The Historian's Toolbox: A Student's Guide to the Theory and Craft of History

"The Historian's Toolbox" greatly exceeded my expectations. This book covers the basics of how to research, what historians do, and the basic tools historians use. It references various books and Websites throughout. This book would greatly compliment a junior or senior level history class. Likewise it would benefit a new graduate student in history.

Written by Robert C. Williams (Vail Professor of History and Dean of Faculty Emeritus, Davidson College) The Historian's Toolbox: A Student's Guide to the Theory and Craft of History is a reader-friendly guide for aspiring historians of all skill and experience levels. Now in an updated second edition with five new chapters, The Historian's Toolbox covers everything from how to choose a good history topic and write a solid paper, to evaluating primary, secondary, and tertiary historical sources, to format guidelines for credits and acknowledgments, to historical narrative as compared to interpretation or speculation, to even the potentials and abuses of the user-modified website Wikipedia. A "must-have" guide for history majors and a useful quick-check resource for professional historians, highly recommended.

Williams gives instructors and students of history two books in one. Part one is a quick look at some of the big ideas and controversies of the profession. These short chapters on such topics as metahistory and anti-history should provide great fodder for class discussions. Part two on "the tools of history" offers good guidance on researching, writing, and thinking about history. Again, short, provocative chapters should stimulate students to think and talk about the joys and difficulties of doing quality history. I'll assign the book to my next class on historical research and writing. With this book as a guide, students will not write just another term paper; they'll know how to craft a livelier, deeper, and more revealing interpretation of the past.