hundred Ibid Inquisition Italian Italy James Jesuits John Jonson Juan killed King land literature lived London Lord Louis Louvre Lutheran marriage married Mary Montaigne morals Netherlands nobles painted palace papal Paris Parliament peace Philip philosophy plays poet poetry political Pope portraits priests Prince Protestant Protestantism provinces Puritans Queen Reformation refused religion religious Rembrandt Renaissance revolt Richelieu Rome royal Rubens Scotland sent Shakespeare soul Spain Spanish thought thousand throne tion took Velázquez Venice victory William women wrote York