Making History: The Storytellers Who Shaped the Past Richard Cohen

Making History: The Storytellers Who Shaped the Past

Author: Richard Cohen
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Book Title
Making History: The Storytellers Who Shaped the Past
Author
Richard Cohen
ISBN
9781982195786
A fascinating, epic exploration of who gets to record the world's history--from Julius Caesar to William Shakespeare to Ken Burns--and how their biases influence our understanding about the past. There are many stories we can spin about previous ages, but which accounts get told? And by whom? Is there even such a thing as "objective" history? In this lively and thought-provoking book, Richard Cohen reveals how professional historians and other equally significant witnesses, such as the writers of the Bible, novelists, and political propagandists, influence what becomes the accepted record. Cohen argues, for example, that some historians are practitioners of "Bad History" and twist reality to glorify themselves or their country. Making History investigates the published works and private utterances of our greatest chroniclers to discover the agendas that informed their--and our--views of the world. From the origins of history writing, when such an activity itself seemed revolutionary, through to television and the digital age, Cohen brings captivating figures to vivid light, from Thucydides and Tacitus to Voltaire and Gibbon, Winston Churchill and Henry Louis Gates. Rich in complex truths and surprising anecdotes, the result is a revealing exploration of both the aims and art of history-making, one that will lead us to rethink how we learn about our past and about ourselves.Binding Type: HardcoverAuthor: Richard CohenPublisher: Simon & SchusterPublished: 04/19/2022ISBN: 9781982195786Pages: 784Weight: 1.90lbsReview Citations: Publishers Weekly 12/13/2021Library Journal 01/01/2022 pg. 73Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2022
A fascinating, epic exploration of who gets to record the world's history--from Julius Caesar to William Shakespeare to Ken Burns--and how their biases influence our understanding about the past.

There are many stories we can spin about previous ages, but which accounts get told? And by whom? Is there even such a thing as "objective" history? In this lively and thought-provoking book, Richard Cohen reveals how professional historians and other equally significant witnesses, such as the writers of the Bible, novelists, and political propagandists, influence what becomes the accepted record. Cohen argues, for example, that some historians are practitioners of "Bad History" and twist reality to glorify themselves or their country.

Making History investigates the published works and private utterances of our greatest chroniclers to discover the agendas that informed their--and our--views of the world. From the origins of history writing, when such an activity itself seemed revolutionary, through to television and the digital age, Cohen brings captivating figures to vivid light, from Thucydides and Tacitus to Voltaire and Gibbon, Winston Churchill and Henry Louis Gates. Rich in complex truths and surprising anecdotes, the result is a revealing exploration of both the aims and art of history-making, one that will lead us to rethink how we learn about our past and about ourselves.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Author: Richard Cohen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 04/19/2022
ISBN: 9781982195786
Pages: 784
Weight: 1.90lbs

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 12/13/2021
Library Journal 01/01/2022 pg. 73
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2022
A fascinating, epic exploration of who gets to record the world's history--from Julius Caesar to William Shakespeare to Ken Burns--and how their biases influence our understanding about the past.

There are many stories we can spin about previous ages, but which accounts get told? And by whom? Is there even such a thing as "objective" history? In this lively and thought-provoking book, Richard Cohen reveals how professional historians and other equally significant witnesses, such as the writers of the Bible, novelists, and political propagandists, influence what becomes the accepted record. Cohen argues, for example, that some historians are practitioners of "Bad History" and twist reality to glorify themselves or their country.

Making History investigates the published works and private utterances of our greatest chroniclers to discover the agendas that informed their--and our--views of the world. From the origins of history writing, when such an activity itself seemed revolutionary, through to television and the digital age, Cohen brings captivating figures to vivid light, from Thucydides and Tacitus to Voltaire and Gibbon, Winston Churchill and Henry Louis Gates. Rich in complex truths and surprising anecdotes, the result is a revealing exploration of both the aims and art of history-making, one that will lead us to rethink how we learn about our past and about ourselves.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Author: Richard Cohen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 04/19/2022
ISBN: 9781982195786
Pages: 784
Weight: 1.90lbs

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 12/13/2021
Library Journal 01/01/2022 pg. 73
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2022