The Landscape of History

Will... never allow either the reader of history or the writer of it to think about the past in quite the same way as before. --The New York Times A masterful statement on the historical method.... Gaddis' characterization of the social sciences will surely spark debate even as it illuminates important intellectual connections between the disciplines. Delightfully readable, the book is a grand celebration of the pursuit of knowledge. --Foreign Affairs A bold and challenging book, unafraid of inviting controversy. It provides a strong statement for our time of both the limits and the value of the historical enterprise. --The New York Times Book Review A real tour de force: a delight to read, and a light-hearted celebration of the odd, 'fractal' patterns that intellectual and other forms of human and natural history exhibit. --William H. McNeill Turns the old argument over science and history upside down. --The Washington Post Book World Never before have I come across a book that so illuminated the craft of the historian. --Michael Pakenham, The Baltimore Sun This is another of those books that rewards the effort it requires. Besides providing invaluable insights into how the historian goes about his business, it teaches--like all really good books--of life beyond its boundaries. --Colin Walters, Washington Times