History: A Very Short Introduction

At first I was very skeptical of this book--how does one "introduce" history, much less do it in 123 pages? I've taken two historiography courses--one undergrad and another in graduate school--and both required very long, very dull books on the "history of history." But John Arnold does it. In this short book, Arnold covers all the basics--both the origins and development of history as a craft, as well as summaries of modern concepts of "history," "truth," and the various problems confronting historians of both past and present. And he does it all without hammering the reader with jargon or heavy-handed intellectualism. This book perfectly balances academics with clarity. Perhaps Arnold's most impressive feat is that his book is actually interesting. Having slaved through my share of histories and histories of history, this Very Short Introduction was a breath of fresh air. This book is worthwhile reading for anyone interested in history or the history of history. Highly recommended.

The book is, as claimed, a very brief introduction to history. It surveys the development of the discipline through a variety of stages, and shows the implications each has for what we now know as "history." It also inquires about and suggests answers to more philosophical questions, such as how history ought to be done and what its purpose is. While this less than authoritative approach of simply suggesting ideas instead of delaring them to be so may be frustrating to some, I found the humility of the author genuine and refreshing. More importantly though, the book is engaging. By using examples to explain critical issues, such as how sources are used or to compare different types of history, the issues cease to be abstractions and their importance comes to life. Showing the complexity and beauty of history by giving brief and engaging examples is what allows this very brief introduction to also be an excellent one. It doesn't simply give the reader a way of understanding a topic, but gives him examples to see the theory in practice. As a history student myself, I'll be strongly recommending this book to my friends and colleagues.

John Arnold shares his passions and cautions about the joys,relevance and sometime misuses of history.The reader is treated to a visit with a true intellectual.

What is contained in the pages of this text far surpasses its size, and its worth cannot be adequately represented by its low cost. I found that, using this book as part of my preparations for school, as a required reading, that it surprised me. Although I had read other books in the series before, and both enjoyed and profited from the time spent engaged in such, I must admit that I felt a certain amount of disdain for the idea of reading a book with the title -A Very Short Introduction-. After all, had I not just recently graduated with a degree in history? Did I need to be told what history was? Apparently I did, because the "history of history" contained in its few pages enlightened me as to where what I do came from. It breaks down the most fascinating evolution of theory from Thucydides to today, from each fracture and faction formed along the way, to the theories that resulted in the eventual outcome. Today, history is broken into many smaller disciplines, and if you are thinking about pursuing history in college, or just like to study it from the armchair, this book will open your eyes and entertain your mind...for two to three hours...but leave you with information that will give you an idea of just how deep the rabbit hole truly goes into the depths of time. The examples the author uses to illustrate his points are interesting (although they tended to focus on his own research area of Medieval history), and, altogether the prose was neat and the style fluid and conversational - a combination I very much enjoy!

Like others in this series, this pocket tome exposes the reader not only to an overview of the discipline of History, but also to the tone and writing style of Historians. A fine, quick read that seems to give the flavor of both History and Historians.