Favorite historian

[stubby42]

So who's your favorite historian?

By far for me only one historian really stands out, Niall Ferguson if you dont know who he is then he's an economic historian at hardvard and has other titles at other Uni's.

Niall Ferguson's writing helped shape my polictical oppinions and made me proud to be British and I cant thank him enough for that. Niall Ferguson has written several books but his most famous are Empire: how Britian made the modern world and Collosus: the rise and fall of the American empire. Personally I prefer the British empire but a book which proves America is an empire and one that will colapse from its looming health and social care crisis rather than attack from another power is still a very good book.

I love his writing, if you've ever read it then you will know that he has quite the wit about him coming up with titles such as "If they pass the 'cricket test', how do we stop the suicide bombers?"

I throughly recomend anyone read his work if you want to read something that is truely chalenging of the norm in history and political trends.

 

[HiredGoon]

David Hackett Fisher is by far my favorite historian. His book "Paul Revere's Ride" is an incredible scholarly, yet readable narrative history of a very important moment in American history which is shrouded in layers of myth and legend. Fischer uncovers the real events and details proving that history is always more fascinating than fiction.

Another must read for American historians is Fischer's "Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America." This large scholarly work soundly debunks Turner's "Frontier Thesis" and proves that America was shaped more by English culture than the American frontier.

Other books by Fischer include:

"Bound Away: Virginia and the Westward Movement"

"Washington's Crossing"

"The Great Wave: Price Revolutions and the Rhythm of History"

"Liberty and Freedom: A Visual History of America's Founding Ideas"

 

[Roman Soldier]

Hard question, since almost anyone can be called an historian. There are also thousands such as monks, writers, and common people who have helped preserve history who you probably wouldn't identify as historians.

Jordanes- recorded info about the Goths and the last days of the Roman Empire.
Herodotus- recorded Greek history
Tacitus- Roman historian

Some members might want to include Flavius Josephus. He was one of two secular sources to record the existance of Jesus.

 

[stubby42]

Well if you want to know what a historian is then its someone who looks at a mix of primary sources and secondary sources and then creates a conclusion. I take history though and have done for many years however I do not consider myself to be a historian because I have not written a book/research papers outside the required study.

Basically my history teacher defined a historian as someone who's written a book, we had it drilled into us that we are not historians until we've written our own book/research paper and have looked at primary sources and secondary sources to create it.

 

[Roman Soldier]

Well if you want to know what a historian is then its someone who looks at a mix of primary sources and secondary sources and then creates a conclusion. I take history though and have done for many years however I do not consider myself to be a historian because I have not written a book/research papers outside the required study.

Basically my history teacher defined a historian as someone who's written a book, we had it drilled into us that we are not historians until we've written our own book/research paper and have looked at primary sources and secondary sources to create it.

So I'm not a rock and roll historian unless I've written a book about rock and roll history, in spite of my knowledge of the subject? Just an example.

 

[Injured Soldier]

Jordanes- recorded info about the Goths and the last days of the Roman Empire.
Herodotus- recorded Greek history
Tacitus- Roman historian

Herodotus also recorded many myths and legends as fact in his history. Many people consider Thucydides to be the better historian. Another important early historian is Sima Qian, the first historian to record China's history, not just a dynastic history. He set a benchmark for historiography to come.

Some members might want to include Flavius Josephus. He was one of two secular sources to record the existance of Jesus.

Flavius Josephus is great, but not for his mention of Jesus. He recorded the Jewish War against Rome.

My favourite modern historian would be Fernand Braudel for his scope, as well as Joanna Bourke for her research. But there are many great historians today.

 

[AngCath]

I admire the work of Marc Bloch and for his new approach to history (co-founder of the Annalles school). I'm also partial to Robert Wooster of whom I was a student and employee... guess I may be biased.

 

[the_cheat]

My favorite historian that I know personally is Professor David Lindberg from my alma mater. Brilliant, erudite, a fine lecturer...and a pretty easy grader. Mwah

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=David%20C.%20Lindberg/104-1593670-7040734

 

[kofh2u]

....and demonstrated that history in western culture repeats its self so conveniently that he was always right for 2000 years!


Rev. 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven, (in my
thoughts); and behold a great red dragon, (Arian Paganism, that system of sexual exploitation and theft) having seven (institutionalized heads (of western world empire) and ten crowns (of political leadership) upon his (seven) heads;
1), Egypt, (2), Assyria, (3), Babylon, (4), Persia/Mede, (5), Greece, (6),
Rome, and (7), the whole of Western Culture to follow) having ten horns (of leadership founded) upon these seven heads:
1. Anarchy, 2. Lombard-Vandalism, 3. Papacy, 4. Charlemagne, 5. Holy Roman Empire, 6. Italy, 7. Spain, 8. France, 9. Britain, 10. Nazi Germany.

 

[keeptrying]

My favorite historian was Stephen Ambrose.

He made history come alive and his books read like a good novel rather then a dry history textbook.

 

[Roman Soldier]

....and demonstrated that history in western culture repeats its self so conveniently that he was always right for 2000 years!


Rev. 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven, (in my
thoughts); and behold a great red dragon, (Arian Paganism, that system of sexual exploitation and theft) having seven (institutionalized heads (of western world empire) and ten crowns (of political leadership) upon his (seven) heads;
1), Egypt, (2), Assyria, (3), Babylon, (4), Persia/Mede, (5), Greece, (6),
Rome, and (7), the whole of Western Culture to follow) having ten horns (of leadership founded) upon these seven heads:
1. Anarchy, 2. Lombard-Vandalism, 3. Papacy, 4. Charlemagne, 5. Holy Roman Empire, 6. Italy, 7. Spain, 8. France, 9. Britain, 10. Nazi Germany.

I really hate how people turn everything that is obviously non religous into the Bible like this.

 

[kofh2u]

I really hate how people turn everything that is obviously non religous into the Bible like this.

Presumably, you are unhappy with that very large Christian body of interpretors that understand a historical context appropriate to their pursuits?

Annoyed, perhaps strongly opposed, or even "turned off" by the view point of others might be more Christian religion than hate.

 

[AngCath]

kofh2u,

good post... do you have any favorite secular historians?

 

[oworm]

So who's your favorite historian?

Eusebius

 

[kofh2u]

kofh2u,

good post... do you have any favorite secular historians?

I have eight favorites, one for each archetypal point of view in my psyche.

Sir Walter is my favorite because he makes me laugh.

Its my Pleasure Principle at work.
He sure was NOT the most exhaustive, since he wrote "The History of the World" in one little book, I'd say maybe 500-600 pages.
Short and sweet.

But, he wasn't hard on Homework, then, was he.

In addition to being short, he had a great sense for History, because he wrote the whole book under lock and key!
I mean, his girl friend had him put in prison. In my opinion, she was a shrew, a very arrogant woman. And, he was handsome, polite, fascinating, (I guess, because he was smart enough to write this book while in jail). Ee know he was gallant, and that he was willing "to lose his head" over a woman.

He also is my ideal for male independence in the world of ever growing Matriarchy. From the roots of every empire founded on the strength of male team work and brute strength, the end is always the same.

Always, just before the collapse of empires, the great success of the early struggle of male leadership is replaced by the "momism." Separating the men from eachother by every device imaginable and spoiling their own boys of the next generation.

Tnrough the sexual negotiation, the hand that rocks the cradle ends in ruling the Nation, until it falls.

Walter must have told Queen Elizabeth to "shove it."

Or, maybe he just got feed up. Imagine your wife "king of the Empire." And, remember, as a historian, like Walter would have, the home was SUPPOSED to be HIS castle.

I also like that, my favorite Historian, St John, is confirmed in the demise of The Gem of the Ocean. Here we see Walter, a living testament to the very point of John's history.
Walter punctuates John's report, that the dialect swings from strong unity between the males, the initial Patriarchy, in giving way to the encroachments of women through pagan sexual comprise of the male's higher ideals, delivers a matriarchy soon to be overcome from the outside attack or the spoiled non-productive pleasure seeking within.

In Walter's case, Queen Liz pushed the date up for him by having him beheaded. I believe she was furious that he was undaunted by their forced separation. Lizabeth, IMO, found that his total preoccupation with an important use of his time was a slap.

She really was just demanding more of his attention, which Walter, no doubt, had no desire to worship at her feet.


Isa. 3:16 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:

Isa. 3:17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the
head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret
parts.

Isa. 3:18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their
tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

Isa. 3:19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

Isa. 3:20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the
headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

Isa. 3:21 The rings, and nose jewels,

Isa. 3:22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the
wimples, and the crisping pins,

Isa. 3:23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the
veils.

Isa. 3:24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

Isa. 3:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

Isa. 3:26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

 

[but'n'ben]

For War history, probably Ian Kershaw although I don't study the wars really.

There are many good hisotrians for my time period but my favourite at the moment for a general overview is probably professor Tom Devine. He writes Scottish history from the union to the present.