Historians on History

by John Tosh

This Reader brings together the key writings of the major historians of the last century. They illuminate the political, social and personal assumptions which have governed and sustained historical practice and theory. The book also brings into focus the key historiographic trends since World War Two. Key themes which are highlighted

- The role of sources
- The nation
- Marxism
- Radicalism
- Structural history
- Gender
- Race
- Statistics and economics

Ranging widely from the earlier traditions and schools to the wake of postmodernism, authors represented include Braudel, Zeldin, Elton Carr, Hobsbawm, Joyce and Evans.

This Reader provides the core reading for all History and Theory courses and will promote further debate across cognate disciplines including philosophy and literature.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Grad School, Academic, School

360 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2000

About the author

John A. Tosh is a British historian and Professor Emeritus of History at Roehampton University. He gained his BA at the University of Oxford and his MA at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded his PhD by the University of London in 1973; his thesis topic being "Political Authority among the Langi of Northern Uganda, circa 1800–1939". He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. In 1987–88, he held a visiting appointment at the University of California, Davis. At Roehampton University, he teaches History, specifically "Reading and Writing History". He served as Vice-President of the Royal Historical Society from 1999 to 2002. He has also published several works on the history of masculinity in nineteenth-century Britain. He is currently preparing a critical analysis of the social applications of historical perspective in contemporary Britain.
Tosh's claim to originality and notability rests largely on his work as a historian and historiographer. Since the turn of the millennium, he has taken a leading role as a public historian in developing the history of masculinity and ensuring it has become an important dimension of social and cultural history. He has shown how domesticity, previously regarded as an aspect of women's history, also conditioned and influenced the lives of men and society. As a historiographer, he has updated the way we look at the study of history and how we construct our knowledge of the past, as well as providing insight into the works of other historians and their impact on the study of the subject.
He is the father of philosopher Nick Tosh.

Reviews

[bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

a bunch of people yapping about how and why to study history...

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brain Food: Spinach
Scandal Level: Historians giving side-eye to other historians
Violence: underhanded compliments
Must be ___ old to read: 18 and interesting in historical theory
Read if you liked: history textbooks, the really dry kind.
Re-readability: Not if I don't have to.
Thoughts: This book is great for what it is. An opportunity to read what a bunch of different historians have said about historical theory and lenses of study. However, most of the excerpts are dry, the only interesting parts are when historians take snipes at other historians in super underhanded ways, but that doesn't happen enough. Ah well, I learned a lot but it wasn't very fun.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially a collection of excerpts, grouped thematically, from various distinguished historians and academics talking about the study of history and its importance. There are various sub-sections involving the usual themes such as gender, postcolonialism, postmodernism, et al. I did have to say that, although some of the excerpts elucidate, a lot of them are invariably dry and dusty and there are so many collected here that it threatens to overwhelm as a whole.

[MBethRock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great edited essay collection

[Lily Zitko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good resource for those exploring different schools of historical thought. A nice introduction to different historians as well.

[Starbubbles · Rating 5 out of 5]

for what it is, it's really good. it's filled with tiny blurbs from over a big span of time from big name historians on various aspects of history. truly fascinating, but not always easy to read. i read lots of passages at least three times.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.