What Is History, Now?

Hardcover / ISBN-13: 9781474622455

Price: £20

ON SALE: 23rd September 2021

Genre: Humanities / History / General & World History

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‘THE history book for now. This is why and how historians do what they do. And why they need to’ Dan Snow

What is History, Now? demonstrates how our constructs of the past are woven into our modern world and culture, and offers us an illuminating handbook to understanding this dynamic and shape-shifting subject. A thought-provoking, insightful and necessary re-examination of the subject’ Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five

‘The importance of history is becoming more evident every day, and this humane book is an essential navigation tool. Urgent and utterly compelling’ Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland

‘Important and exciting’ Kate Williams, author of Rival Queens

Inspired by the influential text WHAT IS HISTORY? authored by Helen Carr’s great-grandfather, E.H. Carr, and published on the 60th anniversary of that book, this is a groundbreaking new collection addressing the burning issue of how we interpret history today. What stories are told, and by whom, who should be celebrated, and what rewritten, are questions that have been asked recently not just within the history world, but by all of us. Featuring a diverse mix of writers, both bestselling names and emerging voices, this is the history book we need NOW.

WHAT IS HISTORY, NOW? covers topics such as the history of racism and anti-racism, queer history, the history of faith, the history of disability, environmental history, escaping imperial nostalgia, hearing women’s voices and ‘rewriting’ the past. The list of contributors includes:

Justin Bengry, Leila K Blackbird, Emily Brand, Gus Casely-Hayford, Sarah Churchwell, Caroline Dodds Pennock, Peter Frankopan, Bettany Hughes, Dan Hicks, Onyeka Nubia, Islam Issa, Maya Jasanoff, Rana Mitter, Charlotte Riley, Miri Rubin, Simon Schama, Alex von Tunzelmann and Jaipreet Virdi.

Reviews

What is History, Now? demonstrates how our constructs of the past are woven into our modern world and culture, and offers us an illuminating handbook to understanding this dynamic and shape-shifting subject. A thought-provoking, insightful and necessary re-examination of the subject for all students and lovers of history, which brings the past into the present
Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five
The importance of history is becoming more evident every day, and this humane book is an essential navigation tool. Urgent and utterly compelling
Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland
Important and exciting
Kate Williams, author of Rival Queens
THE history book for now. This is why and how historians do what they do. And why they need to.
Dan Snow
Engaging and personal
Spectator
A timely collection, varied and thought-provoking
New Statesman
What is excellent about this collection is the passion with which it champions pluralism of historical study, as well as the sheer quality of the writing... the essays in this collection are models of lucidity and literary skill.
The Critic
Simple yet intellectually sharp . . . The new volume is an active realization of the trajectory Carr proposes in What is History?, a filling of the archival gaps
Retrospect Journal
I recommend this book for tutors seeking to provoke critical thinking in their students or general readers . . . Ultimately, Lipscomb and Carr's editing shows diversity in history. It is contentious, diverse, intimate, and public, a space that contains gatekeepers and anarchists
Australian Policy and History
Fascinating
BBC History Magazine