Heloise timbrell durant, william west durant and ella durant to england on the ss great eastern as the u. William lives at uncas and lets an apartment in new york city. William billy durant is a legend in american history. Durant, however, pursued such philosophical points in nearly countless books, articles, radio address, editorials, and speeches, and was cited as an important influence by many of americas more wellknown public figures, but he is best known for his 10 volume, comprehensive and opinionated but of course nonspecialist history of human. Mar 26, 2020 the archives at kettering university contain the personal papers of many early automotive pioneers, including some of billy durant. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will.
Morgan 1899 ella and william go to trial over estate. Saturdays contest will be televised by cptv and can also be heard on the uconn radio network. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will durant 1926 item. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history. Discussionquestion how well do the books of william durant stand up. I teach science, and that may be why a comment i read while researching william west durant for my novel about his life provoked me to find out where this famous builder of great camps. These books are so inspiring that i could not put them down, until i managed to read them all. William james durant author william james durant 18851981, reporter, seminarian, and teacher, earned his ph.
Timeline of william durants life durant family saga. The durant story shows how family and entrepreneurship blended to start the largest car company in the world. See also their the lessons of history 1968 and interpretations of life 1970. His bestknown books are the story of philosophy, and the 11volume story of civilization written in collaboration with his wif. William crapo durant american industrialist britannica. Database of choctaw mixed blood names access genealogy. This was followed by the story of philosophy 1926, an immediate best seller that opened the way for a school of popularized history. General motors was founded by william billy durant on september 16, 1908. Will durant 18851981 was awarded the pulitzer prize 1968 and the presidential medal of freedom 1977. Names such as cadillac, pontiac, oldsmobile, delco, and includes short biographies of walter chrysler, the dodge brothers and of course the famous ringleader, billy durant. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history by william pelfrey 2006, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. William takes the helm of the railroad and transportation empire his father started and follows his vision of grandeur in the adirondack wilderness. He was earlier noted for the story of philosophy 1926, described as a groundbreaking work.
In this compact summation of their work, will and ariel durant share the vital and profound lessons of our collective past. Durants inspiration was the 19thcentury british historian henry thomas buckle, who wrote an introduction to the history of civilization but died in damascus in 1862 before he was able to. Sloan, my years with general motors and william gustins billy durant. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history pelfrey, william on. William pelfrey talked about his book billy, alfred, and general motors. List of books and articles about will durant online. Aug 31, 2014 what follows is a guest essay by sheila myers, who is working on a historical novel based on the life of william west durant. By 1885 he had organized the flint road cart company, which would become a leading manufacturer of horsedrawn carriages. The archives at kettering university contain the personal papers of many early automotive pioneers, including some of billy durant. Billy durant was the consummate salesman, a brilliant wheelerdealer with grand plans, unflappable energy, and a fondness. Durants first venture into vehicles was with josiah dort, which would become the durantdort carriage company. He quit high school to begin work in his grandfathers flint, michigan, lumberyard. Janet countersues claiming cruelty william sells uncas to j. Charles stewart mott charles stewart mott 18751973 brought his westonmott company to flint in 1907, becoming gms largest stockholder, and dominated flints political, social, and cultural life through most of.
William crapo billy durant december 8, 1861 march 18, 1947. In this illuminating and thoughtful book, will and ariel durant have succeeded in distilling for the reader the accumulated store of knowledge and experience from their four decades of work on the ten monumental volumes of the story of civilization. The american industrialist william crapo durant 18611947 was the founder of general motors, an automobile manufacturing company. I love will durant s other books, and this one was good, up until the moment it read white races were superior, and he used the word negros. Although he didnt move to michigan until his 20s, he had connections with the state, including his grandfather, a former michigan governor. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history, published by amacom. His first book, philosophy and the social problem, was published in 1917.
Antique automobile billy durant fills in a masterly way the only important void remaining concerning the work of the motorcar pioneers. The lessons of history william james durant, will durant. History may be seen as being dull but not when you read it by these 2 authors, wil and ariel durant. Will durant, signed abebooks abebooks shop for books. It is refreshing to report that billy durant is one of the best researched books dealing with an automotive giant. For lay readers interested in the subject, however, its fine. The result is a survey of human history, full of dazzling insights into the nature of human experience, the evolution of civilization, the. I love will durants other books, and this one was good, up until the moment it read white races were superior, and he used the word negros. Will durant and ariel durant american authors britannica. Their perspective, gained after a lifetime of thinking and writing about the history of humankind, is an invaluable resource. Durant and his wife were always popular historians, writing for the general public rather than writing to other professionals in order to. In 1886 he organized the durantdort company and helped to make flint the carriage. November 5, 1885 november 7, 1981 was an american writer, historian, and philosopher. Billy, alfred, and general motors is the tale not just of the two extraordinary men of its title but also of the formative decades of twentiethcentury america, through two world wars and sea changes in business, industry, politics, and culture.
In the case of billy durant, the founder of general motors, he was like his father and also his grandfathereven though the two men were polar opposites. A leading pioneer of the united states automobile industry, he was the cofounder of general motors, one of the first and the largest corporations in the world. Durant will, william james durant dit 18851981 published by aux editions payot a paris, collection bibliotheque historique, 194119371937, 1941 used. Willie durant and how he, with wonderful imagination, put together americas largest auto company.
The book includes vivid, wartsandall portraits of the legends of the golden age of the automobile. William crapo billy durant december 8, 1861 march 18, 1947 was a leading pioneer of the united states automobile industry, who created the system of multibrand holding companies with different lines of cars. William james durant, 18851981, american historian and essayist, b. It is 1931, the heirs to a bygone fortune, william west durant and his sister ella are in the last decade of their lives and contemplating their legacy. Durant, a highschool dropout, had made his fortune building horse. Billy durant was the man who conceived general motors, later ousted by gms board of. Feel free to submit interesting articles, tell us about this cool book you just read, or start a discussion about who everyones favorite figure of minor french nobility is.
Ella takes off for london to lead the life of an author, cavorting with the literary giants of the time. Listen to lessons of history by ariel durant, will durant. Durant american industrialist william crapo billy durant 18611947 was an american industrialist. In a colorful lifetime, william billy crapo durant not only founded general motors building the worlds first automotive conglomerate in the process but clawed his way back after the. Rutgers 175, 63 big east, comes to storrs on a twogame losing streak with the huskies being its third straight ranked opponent and second consecutive topfive foe. November 24, 1925 february 27, 2008 was an american public intellectual and conservative author and. Durant then embarked upon a lifelong project, the writing of a comprehensive history of civilization. Billy durant, the high school dropout, was the flamboyant dreamer and gambler, focused on personal relationships and risk. Historical biographies and william west durant the. William crapo billy durant december 8, 1861 march 18, 1947 was a leading pioneer of the united states automobile industry, who created a system in which a company held multiple marques each seemingly independent, with different automobile lines bound under a unified corporate holding company. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Few write for the nonspecialist as well as will durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently. A brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophersplato, aristotle, bacon, spinoza, voltaire, kant, schopenhauer, spencer, nietzsche, bergson, croce, russell, santayana, james, and deweythe story of philosophy is one of the great books of our time.
A champion of human rights issues, such as the brotherhood of man and social reform, long before such issues. He spent more than fifty years writing his critically acclaimed elevenvolume series, the story of civilization the later volumes written in conjunction with his wife, ariel. Quotations by will durant, american historian, born november 5, 1885. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will durant. Smith, cofounded general motors, as well as chevrolet. Will durant and ariel durant, american husbandandwife writing collaborators whose story of civilization, 11 vol. Will durant was born in north adams, massachusetts on november 5, 1885. In 1973 he wrote the first edition of billy durant, which won the mckean memorial cup for historical research from the antique automobile club of america. Durant would need help from all his family and friends when he spearheaded the. Buy a cheap copy of billy, alfred, and general motors.
Gustin was a writer and editor for twentythree years at the flint mich. Nov 09, 2014 will durant the philosophy of nietzsche seldom has has a man paid so greater price for genius. The lessons of history by william james durant overdrive. The complete story of civilization ebook by will durant. European historywhat he ultimately wants to focus onis impossibly broad in scope in terms of the practice of history today.
What follows is a guest essay by sheila myers, who is working on a historical novel based on the life of william west durant. I am thrilled to read the series and cannot recommend it enough to all history buffs. Durant had become a leading manufacturer of horsedrawn vehicles in flint, mi before making his foray into the automobile industry. It took them 20 years to write the entire 11 volume set. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. The authors devoted five decades to the study of world history and philosophy, culminating in the masterful elevenvolume story of civilization. Will durant the philosophy of nietzsche seldom has has a man paid so greater price for genius. The deal maker by axel maker is a wonderful history of the beginnings of general motors and of the american auto industry. Apr 05, 2006 william pelfrey talked about his book billy, alfred, and general motors. In science there is an expression that theories can never be proved, only disproved. William returns to visit the estate he once possessed in the adirondacks to speak with the current owner, copper magnate harold hochschild, who is writing a history of the region and wants to.