The George Macaulay Trevelyan Lectures delivered at the University of Cambridge January - March 1961. New York Times Book Review: "... a work of rare distinction which nobody can afford to miss."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Some of the direct answers Prof. Carr gives to this stimulating question are (1) "to enable [us] to understand the society of the past" and (2) "to increase [our] mastery over the present. Discovering how he arrives at these answers is a reward in itself for anyone who cares in the least bit about the past, the present, or the future. This slim book, burgeoning with exposees and suggestions for thought, is a must-read for anyone who thinks he or she knows what history is, what it means, and what its implications are. The first lecture, "The Historian and His Facts", is a wake-up call for those who define history as a great-big collection of facts, the significance of which resides exclusively in the facts themselves. "Wie es eigentlich gewissen" was, as Prof. Carr explains, an untenable philosopy of history, since so much of what actually happened (and especially what it meant) in the past is dependent upon the biases of those involved in the actions and those involved in attempting to explain them. The five remaining lectures build on each other and make for wonderfully stimulating and interpretive reading. Built of the clarity and intermittent humor of Prof. Carr's prose, the structure of the book is well-conceived and tries to include as many of the central issues as possible, while presenting as fairly as one man can the views of those who do or did cling to conceptions of history which Prof. Carr discredits.
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Although this book is difficult to understand in places (purely by virtue of it being an academic text that has obtained deserved popularity) it is a must for anybody interested in history as a discipline. Debates in historiography have moved on a great deal since Carr wrote this text, and the advent of post-modernism has complicated many of the issues that Carr raises. However, before trying to run, one should walk, and Carr provides the basic skills needed to become a good historian. I would recommend Richard Evans 'In Defence of History' for a modern perspective.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Though published more than forty years ago, this book has contemporary relevance. A series of lectures given by the author at Cambridge University, it covers topics such as "The Historian and His Facts" and History as progress." The author rejects the notions of Hegal and Marx that history automatically has transcendent meaning. On the other hand neither it it series of random events. He tells us that all history is rinsed through the background filters of those who write it. Therefore "revisionist history" is not an occasional accident produced by over zealous observers, it is the only kind of history available to us. This a good read, perhaps marred slightly by over generalizations. The group discussion in which I participated was simulating.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Glen O'Brien
Format:Paperback
I've read a lot of history but this book reminds me that I haven't read enough books ABOUT history. This is a fascinating collection of essays well worth reading. My copy was in the marvelous Penguin classics series in the very cool orange-banded cover design. At AU$10 these little paperbacks are a real gift to the reading public.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Eric Myers
Format:Paperback
Carr explores many crucial questions in the study of history including subjectivity, point of view, and the limitations sources pose in the construction of the past itself. It's clearly written, concise, and plain-spoken, even as those reading it may be preparing to pursue history into the non-concise, un-plainly spoken world of academia. "The serious historian is the one who recognizes the historically conditioned character of all values, not the one who claims for his own values an objectivity beyond history." Highly recommend.
27 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By "spurky"
Format:Paperback
For a book on historiography, it's not gonna get any better. It really makes a big difference on how you see other historical writings and such. I don't know if this will help, but it's part of a report I did on the book:
The study of history offers new interpretations to the historian and the scholar, because it helps the historian understand his job and how to overcome problems, and it teaches the scholar to read history with a greater understanding. Just by reading Edward Carr's book, the student learns that when reading a history book, he shouldn't be concerned with just the facts in the book, but also the author and the time period in which the book was written. To fully grasp the work of the historian, he must first understand the circumstances under which the work was written. It is also beneficial to the historian himself, as Carr says, "the historian who is most conscious of his own situation is also more capable of transcending it, and more capable of appreciating the essential nature of the differences between his own society and outlook and those of other periods and other countries, than the historian who loudly protests that he is an individual and not a social phenomenon."
The study of history offers new interpretations to the historian and the scholar, because it helps the historian understand his job and how to overcome problems, and it teaches the scholar to read history with a greater understanding. Just by reading Edward Carr's book, the student learns that when reading a history book, he shouldn't be concerned with just the facts in the book, but also the author and the time period in which the book was written. To fully grasp the work of the historian, he must first understand the circumstances under which the work was written. It is also beneficial to the historian himself, as Carr says, "the historian who is most conscious of his own situation is also more capable of transcending it, and more capable of appreciating the essential nature of the differences between his own society and outlook and those of other periods and other countries, than the historian who loudly protests that he is an individual and not a social phenomenon."
Carr does not delve into ways to approach history, except for simply and sporadically. He seems to feel that history should always be studied in the same way. The only "new method" he mentioned was time itself, changing peoples perspectives and expectations of history. New historians can base their studies off of the evidence and materials of the old, and in this way, history can progress. Carr says that over time, "Nothing...occurred to alter the inductive view of historical method...first collect your facts, then interpret them."
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the book.
... Read more ›Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still THE essential work on modern historiography
The publication of What is History? in 1961 found many historians doubting both the old empirical methods and the newer methods, such as historicism. E.H. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ahram al-Yardum
2.0 out of 5 stars
Typical progressive ideology
I bought this book as an investigation on how progressives re-write history, upon recommendation; but I did not realize that the author was a Marxist who in this work does the very... Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. Duncan
5.0 out of 5 stars
If your interested in how historical writing is influence by its own...
Edward Hallet Carr makes a great contribution to meta-history by producing this book. He uses examples from antiquity until his contemporary time to critique the way the craft of... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Justin McDearmont
5.0 out of 5 stars
History and how it is made
I bought this book on impulse because it seemed relevant to my quest to make sense of the world during the global financial crisis and great recession that began in 2007. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Bruce Pulbrook
5.0 out of 5 stars
History needs both facts and interpretations
The writing in this book is crisp and clear. Carr has clearly spent time thinking about what he wants to say and says it well. This book is made up of six lectures. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Jordan Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars
What is History?
Quite provactive, and quite interesting. Allows one to see history in a different light.
Published on September 6, 2007 by Billy the Kid
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fundamental considerations!
Edward Hallet Carr makes a meticulous analysis and untired exploration around the meaning of the historian and his real role as interpreter . Read more
Published on August 24, 2004 by Hiram Gomez Pardo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Postmodernism getting you down?
Carr's work has endurance. For the more simply oriented historians, who just want to tell their story and are not interested in political agendas, you will come away from this... Read more
Published on December 20, 2000 by Bryan Gibby
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just To Spite Them
Any book which can cause so much anguish among rightist economics students, and overdressed clowns like Simon Schama should at least be looked into.
Published on February 10, 2000
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