Since its first publication in 1961 E.H. Carr's What is History? has established itself as the classic introduction to the subject. Ranging across topics such as historical objectivity, society and the individual, the nature of causation, and the possibility of progress, Carr delivered an incisive text that still has the power to provoke debate today. For this fortieth anniversary reissue, Richard J. Evans has written an extensive new introduction that discusses the origins and the impact of the book, and assesses its relevance in the age of twenty-first century postmodernism and epistemological anxiety.
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'E.H. Carr...now proves himself to be not only our most distinguished modern historian, but also one of the most valuable contributors to historical theory.' - Spectator 'As a lively, challenging view of the purpose of historical inquiry and the role of the historian...What is History? has yet to be bettered.' - David Horspool, Times Literary Supplement 'There is simply no point in talking about the principles and methodology of historical research without referring to E.H. Carr's seminal work.' - Elliot Jager, The Jerusalem Post 'By situating Carr's book historically so well, Evans...[has] provided the strongest argument yet for leaving What is History? on the shelf as a theory-of-history primer for undergraduates and for its alternative use as valuable primary evidence for the history of intellectual politics in mid-20th century Britain.' - Simon Ditchfield, Times Higher Education Supplement 'Carr's What is History? is still essential reading for all historians. The new edition introduced by Professor Evans, a leading historian and an accomplished historiographer, provides an excellent insight into Carr's life and work.' - Jonathan Haslam, author of The Vices of Integrity: E. H. Carr (1892-1982) 'E. H. Carr!proves himself to be not only our most distinguished modern historian, but also one of the most valuable contributors to historical theory.' - The Spectator
About the Author
E.H. CARR who died in 1982 at the age of ninety was a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, UK, and an Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, UK. His books include International Relations between the Two World Wars 1919-1939, The Twenty Years' Crisis 1919-1939, Nationalism and After, The New Society, What is History?, 1917: Before and After, Michael Bakunin, The Russian Revolution From Lenin to Stalin 1917-1929, the fourteen volume History of Soviet Russia and The Twilight of the Comintern 1930-1935. RICHARD J. EVANS is Professor of Modern History at University of Cambridge and author of In Defence of History.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Same Old Carr,
By
This review is from: What Is History? (Hardcover)
Carr's classic What is History? appears in this book in full text as it did in 1961. What also appears is seventy-odd pages of prefatory material. While this material, including Carr's notes toward a second edition, Carr's preface to his unwritten second edition, and an in-depth introduction by Richard J. Evans is interesting enough, none of it seemed to merit the publication of a new edition. The historiography of Carr has progressed considerably in the last forty years, and the introductory material reviews it well, but it includes nothing seminal. Furthermore, the added material lacks the colorful vivacity that characterizes Carr's What is History? The bottom line is that the meat and potatoes of Carr is still Carr, and it's just not worth spending the extra money on the new edition when there are copies of the older editions available.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky, excellent volume,
By Sirin (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: What Is History? (Hardcover)
What is History is necessarily dated - historiography does move on, seminal historical issues (the terror of the Soviet Union) have evolved and changed dramatically since the time of writing. The book is also completely biased in Carr's own skewed humanist liberal image of progress through reform, and the subjetive nature of the historian's viewpoint.
None of this spoils one jot an excellent volume (though the preface material adds little, as another reviewer has noted). It is packed with vignettes, riffs and intellectual trinkets, carefully outlying a consideration of what is history - how does causation work? Does history progress? How does the individual fit into society? There is plenty to cherish in this slim volume, many intellectual reference points, and the odd passage that will raise an odd eyebrow or two - for examole Carr's contention in the final chapter that progress only comes about by radical reform of society through reason, implying that those in the conservative, pragmatic school have offered little to nothing towards human progress. Well worth reading for anyone involved in the practice or teaching of history, or about to become involved, at whatever level.
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