In Defence of History“A lucid, muscular, and often sly reflection” on the worth and purpose of historical scholarship by the award-winning author of The Third Reich Trilogy (Kirkus). In this volume, the renowned historian Richard J. Evans offers a fervent and deeply insightful defense of his craft and its importance to civilization. At a time when fact and historical truth are under unprecedented assault, Evans shows us why history is necessary. Taking us into the historians’ workshop, he offers a firsthand look at how good history gets written. In staunch opposition to the wilder claims of postmodern historians, Evans thoroughly dismantles the notion that a realistic grasp of history is impossible to attain. He then goes on to explain the deadly political dangers of losing a historical perspective on the way we live our lives. In the tradition of E.H. Carr’s What Is History? and G.R. Elton’s The Practice of History, Evans’ In Defense of History delivers “a model of lucid and intelligent historiographical analysis” (The Guardian, UK). |
From inside the book
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Page 16
... postmodernists to whom it is a tale told by idiots , signifying nothing but an academic job ' Bernard Crick , Independent ... ' In this lucid , rumbustious book , Richard Evans responds to the postmodernist challenge and amply satisfies ...
... postmodernists to whom it is a tale told by idiots , signifying nothing but an academic job ' Bernard Crick , Independent ... ' In this lucid , rumbustious book , Richard Evans responds to the postmodernist challenge and amply satisfies ...
Page 17
... case for historical truth ' Kevin Sharpe , Sunday Times ' Excellent reporting on the news , the views and the hues and cries that postmodernism has occasioned ' Times Literary Supplement Reconsiderations ' , History and Theory , Vol . 29.
... case for historical truth ' Kevin Sharpe , Sunday Times ' Excellent reporting on the news , the views and the hues and cries that postmodernism has occasioned ' Times Literary Supplement Reconsiderations ' , History and Theory , Vol . 29.
Page 24
... postmodernist view that language could not relate to anything except itself must , as another alarmed historian observed , ' entail the dissolution of history ' and ' necessarily jeopardizes historical study as normally understood ...
... postmodernist view that language could not relate to anything except itself must , as another alarmed historian observed , ' entail the dissolution of history ' and ' necessarily jeopardizes historical study as normally understood ...
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... postmodernist challenge , the American medievalist Nancy F. Partner , writing in 1995 , thought this same attitude ... postmodernism . ' While elsewhere , ' he noted , ' historians are at least discussing the problems of writing social ...
... postmodernist challenge , the American medievalist Nancy F. Partner , writing in 1995 , thought this same attitude ... postmodernism . ' While elsewhere , ' he noted , ' historians are at least discussing the problems of writing social ...
Page 26
... postmodernism as ' a now all- pervasive academic discourse'.18 In 1995 , even the much- maligned editor of Social History was forced to admit that as a result of the emergence of postmodernism , the optimism with which he had founded ...
... postmodernism as ' a now all- pervasive academic discourse'.18 In 1995 , even the much- maligned editor of Social History was forced to admit that as a result of the emergence of postmodernism , the optimism with which he had founded ...
Contents
22 | |
Society and the Individual | |
Objectivity and its Limits | |
Afterword | |
Further Reading | |
Index | |
About the Author | |
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Abraham academic American Historical Review Appleby approach argued argument Arthur Marwick belief Britain British Cambridge Carr's century claim concept contemporary critics critique cultural David debate Defence of History Derrida discipline discourse documents E. H. Carr E. P. Thompson Easthope economic history England Evans evidence example fact Frank Ankersmit French G. M. Trevelyan Geoffrey Elton German Hayden White historians historical knowledge historical profession historical scholarship historical writing Historiography History and Post-Modernism History London Holocaust Holocaust denial Hugh Trevor-Roper Hunt and Jacob ibid ideas ideology Intellectual History Intelligent Person's Guide interpretation J. H. Hexter Keith Jenkins kind LaCapra language Lawrence Stone linguistic turn literary Marxist meaning modern moral Namier narrative Noble Dream Novick objectivity Oxford past Patrick Joyce political postmodernism postmodernist present Purkiss quoted reality Revolution scientific sense Social History social sciences society sources thought Trevelyan Vincent written Zeldin