Making History: The Storytellers Who Shaped the Past by Richard Cohen
A “supremely entertaining” ( The New Yorker ) exploration of who gets to record the world’s history—from Julius Caesar to William Shakespeare to Ken Burns—and how their biases influence our understanding about the past. There are many stories we can spin about previous ages, but which accounts get told? And by whom? Is there even such a thing as “objective” history? In this “witty, wise, and elegant” ( The Spectator ), book, Richard Cohen reveals how professional historians and other equally significant witnesses, such as the writers of the Bible, novelists, and political propagandists, influence what becomes the accepted record. Cohen argues, for example, that some historians are practitioners of “Bad History” and twist reality to glorify themselves or their country. “Scholarly, lively, quotable, up-to-date, and fun” (Hilary Mantel, author of the bestselling Thomas Cromwell trilogy), Making History investigates the published works and private utterances of our greatest chroniclers to discover the agendas that informed their—and our—views of the world. From the origins of history writing, when such an activity itself seemed revolutionary, through to television and the digital age, Cohen brings captivating figures to vivid light, from Thucydides and Tacitus to Voltaire and Gibbon, Winston Churchill and Henry Louis Gates. Rich in complex truths and surprising anecdotes, the result is a revealing exploration of both the aims and art of history-making, one that will lead us to rethink how we learn about our past and about ourselves. Read more
It took me several weeks to read through Richard Cohen's Making History, because I enjoyed it so much that I didn't want it to end. I've loved reading history since I was an elementary school student, and I spent my working years teaching history to high school students in a system just outside of Atlanta, so I'm naturally biased in favor of any book dealing with the subject, but even if I hadn't had a background in the subject I'm sure I would have loved this book, because it is so compulsively readable and, to put it frankly, Fun! Richard Cohen is an editor with wide experience in publishing as well as an author himself, a former professor of creative writing, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Arranged roughly though not exclusively in chronological order, the book deals with historians beginning with the Greeks and Romans and carrying on into the twenty first century. It is primarily focused on Western History, though Islamic, Chinese, Indian, and Japanese historians and publications are referred to as well. One of the aspects of Making History that appealed to me most was the biographical vignettes Cohen provides throughout the book, so that eminent names like Gibbon, Voltaire, Ranke, and Macaulay gained new humanity for me. Another vitally important aspect of the book is the thorough way in which Cohen discusses ongoing controversies and changing interpretations of history, underlining that the subject is not, as many believe, writ in stone but infinitely fluid. Making History will be one of the books I keep close at hand for reference purposes as well as for dipping into to enjoy once again the fine writing and keen observations with which it is filled.
Publisher -> Simon & Schuster (April 19, 2022) Language -> English Hardcover -> 784 pages ISBN-10 -> 1982195789 ISBN-13 -> 978-1982195786 Item Weight -> 1.9 pounds Dimensions -> 6.13 x 1.5 x 9.13 inches Best Sellers Rank: #17,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #7 in Historiography (Books) #57 in History of Civilization & Culture #378 in Historical Biographies (Books)
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