The Age of Voltaire was published by Simon & Schuster in 1965. The ninth volume covered the first half of the eighteenth century (1715–1756), with Voltaire as its organizing figure. The Enlightenment — the great intellectual movement that subjected tradition, religion, and authority to the test of reason — was the Durants’ most congenial subject: they were themselves rationalist humanists, and their sympathy with the philosophes was evident throughout.
Voltaire was an ideal subject for the Durants’ biographical method — a figure whose life was as dramatic as his ideas were influential. His exile in England, his relationship with Frederick the Great, his campaigns against religious persecution, and his literary output are all covered in engaging detail.
Collecting The Age of Voltaire
First edition (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1965): Cloth binding with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $25–$60
- Very good: $10–$25
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
The Enlightenment
The Age of Voltaire (1965) is Volume IX, covering Western civilization from 1715 to 1756 — the heart of the Enlightenment. Voltaire dominates as both subject and spirit: Durant shared the philosophe’s skepticism, wit, and belief in reason. The volume also covers Frederick the Great, the rise of British empiricism, the development of modern science, and the cultural life of the salons. It is one of Durant’s most intellectually engaged volumes, reflecting his deep personal sympathy with the Enlightenment project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Durant an Enlightenment thinker himself? Very much so. His faith in reason, education, and human progress aligned him with the philosophes he wrote about. The Story of Civilization is itself an Enlightenment project — the attempt to make the whole of human experience accessible through learning.