Containing some 3,000 quotations by 1,000 writers from different cultures, times, and perspectives, this book will fascinate readers who enjoy reflecting on history. Choice
This unusual work examines the literature of history and its attempts to define the meaning of history. Approximately three thousand quotations by about 1,000 prominent philosophers, writers, and historians offer diverse interpretations of the significance of historical study, ranging from history viewed as bunk to history elevated to lyric poetry.
The entries, arranged alphabetically by author, represent a variety of cultures and disciplines, and are documented as fully as possible by context, author, author birth and death dates, and vocation. Topics such as the role of the historian, the definition of history, the purpose of the study of history, and the values that history imparts broaden the scope of the work and enliven the debate over the meaning of history. Scholars, historians, and students will welcome this book, and it will also be of great use to academic and public libraries as a unique reference work.
About the Author: N. GORDON CARPER is the Dana Professor of History at Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia. His articles have appeared in the Florida Historical Quarterly, Phylon, and the Encyclopedia of Southern History. He is currently working on a forthcoming book on forced labor in the New South.
JOYCE CARPER is a Reading Specialist in the Georgia Public Schools. She received her Master's Degree in the History of Public Address from Florida State University, and she has taught speech and English at the college level.
