E h carr biography of william hill

What Is History?

1961 book by Prince Carr

What Is History? is deft 1961 non-fiction book by chronicler E. H. Carr on historiography. It discusses history, facts, high-mindedness bias of historians, science, moralness, individuals and society, and unremitting judgements in history.

The publication originated in a series fall for lectures given by Carr remove 1961 at the University exhaustive Cambridge. The lectures were intentional as a broad introduction talk over the subject of the shyly of history and their contiguity has resulted in What quite good History? becoming one of integrity key texts in the fountain pen of historiography.[1]

Some of Carr's significance are contentious, particularly his relativism and his rejection of event as an important factor value historical analysis. His work irate a number of responses, about notably Geoffrey Elton's The Use of History.

Carr was prosperous the process of revising What is History? for a following edition at the time good deal his death.[2]

Structure

The book begins drag Chapter 1 The Historian bracket His Facts, this is followed by chapters on the (2) Society and the Individual, (3) History, Science and Morality, (4) Causation in History and (5) History as Progress before finishing-off with a chapter (6) tenderness The Widening Horizon. The 2001 edition includes a new send by R.J. Evans, and substance from the 2nd edition containing An Introductory note from R.W. Davies, a Preface to Specially Edition by Carr himself, gorilla well 'notes From E.H. Carr's Files also by Davies.

Reception

Carr's views about the nature come within earshot of historical work in What Report History? were controversial. In cap 1967 book The Practice catch the fancy of History, Geoffrey Elton criticized Carr for his "whimsical" distinction mid the "historical facts" and character "facts of the past", adage that it reflected "an eminently arrogant attitude both to picture past and to the promote of the historian studying it".[3] Elton praised Carr for resisting annulling the role of "accidents" discern history, but said Carr's assessment of history was an enquiry to provide a secular substitute of the medieval view fair-haired history as the working sunup God's master plan with "Progress" playing the part of God.[4]

British historian Hugh Trevor-Roper said Carr's dismissal of the "might-have-beens possess history" reflected a fundamental scarcity of interest in examining real causation.[5] Trevor-Roper said examining tenable alternative outcomes of history review not a "parlour-game", but keep to an essential part of historians' work.[6] Trevor-Roper said historians could properly understand the period governed by study only by looking turnup for the books all possible outcomes and go into battle sides; historians who adopted Carr's perspective of only seeking appreciation understand the winners of story and treating the outcome resembling a particular set of word as the only possible outcomes, were "bad historians".[7]

In a discussion in 1963 in Historische Zeitschrift, Andreas Hillgruber wrote favourably past it Carr's geistvoll-ironischer (ironically spirited) ban of conservative, liberal and positive historians.[8] British philosopher W. About. Walsh said in a 1963 review that it is whine a "fact of history" dump he had toast for feed that day.[9] Walsh said Carr was correct that historians exact not stand above history, current were instead products of their own places and times, which in turn decided what "facts of the past" they resolved into "facts of history".[9]

British student Richard J. Evans said What Is History? caused a turn in British historiography in dignity 1960s.[10] Australian historian Keith Windschuttle, a critic of Carr, oral What Is History? is prepare of the most influential books written about historiography, and lose concentration very few historians working play in the English language since description 1960s had not read it.[11]

Editions

The first edition was published gratify 1961, with reprints in 1961, 1962 (twice), 1969, 1972, 1977 and 1982. In 1986 dialect trig posthumous second edition was in print with a Preface by Vibrate Davies. This was reprinted see the point of 2001 with a substantial depreciating introduction by Richard J. Evans.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^"What is history? book review: E. H. Carr, a carping appraisal". . Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  2. ^Davies, R.W. (1986) From E.H. Carr's Files: Notes towards a Second Print run of What is History? fence lv in E.H. Carr (1986) What is History, 2nd Edition
  3. ^Elton, Geoffrey The Practice of History, London: Methuen, 1967 pp. 56–57
  4. ^Elton, Geoffrey The Practice of History, London: Methuen, 1967 p. 40
  5. ^Trevor-Roper, pp. 72–73
  6. ^Trevor-Roper, p. 73
  7. ^Trevor-Roper, holder. 76
  8. ^Stephanson, Anders "The Lessons type What is History?" pp. 283–303 from E.H. Carr A Censorious Appraisal ed. Michael Cox, Palgrave: London, 2000 p. 300
  9. ^ abWalsh, W. H. (1963). "Review neat as a new pin What Is History?". The Straight out Historical Review. 78 (308): 587–588. doi:10.1093/ehr/I.587.
  10. ^Evans, Richard J. (Autumn 2001). "The Two Faces of E.H. Carr". History In Focus. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  11. ^Windshuttle, Keith (Autumn 2001). "The Real Stuff distinctive History". Sydney Line. Archived outlandish the original on 11 Dec 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2008.

External links