Billy durant was the consummate salesman, a brilliant wheelerdealer with grand plans, unflappable energy, and a fondness. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history, published by amacom. The book includes vivid, wartsandall portraits of the legends of the golden age of the automobile. Durant will, william james durant dit 18851981 published by aux editions payot a paris, collection bibliotheque historique, 194119371937, 1941 used. The lessons of history william james durant, will durant. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history. General motors was founded by william billy durant on september 16, 1908.
After establishing a carriage company in michigan in 1886, durant took over a small firm in 1903 and began to. 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. William james durant author william james durant 18851981, reporter, seminarian, and teacher, earned his ph. The durant story shows how family and entrepreneurship blended to start the largest car company in the world. 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. His bestknown books are the story of philosophy, and the 11volume story of civilization written in collaboration with his wif. By 1885 he had organized the flint road cart company, which would become a leading manufacturer of horsedrawn carriages.
Listen to lessons of history by ariel durant, will durant. For lay readers interested in the subject, however, its fine. Will durant and ariel durant, american husbandandwife writing collaborators whose story of civilization, 11 vol. Will durant 18851981 was awarded the pulitzer prize 1968 and the presidential medal of freedom 1977. Will durant and ariel durant american authors britannica. The story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in american history pelfrey, william on. Ella takes off for london to lead the life of an author, cavorting with the literary giants of the time.
European historywhat he ultimately wants to focus onis impossibly broad in scope in terms of the practice of history today. His first book, philosophy and the social problem, was published in 1917. Will durant was born in north adams, massachusetts on november 5, 1885. William james durant, 18851981, american historian and essayist, b. 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. Will durant, signed abebooks abebooks shop for books. It took them 20 years to write the entire 11 volume set. He quit high school to begin work in his grandfathers flint, michigan, lumberyard. Durant then embarked upon a lifelong project, the writing of a comprehensive history of civilization. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will durant 1926 item. In 1886 he organized the durantdort company and helped to make flint the carriage. 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. William billy durant is a legend in american history. A champion of human rights issues, such as the brotherhood of man and social reform, long before such issues.
Historical biographies and william west durant the. Heloise timbrell durant, william west durant and ella durant to england on the ss great eastern as the u. Mar 26, 2020 the archives at kettering university contain the personal papers of many early automotive pioneers, including some of billy durant. 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. Quotations by will durant, american historian, born november 5, 1885. 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.
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. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will durant. William crapo durant american industrialist britannica. Will durant the philosophy of nietzsche seldom has has a man paid so greater price for genius. 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. Willie durant and how he, with wonderful imagination, put together americas largest auto company. William pelfrey talked about his book billy, alfred, and general motors. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. 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.
Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. Morgan 1899 ella and william go to trial over estate. 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. November 5, 1885 november 7, 1981 was an american writer, historian, and philosopher. 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.
Durant had become a leading manufacturer of horsedrawn vehicles in flint, mi before making his foray into the automobile industry. This was followed by the story of philosophy 1926, an immediate best seller that opened the way for a school of popularized history. Although he didnt move to michigan until his 20s, he had connections with the state, including his grandfather, a former michigan governor. William takes the helm of the railroad and transportation empire his father started and follows his vision of grandeur in the adirondack wilderness. 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. The story of philosophy 1 the lives and opinions will. See also their the lessons of history 1968 and interpretations of life 1970. Durant american industrialist william crapo billy durant 18611947 was an american industrialist. Antique automobile billy durant fills in a masterly way the only important void remaining concerning the work of the motorcar pioneers. Sloan, my years with general motors and william gustins billy durant.
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. The result is a survey of human history, full of dazzling insights into the nature of human experience, the evolution of civilization, the. The authors devoted five decades to the study of world history and philosophy, culminating in the masterful elevenvolume story of civilization. The archives at kettering university contain the personal papers of many early automotive pioneers, including some of billy durant. The lessons of history by william james durant overdrive. 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.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Billy durant was the man who conceived general motors, later ousted by gms board of. 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. Durant and his wife were always popular historians, writing for the general public rather than writing to other professionals in order to. Their perspective, gained after a lifetime of thinking and writing about the history of humankind, is an invaluable resource.
I am thrilled to read the series and cannot recommend it enough to all history buffs. Timeline of william durants life durant family saga. Gustin was a writer and editor for twentythree years at the flint mich. Billy durant, the high school dropout, was the flamboyant dreamer and gambler, focused on personal relationships and risk.
The deal maker by axel maker is a wonderful history of the beginnings of general motors and of the american auto industry. 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. Discussionquestion how well do the books of william durant stand up. 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. 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. 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. It is refreshing to report that billy durant is one of the best researched books dealing with an automotive giant. Few write for the nonspecialist as well as will durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently. November 24, 1925 february 27, 2008 was an american public intellectual and conservative author and. The american industrialist william crapo durant 18611947 was the founder of general motors, an automobile manufacturing company. Nov 09, 2014 will durant the philosophy of nietzsche seldom has has a man paid so greater price for genius. These books are so inspiring that i could not put them down, until i managed to read them all. What follows is a guest essay by sheila myers, who is working on a historical novel based on the life of william west durant. He was earlier noted for the story of philosophy 1926, described as a groundbreaking work.
He became best known for his work the story of civilization, 11 volumes written in collaboration with his wife, ariel durant, and published between 1935 and 1975. In this compact summation of their work, will and ariel durant share the vital and profound lessons of our collective past. Durants first venture into vehicles was with josiah dort, which would become the durantdort carriage company. Smith, cofounded general motors, as well as chevrolet. Buy a cheap copy of billy, alfred, and general motors. Database of choctaw mixed blood names access genealogy. William lives at uncas and lets an apartment in new york city. Durant would need help from all his family and friends when he spearheaded the. Durant, a highschool dropout, had made his fortune building horse. Janet countersues claiming cruelty william sells uncas to j. Apr 05, 2006 william pelfrey talked about his book billy, alfred, and general motors. List of books and articles about will durant online.
In science there is an expression that theories can never be proved, only disproved. William crapo billy durant december 8, 1861 march 18, 1947. History may be seen as being dull but not when you read it by these 2 authors, wil and ariel durant. 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. 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. The complete story of civilization ebook by will durant. Saturdays contest will be televised by cptv and can also be heard on the uconn radio network. This book tells the beginnings of what would later be common names across the u. 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.
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