Unlike all the previous books of this series, each of which I have awarded a perfect 5-star rating, this one was different. Unfortunately, I might add. This period is probably my favorite, but something about the writing of this volume was different to its predecessors. While all of his works tend to have very intelligent and witty humor, this one suffered from an extreme overabundance of droll remarks which made the readings of some pages almost painful; I noted none in the last few chapters, which was both surprising and warmly welcomed. Had his style been marred by this mark of senility (or did the increased contribution of his wife have something to do with it?) throughout, rather than only on occasion, I would have been even more harsh in my rating.

However, of course, this volume is brilliant, a shining light in the sea of ignorance which seems to have flooded much of the thought and lives of humanity's last five millennia. I shall never regret having dedicated so very many hours to reading the thousands of pages which constitute Will Durant's The Story of Civilization. It is a beautiful read: so charming, so erudite, so diverse. From the continuation of the religious wars and persecutions and calumnies described so vividly in the previous volumes, to the dawn of our current rational (I laugh as I write that, but compared to the eras long since past) age, Will Durant is himself the closest thing to a master of history I have ever encountered. This work as a whole shall remain on my list of most highly recommended books for however so long I shall ever have such a list.