On the Meaning of Life

Will Durant is one of the great philosopher-historians of the twentieth century, and in this short but powerful book he tackles the ultimate question: What gives life meaning? After being confronted by a man who said he would end his life unless Durant could give him a reason to keep living, Durant realized he wasn’t satisfied with his own answer. So he wrote to one hundred of the most respected thinkers of his era, asking them what gives their lives purpose, energy, and fulfillment. The result is a fascinating collection of reflections from figures like H.L. Mencken, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and Mohandas Gandhi, followed by Durant’s own deeply personal response. The answers vary, but they converge around work, service, love, and the pursuit of something larger than ourselves as the foundations of a life worth living. Big Ideas we explore include The Letter, H.L. Mencken on laying eggs, Stefansson on carnivore, Gandhi on battling evil, and Durant answers his own questions.