Why History?: A History

by Donald Bloxham

What is the point of history? Why has the study of the past been so important for so long? Why History? A History contemplates two and a half thousand years of historianship to establish how very different thinkers in diverse contexts have conceived their activities, and to illustrate the purposes that their historical investigations have served. Whether considering Herodotus, medieval religious exegesis, or twentieth-century cultural history, at the core of this work is the way that the present has been conceived to relate to the past. Alongside many changes in technique and philosophy, Donald Bloxham's book reveals striking long-term continuities in justifications for the discipline.

410 pages, Hardcover

Published September 2, 2020

Reviews

[مؤرخ · Rating 2 out of 5]

مسيرة الكتابة التاريخية في الغرب، من يهمه النظرة الغربية للتاريخ وكيفية كتابته فربما يجد في هذا الكتاب فائدة، ومع هذا فغيره في الموضوع نفسه أكثر فائدة، وأقل قلقًا وتأثرًا واضحا بالقضايا الثقافية المؤثرة في الغرب حاليًا والتي أثرت في جودة الكتاب وفائدته.

[Alyssa Gee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, especially since my professor recommended it for my graduate historiography class as a contemporary resource in a field dominated by older literature. Published by Oxford, it seemed promising. However, despite its comprehensive coverage of key figures and concepts in historiography, the execution falls short.

The text suffers from excessive complexity, characterized by convoluted sentences and an overly philosophical tone that veers away from the subject matter. While it may stimulate debate among philosophers, as a historian, I find it inaccessible. The author's apparent reliance on elaborate language, akin to consulting a thesaurus for every other word, obscures rather than clarifies the argument.

Nonetheless, buried beneath its stylistic challenges, the book contains valuable insights and has the potential to stand alongside seminal works like Jeremy Popkin’s Herodotus to HNet.

[Jack Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical overview is extremely thorough, but often bogged down in an unapproachable style. If the author intended to make a reference work he did a marvelous job, but the readability is lacking. Bloxham's final chapter, in which he evaluates justifications for history is wonderful, and despite my disagreements, his reflections provide an ideal starting point for further conversation.