The Age of Voltaire cover art

The Age of Voltaire

A History of Civlization in Western Europe from 1715 to 1756, with Special Emphasis on the Conflict between Religion and Philosophy

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

The Age of Voltaire

By: Will Durant, Ariel Durant
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £23.24

Buy Now for £23.24

About this listen

The Age of Voltaire, the ninth volume of The Story of Civilization, is an in-depth examination of France and England in the first half of the 18th century. In this masterful work, listeners will encounter:

  • The English ideas that inspired the Enlightenment in France - skepticism, scientific experiment, constitutional government, "natural rights", and individual liberty
  • The salons of Paris, where the wits and thinkers of all Europe gathered to exchange ideas
  • The philosophers - intellectuals, playwrights, and poets who consulted and consorted with kings and queens
  • Voltaire himself - the incarnation of the Enlightenment and a devotee of reason who still defended religious faith
  • Mme. Pompadour, patron of the philosophers, who seduced King Louis XV and through him influenced French policy
  • The Augustan Age in English literature - Alexander Pope's poetry, Jonathan Swift's satires, and the novels of Samuel Richardson and Henry Fielding
©2015 Will and Ariel Durant (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Europe Royalty Western Europe England Middle Ages Ancient History Imperialism

Continue the series
Rousseau and Revolution cover art
Rousseau and Revolution By: Will Durant, and others
The Age of Napoleon cover art
The Age of Napoleon By: Will Durant, and others
All stars
Most relevant
Easy listening history: a sequence of potted biographies of a huge range of characters. Rather monotonous after a while, so take it in shortish sections.

Potted biographies

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.