The Age of Reason Begins was published by Simon & Schuster in 1961, covering European civilization from 1558 to 1648. This was the first volume to credit Ariel Durant as co-author — a belated recognition of her decades of research, writing, and editorial work on the series. The period covered was transitional: the last decades of the Renaissance, the reign of Elizabeth I, the rise of Shakespeare, the work of Galileo and Francis Bacon, and the early stirrings of the scientific revolution that would transform European thought.
The Durants’ account of Elizabethan England — Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser, the defeat of the Armada, the court intrigues — is among the most engaging sections of the entire series.
Collecting The Age of Reason Begins
First edition (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1961): Cloth binding with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $30–$80
- Very good: $10–$30
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
The Seventeenth Century
The Age of Reason Begins (1961) is Volume VII and the first to be co-authored with Ariel Durant. It covers European civilization from 1558 to 1648 — the era of Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, Galileo, and the Thirty Years’ War. The volume marks a transition in the series: Ariel’s contributions sharpened the writing and broadened the cultural coverage. Durant’s treatment of the scientific revolution — the shift from faith to reason that would transform Western civilization — is central to the volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did Ariel Durant play? From Volume VII onward, Ariel was a full co-author, contributing research, writing, and editorial judgment. Will acknowledged that her contributions made the later volumes better than the earlier ones.