Historiography: An Introductory Guide

by Eileen Cheng

"What is historiography?" asked the American historian Carl Becker in 1938. Professional historians continue to argue over the meaning of the term. This book challenges the view of historiography as an esoteric subject by presenting an accessible and concise overview of the history of historical writing from the Renaissance to the present. Historiography plays an integral role in aiding undergraduate students to better understand the nature and purpose of historical analysis more generally by examining the many conflicting ways that historians have defined and approached history. By demonstrating how these historians have differed in both their interpretations of specific historical events and their definitions of history itself, this book conveys to students the interpretive character of history as a discipline and the way that the historian's context and subjective perspective influence his or her understanding of the past.

Genres: History, Grad School

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2012

Reviews

[Colleen Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

No need to worry about spoilers in this book; most people will have no interest in even reading it, haha. I feel a bit confused in writing this because there is so much in the book, as in Ladis's book that I am not sure I see the point in so much of it. The book, and historiography is replete with disagreements about the purpose of history and what form it should take. For example, antiquarian was the name given to much early history that can be compared most directly to social history, as I understand them. Early historians believed that history was limited to the military and the political followed by other forms including scientific history- that is, trying to writing objective truth and using a specific formula to arrive at one's conclusions. Narrative could also be compared to antequarianism, I suppose. Social history rose in the 60's and 70's when, following the popular interest, reform was in the air and there was a demand to include ordinary people in history, followed by post modern and finally global history. All of these forms have value but as a student of history, I am not sure of the forum on which these issues are debated. What I strive for when I have chosen a subject for historical enquiry, is to find credible sources, primary as well as secondary, to analyze them, and fit them into the body of work. Moreover, when I chose a history book to read, I choose it based on the subject and the reputation of the scholar who wrote it; I read the introduction and the reviews by other scholars, and then decide whether or not to read it. I guess I am looking for the input of other historians to help me fully understand this.
As a book, I rate it highly. It is well organized, well researched, it is clear in its intent and offers solid conclusions. If historiography is your thing, you would probably appreciate this book.

[Kelli Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historiography is the study of history. Beyond that, it is the study of how historians have used various methods to gather and analyze evidence and how those methods have influenced their analysis of the past. Historians have argued over how best to represent the “truth” of past events in their writing. Cheng delves more deeply into other disagreements about historiography and the study of the past. She analyzes how the writing of history has changed over time and how historians have used a variety of methods to study and analyze evidence of past events. Cheng discusses how historians often reflect changes and issues of their own time in their writing of history; how the telling of history is often connected to the issues of the present. Cheng uses the works of various historians to illustrate how the writing of history has changed over time and how it has been connected to movements in the present during those times.

[Steve Limkeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful overview of historiographical development across time and genre. At times it is truly illuminating and at times you’ll feel bogged down in the density of competing perspectives, but such is the peril of the historiography: both in the reading and the writing, from my experience.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historiography of the historical trends and themes of how to write history. Very informative in the definitions of each trend, as well as examples of historians who practiced it. It also gave details on how each developed from the previous trend and the critics of it and its eventual lead into the next. Major historical themes discussed are narrative, scientific method and global history.

[Allie Danielson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another title for my Historiography course. It provided a good overview of some basic eras in the study of history, with details about key historians and the transformation of history over time. It got repetitive, so it was not my favorite.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of the changing nature of the historical profession. Movements and counter-movements (of course)! There are moments in this that are truly interesting, but overall it feels like I am reading a list of movements and it blurs together. Abrupt conclusion. 2-3 stars.

[Adam Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for what it is, what it sets out to accomplish and does accomplish. With that said, if you are not studying history or specifically historiography then you probably don’t have a reason to read it. Required for those who want to be historians a pass for history buffs.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this; a great introduction to historiography

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

On that grad school grind! For what it is, (an overview of historiography), it’s quite handy. Would I recommend it to everyone? Nope.

[A. B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of the history of history and how historians have conceptualized their subject. The author brings out the complexity of conceptualizations of history even before the cultural turn. She does this by exploring a general overview of each time period and a few historians and their work from that period.

Remark: the book that finally convinced me I was not so much into history as the philosophy of history.