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The Age of Louis XIV
- The Story of Civilization, Book 8
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 36 hrs and 28 mins
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Publisher's summary
The Age of Louis XIV is the biography of a period (1648 - 1715) that Spengler considered the apex of modern European civilization. "Some centuries hence," Frederick the Great correctly predicted to Voltaire, "they will translate the good authors of the age of Pericles and Augustus." Those authors are lovingly treated here: Pascal, Racine, and Boileau, Madame de Sévigné, Madame de la Fayette, and above all the philosopher-dramatist Molière, who so memorably exposed the vices and hypocrisies of the age.
Central to the audiobook is the "Sun King" himself, Louis XIV. Louis XIV ruled France for over seventy years, longer than almost any European ruler in history. He is the subject of a character study that runs through seven chapters, revealing the flesh and blood beneath the purple and the crown. He is seen at his worst in his struggle with Jansenists and Huguenots, at his best in his patronage of literature and art, and at his most human in his love affairs with Henrietta Anne of Orléans, Louise de La Vallière, Madame de Montespan, and Madame de Maintenon.
From France the narrative passes to the Netherlands, and after pausing to examine the domestic idylls of Vermeer, shows the Dutch opening their dikes to save their land from Louis XIV and sending William of Orange to become king of England and a leader of the European alliance against Louis' hegemony.
In England, we contemplate the heyday of virtue under the Puritans and study the strange character of Cromwell. We see Milton's passionate career as part of the vain effort to prevent the Stuart Restoration. We find Charles II, the "Merry Monarch", with more manners than morals, attend boisterous Restoration plays; we skim the diaries of Evelyn and Pepys; and we follow Jonathan Swift from genius to insanity.
Crossing the North Sea, we trace the tragic heroism of Charles XII of Sweden and the attempt of Peter the Great to lead Russia from barbarism to civilization.
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In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
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The Pagan World
- By arnold e andersen md Dr Andersen on 03-28-20
By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, and others
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Napoleon's Hemorrhoids…And Other Small Events That Changed History
- By: Phil Mason
- Narrated by: LJ Ganser
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Hilarious, fascinating, and a roller coaster of dizzying, historical what-ifs, Napoleon's Hemorrhoids is a potpourri for serious historians and casual history buffs. In one of Phil Mason's many revelations, you'll learn that Communist jets were two minutes away from opening fire on American planes during the Cuban missile crisis, when they had to turn back as they were running out of fuel. You'll discover that before the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon's painful hemorrhoids prevented him from mounting his horse to survey the battlefield.
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They just throw the facts too fast
- By Concerned_llama on 12-11-20
By: Phil Mason
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The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome
- By: Gregory S. Aldrete, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
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The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome traces the breathtaking history from the empire’s foundation by Augustus to its Golden Age in the 2nd century CE through a series of ever-worsening crises until its ultimate disintegration. Taught by acclaimed Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, these 24 captivating lectures offer you the chance to experience this story like never before, incorporating the latest historical insights that challenge our previous notions of Rome’s decline.
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Gregory S. Aldrete is a treasure
- By Laurel Tucker on 02-04-19
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Tribal Justice
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- Narrated by: Allison Herrera
- Length: 1 hr and 21 mins
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On September 26, 2020, Michael was in a great mood. He’d recently returned home to Oklahoma after years in the military. He’d bought a house and had a job teaching and coaching basketball at the local high school. But that night, Michael’s life would turn upside down. Around two o’clock in the morning, he heard people banging on the doors and windows of his home. He called 911 for help. This is the story of what happened next, and why. To understand it, we have to go back to the Trail of Tears that the Five Tribes were forced to walk.
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The next great battleground for Native America and Racial Justice
- By AGifford on 10-14-24
By: Allison Herrera, and others
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Where to start
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Louis XIV, known as the Grand Monarch, or the Sun King, was a sovereign of the House of Bourbon who reigned as King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His reign of 72 years is the longest recorded of any monarch in European history. In the age of absolutism, Louis XIV's France was the leader in the growing centralization of power.
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Where to start
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Horror and randomness of war
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What listeners say about The Age of Louis XIV
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- smusson
- 04-26-22
Excellent job
I love these books. They are very detailed. I find that any Jeopardy question I could answer easily from listening to this series!
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- Mike Stacey
- 05-14-23
Again, incredible
Another immaculate work of story telling of the history of all. The reading is also excellent, as always
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- Raleigh
- 10-11-17
Most Inclusive History of the Period Yet
The Story of Civilization is a fascinating read. This book, in particular, shed extensive light on a period not necessarily clear to non-Europeans. And none of the histories I've read / listened to by far have had the courage the Durants have to create a digestible but inclusive series of history.
The Day-long duration is kind of intimidating and unappetizing, but when you started listening, it sinks in very fast and you soon realize you've gone through quite a number of hours just by listening to the book. However, the length also means quite a number of the stories told would inevitably be forgotten during the listen, so it's worth repeating the book several times.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Bryan
- 03-19-23
Great continuation to the series
This is by far my least favorite of the series thus far, not due to the quality of the writing but due to the era itself. I was expecting so much more but really the section on Louie the 14th was quite minimal for this installment to be named for him. A better title would have been, "The age of reason, part 2", for that part of the work is more than five stars, just as the proceeding installments were. I definitely recommend this to anybody interested in wanting to know more about the era or interested in this wonderful series.
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Overall
- mariejeanne
- 03-07-18
TRUE RESEARCH
The complex and thoroughness of each volume is amazing especially when published before age of computers. Kudos to Durants
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Overall
- Geoff
- 03-10-17
outstanding!
I have read three of the volumes in this series. this is a fine example of the writings of Durant.
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- Anonymous User
- 07-30-23
Another Wonderful Historical Anthology.
Another simply wonderful account of history. What I live about Durant's writing is that he covers all aspects of life during the times and then places events and personalities in perspective over time, contribution to their field of endeavor, and relative juxtaposition as compared to others in the field. I wish I had paid more attention in history class (or maybe so little time was given to the topic that the paucity of my understanding of European history is not surprising). I am a more learned person for getting through the several volumes completed so far. On to the next.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-19-24
All the great thinkers and inventions and events that coincided with Louis XIV’s reign.
I loved the exhaustive breadth and depth of this entire series. told with all the passion and conviction that Western Civilization deserves.
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- DeMar Southard
- 10-10-17
Great history books!
Loved every minute. Narrator is great. The Durante are masters of the English language. Someday I'll have these in my physical library to re-read.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Joseph Cousins
- 11-12-19
Exceptional broad summary
Exceptional summary of the evolution of European civilization during the reign of Louis XIV. It covers the political situation ( of kings, parlaments, wars), art (painting, theater, literature, some music), science and mathematics, religion and philosophy, culture, war, technology. I plan to read the entire series of the Story of Civilization.
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