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April 21, 2002
REVIEW: Richness of their lives
NO person can rise to the heights of glory without having imbibed a grain of madness. To whom can this saying be applied more aptly than William James Durant, the great American historian and a writer on philosophy? He lived for 96 years and this autobiography records about 92 years of this long and productive journey. His wife, Ariel Durant, is the co-author of this book. She not only shared with him 68 years of his life, but also co-authored with her husband the great and monumental work, the 11-volume The story of civilization.
Both the authors have compiled this autobiography with the help of details of their life recorded in diaries, letters, notes, etc. The book is amply divided into 31 chapters, though the authors’ eventful lives needed more pages. Here there are details of their hectic travels through the length and breadth of the US, Europe, Russia, Egypt and other places to collect source material. That is how they made personal observations of living societies, historical sites, museums and everything useful for gaining an insight into world history. Strangely enough they never went deep into Africa beyond Egypt and to Latin America and Australia.
Their most renowned work The story of civilization has been criticized on many counts, including its predominantly Eurocentric approach. But the authors have also conceded their opponents’ point of view and tried to explain their stance in the book under review. Will and Ariel have attempted to record a cultural history of human society as a whole encompassing art, literature, religion, politics and urbanization. Many of the objections came from scholars who differed from this approach. But the Durants had attempted to write not an analytical but a synthetic history of civilization for the common people in a popular style. That was the approach Will had adopted when writing his books The story of philosophy, and The pleasure of philosophy.
Both these works did a great service in making philosophy, hitherto a scarcely understood subject, comprehensible for the common reader. The success of his first books no doubt gave Durant the courage to attempt a popular history, which is authentic, concise, comprehensive, yet very interesting. He along with Ariel spent about forty years of their life in writing The story of civilization and the name, fame and reward they gained for this work, deservedly, was matchless. Durant earned a living by delivering lectures, which were highly paid, so he could support his travel and research.
Although Will dominates the dual autobiography due to his achievements, Ariel comes out as a meritorious person as well. She must be commended for adding a critical feminist dimension in The story of civilization by giving details on women’s contributions in history. Thus she highlighted the female presence in world history when this was traditionally ignored. The nascent feminist movement of the first half of the twentieth century must have received a fillip from her work.
She emerges as the more lovable, natural and forward-looking of the two in her writing and behaviour. Intellectually she proved herself worthy to be honoured with a doctorate degree. A faithful couple who had strongly advocated monogamy, integrity of family, contraception and women’s emancipation, is seen in this book struggling through brief phases of rift as well, but that was mainly due to Will’s over-indulgence in his intellectual work, the only ‘weakness’ depicted in his character.
Ariel has her feminine pride mingled with intellectual glamour. Will assumes a humble profile: though he knew well the value of his contribution in history, he also knew the worthlessness of an individual’s life.
The autobiography is unique not only in being a record of events taking place in the external world but also for being a chronicle of the intellectual evolution of the two authors. It also documents the contemporary academic culture, intellectual norms, relations between different classes of society and the ruling elite with the intelligentsia and the freedom of thought and action which has promoted the development of knowledge in the modern West.
There are many ‘lessons of history’, and some very pertinent questions too in this autobiography which are relevant to the Pakistani society today. A great historian of his time, Will also records his meetings with famous contemporaries such as Bertrand Russell, John Dewy, Picasso, and Charlie Chaplin.
The book reveals the challenges faced by Will, including the monetary problems he had to overcome, in his research and travel. It stimulates interest in history and philosophy, besides being a piece of history in its own right.
Like a good autobiography, this one has recorded the dreams and frustrations, joys and sorrows of the authors. They write about the memories of good friends and colleagues. This is a piece of comprehensive writing on nine decades of two creative lives, which is very inspiring and introspective in its contents and reflects the true human spirit of the authors.
The major problem in the book under review is the quality of its Urdu translation, which fails to convey the spirit and ingenuity of English idioms, especially in the portion written by Will. Some proper names are not transliterated correctly in Urdu. Despite this the book is a valuable addition to Urdu biography.
Aap beeti
By Will and Ariel Durant
Translated by Saud-ul-Hasan Khan
Fiction House, 18 Mozang Road, Lahore. Tel: 042-7249218
608pp. Rs350
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