Early Life and Background

Will Durant was born on November 5, 1885, in North Adams, Massachusetts. He was born to French-Canadian Catholic dad and mom, Joseph Durant and Mary Allard, who had emigrated from Quebec to the USA.

Childhood and Education

Durant’s early schooling was heavily influenced by the Catholic way of life. He attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School in Jersey City, New Jersey, graduating in 1903. Following this, he enrolled at Saint Peter’s College (now Saint Peter’s University), also in Jersey City, wherein he graduated in 1907. Durant seriously thought about joining the priesthood during this time, fulfilling his mother’s wishes.

Early Career and Philosophical Awakening

After he graduated, Will Durant taught Latin and French at Seton Hall University until 1911. Durant’s worldview began to shift dramatically in this period, moving away from his Catholic upbringing and towards a more secular, philosophical outlook.

From 1911 to 1913, Durant taught at the Ferrer Modern School, defined as “an experiment in libertarian education.” It was in the course of this time that he met his future wife, Ariel Kaufman, who turned into then a fifteen-year-old student at the college.

Marriage and Family Life

In 1913, at the age of 28, Durant married Ariel Kaufman, who was then 15. Their marriage could prove to be a lifelong partnership, despite their age difference. The couple had one daughter, Ethel, and later followed a son, Louis.

Writing about work and philosophy

Durant’s writing career began in 1917 when he published his first book, “Philosophy and the Social Problem,” while pursuing a doctor of philosophy degree at Columbia University. But it was his 1926 book “The Story of Philosophy,” resulted in popularity.

“The Story of Philosophy” began as a series of educational pamphlets aimed at professionals. Due to its popularity, it was reprinted as a hardcover, became a bestseller and gave the Durrants financial freedom. This success enabled them to begin their most ambitious project, “The Story of Civilization.”

The story of civilization

Over the next forty years, Will Durant collaborated with Ariel Durant on their massive project, “The Story of Civilization.” This massive 11-volume work was intended to present a comprehensive view of Western civilization. The series began with “Our Oriental Heritage” (1935) and ended with “The Age of Napoleon” (1975).

The Durants’ writing style was unique. They sought to present history not only as a political and military series, but as a rich canvas that included philosophy, art, economics and the daily lives of ordinary people. Their work was praised for its accessibility and engaging style. The general reader understood complex history and philosophy due to their style.

Awards and recognition

The Durants’ contributions to literary and historical understanding were widely acknowledged. They won the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction in 1968 for the tenth volume of “The Story of Civilization” entitled “Rousseau and the Revolution”. In 1977, they received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Gerald Ford, acknowledging their lifetime of intellectual contributions.

Later age and legacy

In later years, the Durants wrote “Lessons from History” (1968), a summary of the themes and lessons learned from studying history and also an autobiographical synopsis, “A Dual Autobiography,” which was published in 1977.

The Durants’ love story was as remarkable as their intellectual partnership. When Will was hospitalized in his final days, Ariel stopped eating. She died on October 25, 1981. Will, upon learning of her death, followed two weeks later, dying on November 7, 1981, just two days after his 96th birthday.

The legacy of William James Durant extends beyond the books he wrote. He and Ariel popularized philosophy and history, making this information accessible to millions of readers. The notion of civilization as a complex network of human endeavors continues to influence how we understand and study history today.