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Rating: 
Summary: Well-written
Review: Durant's book of 900+ pages is interesting, well-written reading. He is a gifted story teller who knows his material well. He does a good job of showing the human side of his subject.
Rating: 
Summary: Savour this book...
Review: If we ask a question "What put an end to the Middle Ages (as the majority vizualizes them - barbarous, violent, uneducated, unsanitary... even if it is not really so)? To answer with author's words "Many causes through 3 centuries: the failure of the Crusades,...the resurrection of classic pagan culture, the expansion of commerce through great navigators, the rise of business class, the development of national states and Luther challenging the supernational authority of the Popes, printing". These 5 lines in short summarize the book. And although "we do nations injustice when we judge them from their kings, for morals are not made for sovereigns", you'll find accounts for all prominent monarchs of that period (to some, e.g. Yorks & Lancasters, Richard III, insane King Charles VI of France, only a dozen of lines is dedicated, analysis of lives and deeds of others - Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, Mary Tudor and Henry VIII, Ivan the Terrible, the Burgundian kings, Fransisc I occupy chapters).Approximately 1/4 of the book is dedicated to the conflict that actually brought the Reformation (church vs. state and individual)and afterwards, Contr-Reformation. As I'm not the specialist in this area, I've skipped some pages, but I'll definitely put myself together and read them later. As usual, Mr Durant guides us through all bloody and terrible wars and strifes of that age, reminding us that "from barbarism to civilization requires a century, from civilization to barbarism needs but a day". No distinguished artist, philosopher, writer escapes his scrutiny (Hans Holbein, Rableis, Durer, F. Villon - to name just a few). I was particularly hooked by chapters on development of science and medicine (A. Pare, Copernicus, Columbus, Vesalius, Paracels etc), for things that are universally known now took centuries to discover and lives to prove. After "Caesar and Christ" and "The Age of Faith", this volume makes the third "jewel" in my collection.
Rating:
Summary: The Sixth Volume in The Story of Civilization!
Review: In this, the Sixth volume in the classic series, "The Story of Civilization," Dr. Will and Ariel Durant have compiled a detailed recount of Europe's tumuluous emergence from the Middle Ages.
At over >940 pages in length, the reader will be treated to a historical narrative of: The Great Schism. The Hundred Years' War. Ferdinand and Isabella. Christopher Columbus. Martin Luther. Suleiman the Magnificent. Henry VIII. Ignatius Loyola. And much, much more including plates and maps.
Although written to stand alone, or within the series, the Durants have created a smoothly written prose of unparalleled, authoritative historical value. It is to be enjoyed by professional and layperson alike. I rate it as five stars as part of the Magnum Opus known as "The Story of Civilization."
Rating:
Summary: Voila un homme!
Review: Just as he does in the other volumes of his "Story of Civilization," Durant bites off a huge chunk of history and manages to chew it all. "The Reformation" is encyclopedic, but he still manages to achieve penetrating depth and detail about many trends, events, and people amid the three centuries that he covers. The tone of his prose is always just this side of mirthful. You will learn of the lifelong contest between Charles V and Francis I. You will learn about a day in the life of an average Briton in Henry VIII's time (dinner at 10:00 am, "supper" about 4:00, no utensils). You will read the life of Rabelais and the French Paul Bunyan that he created. You will develop an appreciation of Hans Holbein the Younger, the painter of almost photographic portraits at Henry VIII's court. You will learn of saintly popes, greedy popes, and power-hungry popes. You will read passages from Martin Luther, whose violent intolerance (and whose attitude toward bigamy) will shock you. You will learn an enormous amount from this book, and you will enjoy doing it.
Rating: 
Summary: History Is The Opinion Of The Historian
Review: Or so the point is made with Will Durant. One reads of so called historical facts and events which contradict other things I have read and researched. Use this for mere reference only. If the reader does not find a history book that agrees with his understanding of events I am quite sure there are history authors who do. For my part, I find Will Durant as biased and bigoted, and against the Catholic Church.
Rating:
Summary: Catching Up With Our Past
Review: Reading Will Durant's History of European Civilization from Wycliff to Calvin 1300-1564 will be an illuminating experience for readers unacquainted with factual descriptions of life during those years. For having views on religion or government contrary to time or country thousands died slow deaths tied to a stake surrounded by a pile of burning wood. Those who committed less serious crimes against the church or state received the kinder, quicker death of one strong blow of a sword removing their head. Even belonging to royalty was no insurance for living to an old age. With the death of a ruling king or queen, only one member of the family could inherit the throne. Therefore it was not unusual for the quick murder of potential heirs who commonly were family members. The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus is commonly taught as a wonderful event in world history. How many know that of the three ships, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, only two returned, the largest, the Santa Maria having been destroyed in a storm. The harrowing return trip in two tiny, badly over-crowded open ships, stands as one of the miracles of ocean travel. In our observation of Columbus Day do we know the initial good will of the natives was quickly lost. On a later trip Columbus observed "The Europeans had roamed the island robbing the natives of gold and women; they had established a tropical paradise with five women to each man; they had quarreled and murdered one another, and nearly all the rest had been killed by the outraged Indians. Later on in the Spanish conquest of Yucatan, the Aztec Empire and the socialistic civilization of the Incas Durant observes the conquered people were more civilized but not equal to the guns of the conquerors. Many knowledgeable insights such as these explain why Durant continues to hold the readers' attention throughout his lengthy books. It is understandable that reading nine hundred page books is anything but common practice in current times. Our average families find both husband and wife spending more hours at work with less time in the home. Nevertheless, for those who never got beyond grade school or high school Will Durant's historical books will build a factually informed education about the nature of government and religion in previous centuries preparing us for beginning the challenges of the 21st century. If you feel your mind being diminished by television's long commercials and the mere bits and bytes of news, start reading Will Durant's fascinating accounts of what was really going on inside the twists and turns of life in our European fatherland. You will soon find yourself building a more accurate picture of the countries from which we have come from and what our special gifts to the human race have been. This education will heighten your competence and self esteem as we wrestle with the changes within the United States and the world in the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: A seminal work...
Review: This is one of the largest volumes in the Story of Civilization series... Durant offers an interesting history of the times surrounding the post-Renaissance, Reformation era.
Rating: 
Summary: "The Reformation As It Was"
Review: While this is not the most precise book on the Reformation, it is the most unique, thorough, and probably the largest. It is an epitome of the entire age in general, rather than a mere focus on particulars. One third of the book lapses before a singal mention of Martin Luther is made, but this is certainly not a flaw, Durant just shows how calls to reform happened centuries before him. Most histories simply focus on Luther, Calvin, and Henry the 8th, and fail to cover the whole age of the Reformation. This is not the case here. Durant begins with the condition of the Roman Catholic Church during the Papal Schism, moves to Wycliffe, shifts to Huss, and merges them with Zwingli, Luther,etc. Some forgivable digressions are made, but they end up serving their purpose well. Will Durant, a Catholic, judges the full scope of the Reformation with impartialty, revealing the pro's and con's of both institutions with sagacity. All in all this work is industrious and inspiring.
Rating:
Summary: "The Reformation As It Was"
Review: While this is not the most precise book on the Reformation, it is the most unique, thorough, and probably the largest. It is an epitome of the entire age in general, rather than a mere focus on particulars. One third of the book lapses before a singal mention of Martin Luther is made, but this is certainly not a flaw, Durant just shows how calls to reform happened centuries before him. Most histories simply focus on Luther, Calvin, and Henry the 8th, and fail to cover the whole age of the Reformation. This is not the case here. Durant begins with the condition of the Roman Catholic Church during the Papal Schism, moves to Wycliffe, shifts to Huss, and merges them with Zwingli, Luther,etc. Some forgivable digressions are made, but they end up serving their purpose well. Will Durant, a Catholic, judges the full scope of the Reformation with impartialty, revealing the pro's and con's of both institutions with sagacity. All in all this work is industrious and inspiring.
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