The Practice of History by Geoffrey R. Elton

by G.R. Elton

This original and important book on the study of history is now available in a new edition. G. R. Elton's classic work is a wide-ranging, succinct and practical introduction for all students and general readers, and it makes a major contribution to the question What is history?This book sets out Elton's experience in the study, writing and teaching of history. The author perceived the work as a manifesto, an explanation of his faith and practice of the subject. The book has become a classic text for students and teachers since its first publication in 1969. This edition includes a new afterword by Richard Evans which assesses the book's relationship to Elton's work as a whole, its impact on the historical profession and its lessons for historians today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Politics, Teaching, Grad School

Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Sir Geoffrey Rudolph Elton FBA (born Gottfried Rudolf Otto Ehrenberg) was a German-born British political and constitutional historian, specialising in the Tudor period. He taught at Clare College, Cambridge, and was the Regius Professor of Modern History there from 1983 to 1988.

An strong advocate of the primacy of political and administrative history, Elton was the pre-eminent Tudor historian of his day. He also made very significant contributions to the then current debate on the philosophy of historical practice, as well as having a powerful effect on the profession through, among other things, his presidency of the Royal Historical Society.

Reviews

[Denerick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historiographical classic. Elton's ideas, though now widely rejected, were a testament to the old model of history writing. He may take some solace from the fact that even if he is now currently deshelved from more popular, postmodernist idea's, he still holds the odd old fan like myself. Long live G.R. Elton! Though he is dead!

[Shake n' Vac]

Some will see Elton as penning a defence of established order in the 1960s to rebuff the rising terror of 'history from below', and simply brush him away in that prejudicial 'old fart' fashion. I can sympathise with this view, for as a left-leaning bloke he comes across as an entitled perfectionist; indeed, he is that manager of your Sunday league team that drags you off after scoring a hat-trick as your socks are not pulled-up and hair combed. However grating he can come across, I still think that if you give him the time of day it will be you that gains.

Elton proffers a way to approach history as a part of the creative process and not simply as a reader of the work of others (and in the latter, I fully agree with the likes of Carr that you need to understand the historian before you read their history). Elton understands personal prejudice very well, but begs you not to fall for it and to not only keep an open mind but acknowledge the strengths in the argument of others. He believes in the need for evidence and while I don't support his views that areas of history cannot be studied at all through lack of evidence, thus falling back on what he sees as guessing, I can accept his general point has merit and that pure subjectivity should be clearly disclosed. Yes, evidence comes from collecting facts and then to marshal them (for those that find the f-word offensive, I apologise), but he advocates to rise above personal feelings and let them mould you. Is Elton too honest for a cynical world? Elton uses history, but how many of us tut over our want to see politicians, educationalists, journalists and a host of other professions approach their specialities in a more honest and open way...

'to be a good historian he must question his own faith and admit some virtue in the belief of others. If he allows the task of choosing among the facts of the past to deteriorate into suppression of what will not serve the cause, he loses all right to claim weight for his opinions'... Elton, p60-61.

[Ainsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

G.R.Elton is a towering figure in historiography. This book records the author's views on the writing and understanding of History. The daddy of History books. Short but dense.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding and insightful examination of history by a former Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University. I love his views concerning historiography.

[Josef Komensky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Brithish scollar reminisence of the topic of history, how to study it, hoe to write it, and how to teach it.

The book is full of dry British stiff upper Lips humor and give to the reader ( averege one ) great insiders of alle kinds of misbehavors that not only studentes but also teachers do.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This can be praised for its praise and its hard-line, Elton's prose coming through strongly. I do think it is severely flawed, that parts of it are tedious, and that some of the statements beggar belief. The afterword I read by Richard Evans was enlightening, and despite it being the 'history of historians' Elton seemed to hate, it is probably better to read that than read the whole book.

[Henry OS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elton’s a dinosaur. E. H. Carr is so clear

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying these classic treatments of history. Expert and opinionated can be a good combination.

[Grace Zhao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Partial read: p1-65 for a class and it was hard to read when I disagree with the author on some fundamental level

[Cera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to understand the side of historiography that has pretty much lost out -- the idea that "real" history is the study of what states and politicians do, and that it is possible to study these things objectively, without the values of one's own society influencing how one selects evidence. Elton is an excellent writer, and he presents his points cogently, but there were several bits that had me shaking my head at what he takes for granted. I was very glad for the afterword by Richard Evans that put Elton's work in context.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is sometimes said that historians and historiographers are like a married couple who lived together but speak to each other. Elton was a respected historian who blieved in marshalling the historical facts. Historiography was little more than ascertaining those facts and placing them in a logical order. It is all apparently very rational. What is excluded from this paradigm is any scholarly understanding of the politics and culture of the historian. It's as if the historian is seen as someone outside history itself looking in, but not acutally part of history or shaped by it.

[Emily Cannings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny but dense read! Necessary for all history students!