Tolerance

Name: Tolerance
ISBN: 9787210084099

Hendrik Willem van LoonJiangxi People's Publishing House · ChinaDec 2021

4.1

Word count: 171K words
Chapters: 33
ISBN: 9787210084099

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Summary

Published in 1925, Tolerance is one of Van Loon's representative works; by that time the popular historian was already a household name in the United States. With the magical pen in his hand he vividly depicts how, along the most conspicuous thread of Western culture, the development of Christian civilization, humanity has struggled ceaselessly against intolerance. Tolerance is a history of religion, a history of tolerance and intolerance, and a history of human bloodshed and progress. In vivid, witty language the author recounts the long history of human thought, taking major historical events and important figures as his evidence and asking whether societies and people were tolerant as his measure, revealing truth in an easy manner, advocating tolerance and peace and championing intellectual emancipation. The book is a classic work on tolerance and free thought.

Editor's review

Tolerance is a classic work of humanistic history by the Dutch-American historian Hendrik Willem van Loon, first published in 1925. It is not a strict chronological history but a profound reflection, using "tolerance" as its thread, on bigotry and intolerance in the history of human thought. In his distinctive prose, van Loon turns complex historical and intellectual issues into accessible narrative, recounting conflicts and persecutions from ancient Greece to modern Europe driven by differences of religion, race, and ideas, and revealing that intolerance often stems from fear and ignorance. He argues that rational progress, the spread of knowledge, and greater understanding are the paths to a tolerant society. The book's value lies in moving beyond specific historical events to address universal weaknesses in human nature and to offer a vision imbued with humanitarian spirit. In today's world, as civilizations and values collide ever more frequently, rereading Tolerance reminds us how precious dialogue and inclusiveness are. This edition from Lixin Accounting Publishing House offers fluent translation that preserves van Loon's friendly, insightful voice, making it a reliable introduction to the thought of this great humanist.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in intellectual history and the development of human civilization
Thinkers who want to understand the roots of social prejudice and conflict
Beginners seeking accessible classics in the humanities and social sciences
Readers who appreciate profound ideas conveyed through storytelling

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a strictly chronological, annalistic general history
Professional researchers expecting a large body of current scholarship and textual evidence

Reading tips

Read van Loon's The Story of Mankind and The Story of the Bible alongside this book for a fuller sense of his view of history
Do not fixate on the precision of specific historical facts; focus instead on the humanist spirit running through the book
The end of each chapter often distills van Loon's views most densely and rewards repeated reading

About the publisher

Jiangxi People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Jiangxi People's Publishing House is a comprehensive local publisher based in Nanchang, with publishing directions covering philosophy and social sciences, politics and economics, history and culture, education, and the collation of ancient texts. Judging from its books in the database, the house offers Chinese translations of world classics such as Ulysses, Les Fleurs du mal, and Letter from an Unknown Woman, while continuing to publish Eastern philosophical classics including The Analects, the Dao De Jing, and the fully translated and annotated edition of Chuanxilu, forming a parallel structure of Chinese and foreign literary and intellectual classics. Translators such as Xiao Qian, Wen Jieruo, and Zhang Qiuhong support its foreign literature translations, while authors such as Confucius, Laozi, Wang Zengqi, and Hai Zi reflect its accumulation in traditional classics, prose and miscellany, and modern poetry. Its common categories include world classics, Eastern philosophy, prose and miscellany, literature, foreign literature, and modern poetry, showing a publishing character that balances academic popularization with general reading.

版权信息
前言
序
第一章无知的暴虐
第二章希腊人
第三章禁锢的开始
第四章诸神之黄昏
第五章禁锢
第六章生活的纯洁
第七章宗教法庭
第八章求知的人
第九章向书籍开战
第十章关于一般历史书，尤其是本书
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
第十五章换掉旧招牌的新招牌
第十六章再洗礼派教徒
第十七章索齐尼一家
第十八章蒙田
第十九章阿米尼乌斯
第二十章布鲁诺
第二十一章斯宾诺莎
第二十二章新天国
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
第二十九章托马斯·潘恩
第三十章过去一百年

FAQ

Is this a strict history book?

Not entirely. It is closer to an essay on intellectual history, using historical events as cases to explore the idea of "tolerance." Van Loon's narrative is strongly personal and humane rather than neutral scholarship.

Are the book's views outdated today?

Its analysis of intolerance as stemming from ignorance and fear has value beyond its time. Although the historical examples predate the early twentieth century, its call for a spirit of tolerance remains deeply relevant today.

What are the features of this edition?

This edition from Lixin Accounting Publishing House is one of the Chinese translations. The translation reads smoothly and is a commonly available popular edition, suitable for readers encountering van Loon for the first time.

Comments

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About the author

Hendrik Willem van Loon Author · United States · 1882–1944

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.