Randall Stephens
The June issue of Historically Speaking is now up at Project Muse. (We couldn't be more pleased with the terrific work the Muse people are doing. Readers can finally consistently read HS on-line. Scanning back issues is now in the works.)
The June issue includes a lively forum on Charles Joyner's classic Down by the Riverside. It also contains interviews and the usual fare of insightful essays.
In "The Art of History" popular historian Ian Mortimer throws down the gauntlet. Academic historians, in his estimation, don't care all that much about writing, narrating, and dramatic story telling. "Most professional historians do not understand the art of history," he asserts. "Quite what constitutes the 'art' seems to be the problem. Is it originality of thought, a distinct literary voice, innovative writing, sensitivity to public perceptions and assumptions about the past, or clarity of expression? Or something else entirely? Whatever the answer, these suggestions by themselves indicate that some of the activities associated with the 'art' do not figure prominently in university departments. Literary skill is almost always downgraded by academics to a supplementary role—supporting an analytical process but always subordinate to it. Originality is surprisingly rarely valued in academic circles: when it is most clearly displayed, it often proves to be the catalyst for its protagonist to be declared a 'maverick.' No historical departments (as far as I know) encourage their members to be sensitive to public perceptions and assumptions. Few historians have actively explored what drama, suspense, and literary conceits can add to a narrative. Creative writing is never discussed in historical journals, even though it is implicit in the very act of writing something new. All in all, historians seem generally oblivious to the basic fact that when expressing ideas about the past, the way one writes is as important as what one writes."
I disagree with Mortimer about some of these assumptions. Seems too broad a generalization, I think. Still I find it an interesting, provocative take. See Donald A. Yerxa's interview with Mortimer in the June issue for more on the subject.
Historically Speaking (June 2010)
"Two Historians on Defeat in War and Its Causes"
Peter Paret
"U.S. Expansion and the Woman Question, 1870-1929"
Allison Sneider
"Ian Mortimer: Making History More Meaningful to Society"
"The Art of History"
Ian Mortimer
"In Search of New Narrative Frameworks: An Interview with Ian Mortimer"
Conducted by Donald A. Yerxa
"Creolization in and Beyond Charles Joyner’s Down by the Riverside: A South Carolina Slave Community A Panel Discussion"
"Introduction"
David Moltke-Hansen
"Learning from Charles Joyner"
David Hackett Fischer
"The Influence of Down by the Riverside"
Sylvia R. Frey
"Two Journeys: Honoring Charles Joyner"
James Peacock
"Creolization, Decreolization, and Being 'at Home' in the Diaspora"
Stephanie J. Shaw
"Response"
Charles Joyner
"Writing Historical Crime Novels: An Interview with Jenny White"
Conducted by Donald A. Yerxa
"Prince Henry of Portugal and the Sea Route to India"
Anthony Disney
"Faith and the Founding of Virginia"
Lorri Glover
"Letters"
Stanley Sandlar
Vivian R. Gruder
"In Grateful Memory of Max Palevsky, 1924-2010"
Blog Archive
Popular Posts
-
Randall Stephens It takes a certain temperament to be a historian. For example, you have to, at least on some level, enjoy rummaging throug...
-
Our first post comes from Heather Cox Richardson , professor of history at UMass, Amherst. Richardson is the author of a number of books on...
-
Randall Stephens Jean de Venette (ca. 1308-ca. 1369), a Carmelite friar in Paris, wrote about the horrifying devastation brought on by the ...
-
Jonathan Rees Today's guest post comes from Jonathan Rees, professor of history at Colorado State University - Pueblo. He's the auth...
-
Heather Cox Richardson On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sent his famous telegraph message, “What hath God wrought?” from the U.S. Capitol to hi...
-
I am intrigued by GPS enabled cameras. There are only a few in production and they are fairly expensive as yet, but they offer the promise ...
-
History blogging is delicate proposition. I typically look for a topic which is sufficient to fill 3-5 paragraphs with perhaps that many lin...
-
Readers, help me out here. What does a 21st century graduate student need to know in the way of digital tools and resources? I am trying to ...
-
. This from a dear friend and colleague: The History Department at San Diego State University would like to announce its fundraising efforts...
-
Randall Stephens I regularly browse the Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs Division for pictures to illustrate essays, forums...