Acclaimed historian Margaret MacMillan explores here the many ways in which history affects us all. She shows how a deeper engagement with history,...
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Jan 11, 2010
Edward
rated it: 
The author's perspective is clear, as given in the introduction, “validation, whether of group demands or for justification, almost always comes from using the past.” Everyone uses the past; whether they use it wisely or foolishly is the topic of this book.
A key comment that she makes is that “history should not be written to make the present generation feel good but to remind us that human affairs are complicated.” Most of the book is devoted to showing how history IS usually More...
A key comment that she makes is that “history should not be written to make the present generation feel good but to remind us that human affairs are complicated.” Most of the book is devoted to showing how history IS usually More...
Apr 10, 2011
Marks54
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Professor MacMillan wrote a fabulous history of the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and that is what attracted me to this book. I don't think it was intended to be a work of the same order and her book on the 1919 Peace agreements, but I was still disappointed. This was a pleasant essay on the need to be careful in reading (and writing) history and a discussion of the ways in which historical writing can be abused. I don't disagree with her discussions, but they were not particularly deep or i
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Mar 24, 2011
Melissa J.
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There weren't really any big revelations here as history generally been written and regulated by those in power and those who are victorious. I think the author did a good job of giving specific examples to support her points and she did raise some good issues. Overall it was an interesting read that spanned multiple cultures and time periods, but there were several chapters that I found to be a bit repetitive.
Jun 01, 2011
Keith
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A caution that those in power selectively use or fabricate history to support their ends, and those who try for a balanced view often get shot down. Our understanding of history is colored by the current issues, and indeed, the history we care about depends on the current issues in a society. It is a reminder of the difficulty of learning the right lessons from history.
Apr 06, 2011
Melanie
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I was dissapointed by this book. What I thought would have been an interesting insight into the abuses of history, turned out to be a list of commonly known events with no in-depth analysis. Each time MacMillan ventured on a subject I would be excited to learn more only to go to the next page to find the subject changed. Even the dust-jacket was misleading, stating that the book would go into abuses by people such as Robespierre. This name was mentioned only once in the book, and within a se
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Nov 15, 2011
Sesana
rated it: 
Mislead by the cover copy. Reading the book jacket would lead you to believe that this will be a sort of history of who has misquoted and misused history, and how and to what purposes. There is a bit of that, a very little bit. But it's really more of a lengthy essay on the very general whys and hows of what makes people try to use history to their own ends. There are examples, sure, but not nearly as many as I had thought there would be. It's still very well-written, and interesting, and I thou
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Nov 07, 2011
José
rated it:
MacMillan writes a thoughtful account on the importance, relevance, and usage of history in today's world. This book is short and the examples she cites merit greater detail and analysis. The topic itself is worthy of a longer examination. However, my impression is that MacMillan was trying to produce a digest on how history is used recklessly and how proper handling of history can gain us perspective. In this, she succeeds admirably.
Sep 29, 2010
Mindy
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Meh. Had I read this in grad school I might give this a more nuanced analysis. Some interesting insights, but nothing I can apply in my daily work.
Jan 02, 2012
Martin
rated it:
An short yet excellent book that pokes holes in our most closely held ideas.
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