Arnold Toynbee and the Western Tradition

The Author: Marvin Perry taught history at Baruch College, City University of New York. His books include An Intellectual History of Modern Europe; Western Civilization: A Brief History; Toynbee Reappraisals (co-editor); and Jewish-Christian Encounters Over the Centuries (co-editor).

"Marvin Perry makes the intellectual structure of Toynbee's massive 'A Study of History' conveniently accessible to readers for whom the bulk of the original is too much to wrestle with. It goes further by also assessing Toynbee's intellectual importance, balancing his critics with his admirers, and offering an informed judgment about how Toynbee compels us at the close of the twentieth century to reexamine the faith in reason (to which Perry himself adheres) and to recognize the critical role that 'volcanic eruptions of the irrational' continue to play in human affairs. This is indeed no small lesson to be drawn from Toynbee's pages." (From the Foreword by William H. McNeill, Distinguished Service Professor of History, Emeritus, University of Chicago and author of 'Arnold Toynbee: A Life')
"Marvin Perry deserves our gratitude for restoring Toynbee to our attention. As we approach a new millennium, we urgently need his all-inclusive historical perspective and spiritual insights. While pointing out Toynbee's limitations, this book affirms the timelessness of his message." (Theodore H. Von Laue, Frances and Jacob Hiatt Professor of European History (Emeritus), Clark University)
"In an age of globalization, this balanced account of the life and thought of the pioneering ecumenical historian, Arnold Toynbee, takes on added significance. Perry's is a clear and thoughtful treatment of major themes related to our understanding of the nature of civilization and our Western traditions, especially those concerning reason and religion." (Bruce Mazlish, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)