Tolerance
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I believe the value of this book lies in its timeless power to sound a warning. Van Loon is not simply presenting historical materials; he holds up history as a mirror to reflect the stubborn prejudice and narrow-mindedness in human nature. Using "tolerance" as the measure of civilizational progress, his argument is especially relevant in today's era of information overload and polarized opinion. Reading this book, readers gain not only historical knowledge but also critical thinking and historical empathy, learning to understand voices different from their own. This Shanghai Translation edition offers an accurate and expressive translation that preserves van Loon's engaging storytelling style well, making it a suitable introduction for readers new to van Loon or to humanistic intellectual history. It reminds us that tolerance is not indifference but rational coexistence grounded in understanding and respect—a lesson humanity has studied for centuries and has yet to fully master.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in Western intellectual and religious history who want an accessible introduction
- Thinkers concerned with social issues who want to understand the roots of prejudice, free speech, and multicultural conflict
- Young students seeking to strengthen their humanistic literacy and historical insight
- Readers who enjoy learning history through stories and examples and are tired of dry textbooks
Not a good fit for
- Professional historians seeking rigorous academic scholarship or detailed compilation of historical sources
- Readers seeking quick success literature or purely entertaining reading
Reading tips
- Read this alongside van Loon's The Story of Mankind and The Story of the Bible for a fuller understanding of his view of history
- You need not read in chronological order; start with the historical periods or figures that interest you most
- After reading, consider: in what areas of today's society do the forms of intolerance described in the book still persist?
About the publisher
Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言
- 第一章 无知暴政
- 第二章 希腊人
- 第三章 桎梏伊始
- 第四章 众神的黄昏
- 第五章 监禁
- 第六章 纯洁生活
- 第七章 宗教法庭
- 第八章 求知欲
- 第九章 文字狱
- 第十章 关于历史写作的普遍性，和本书的特殊性
- 第十一章 文艺复兴
- 第十二章 宗教改革
- 第十三章 伊拉斯谟
- 第十四章 拉伯雷
- 第十五章 换汤不换药
- 第十六章 再洗礼派
- 第十七章 索齐尼叔侄
- 第十八章 蒙田
- 第十九章 阿明尼乌
- 第二十章 布鲁诺
- 第二十一章 斯宾诺莎
- 第二十二章 新锡安
- 第二十三章 太阳王
- 第二十四章 腓特烈大帝
- 第二十五章 伏尔泰
- 第二十六章 大百科全书
- 第二十七章 革命的不宽容
- 第二十八章 莱辛
- 第二十九章 汤姆·潘恩
- 第三十章 最后一百年
FAQ
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About the author
Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882–1944) was a Dutch-American writer and historian known for his popular works on history and the humanities. He rose to fame in 1921 with The Story of Mankind and continued writing for general readers; this catalog includes 49 of his works. Representative titles include The Story of Mankind, Tolerance, The Story of the Bible, The Home of Mankind, and Van Loon's Geography, along with collected classics and adapted editions for young readers. His writing spans world history, foreign literature, popular science, philosophy, and inspirational growth, and he was skilled at presenting complex historical developments and humanistic knowledge to a broad audience in clear, lively prose that is both informative and readable. His works have circulated widely and remain accessible introductions to Western history and culture. Public information about his detailed biography is limited, so it is not elaborated here.
