'Intriguing and original in its discussion of why history matters and what are the problems inherent in studying it. A vivid mix of telling examples and clear-cut analysis.'-David Lowenthal, University College, London 'A stimulating and provocative introduction to one of collective humanity's most important quests- understanding the past and its relation to the present. His range of knowledge and interests is phenomenal, but his skills as a communicator makes his own subtle analysis of history's history as gripping as a novel.'-Neal Ascherson Writing with lucidity and passion, he lays out for inspection all the ways of recounting and exploiting the past through narrative which has been used from Herodotus to Hobsbawn. 'John Arnold builds around a few glittering fragments of the past- a medieval murderer, a 17th-century pension to an abandoned wife, a speech by a black woman born into slavery- a whole exhibition about what history is and is not. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question,ĭemonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative-yet always balanced and complete-discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects-from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. This is a book that will appeal to all students and general readers with an interest in history or historiography. The aim throughout History: A Very Short Introduction is to discuss theories of history in a general, pithy, and accessible manner, rather than delve into specific periods. Such key concepts as causation, interpretation, and periodization are introduced by way of concrete examples of how historians work, thus giving the reader a sense of the excitement implicit in discovering the past-and ourselves. The book begins by inviting us to think about various questions provoked by our investigation of history, and then explores the ways in which these questions have been answered in the past.

John Arnold's addition to Oxford's popular Very Short Introductions series is a stimulating essay about how people study and understand history. There are many stories we can tell about the past, and we are not, perhaps, as free as we might imagine in our choice of which stories to tell, or where those stories end.

John h arnold a very short introduction