The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past

by John Lewis Gaddis
The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past
published
April 8th 2004 by Oxford University Press, USA
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binding
Paperback, 208 pages

isbn
0195171578   (isbn13: 9780195171570)

description
What is history and why should we study it? Is there such a thing as historical truth? Is history a science? One of the most accomplished historians ...more





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Guy
Guy rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
06/01/08

bookshelves: history
Read in June, 2008
For most of this book I found myself thinking, "This is a perfect example of the sort of discursive fluff that emeritus professors grant themselves license to write, but which they would have fiercely criticized if they had read while younger."

Gaddis attempts to illuminate the work of the historian with references to time machines, black holes, number theory, fractals, chaos theory, quantum physics, consciousness, ecology, and God knows what else, all the while displaying that he...more
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Art
Art rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
03/16/08

A brief, but entirely enjoyable book on the craft of history. John Lewis Gaddis's book is really a collection of speeches he gave during a visiting professorship at Oxford. The speeches center on the art and science of historical research. He challenges the view held by many social scientists that downplay historians as storytellers whose craft lack the rigor of the scientific method. Gaddis claims that the historical method is more complex that most realize and that historians have more in comm...more
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Jonathan
Jonathan rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
09/09/08

Read in September, 2008
Its such a shame because I wanted to read this book since it hit the shelves in 2002. I lost it, and then rediscovered it recently. I was intrigued by it, and have always been interested in thinking about history theory. Even then in my younger days I am certain that I would have thought it just as feckless as I do this momment. Why Mr. Gaddis did you do this? Most of the lessons that I would have gleaned from this text were covered by the time I took my senior capstone. To think that this...more
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Robert
Robert rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
05/30/08

Read in May, 2008
I found this book to be fairly imprecise with a tendency to ramble. It does talk about some interesting concepts but really doesn't dwell long enough on them for my likeing. This book is only very short and does make you look at the actual way that history is recorded but generally I really can't say that I enjoyed this book very much at all.
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Mary Louise
Mary Louise rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
07/03/08

bookshelves: biography
Wonderful, challenging book that should reignite an interest in how we talk about the past.
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Madeline
Madeline added it
02/04/08

The most enjoyable explanation of historiography you'll ever read.
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Vivek
Vivek marked it as to-read
09/29/08

bookshelves: to-read

Lily
Lily is currently reading it
09/19/08

bookshelves: currently-reading, davis

Joan
Joan rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
08/20/08


Raully
Raully rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/19/08

bookshelves: theology-and-theory
Read in August, 2008

Brianna
Brianna rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
08/17/08


Jimmy
Jimmy rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
08/16/08


Tim
Tim rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/03/08


Jeff
Jeff rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
07/23/08


Steve
Steve marked it as to-read
07/07/08

bookshelves: to-read

Ginette
Ginette marked it as to-read
07/04/08

bookshelves: to-read

Armen
Armen rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/25/08

bookshelves: historiography

Cynthia
Cynthia rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/24/08

bookshelves: school-related
Read in June, 2008

Shurms
Shurms rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
06/29/08

bookshelves: historiography
Read in June, 2008

Gemma
Gemma marked it as to-read
06/11/08

bookshelves: to-read


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.58 (40 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.58 (40 ratings)
number of reviews: 6







other editions

The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past (Hardcover)