A critical examination of the philosophical and historical works of William James Durant. The text traces his early intellectual development in college and seminary, his eventual rejection of Catholicism, and his studies under John Dewey at Columbia University. It examines The Story of Philosophy and The Story of Civilization, with a discussion of the critical reception to these works and outlines Durant's political philosophy, his rethinking of his early socialist convictions, and his attempt to outline a program of reform in Depression-era America. The volume concludes with a reappraisal of his life and work.