The Pursuit of History

Praise for the previous edition: This exceptionally insightful book makes the study of history a joy to read. Tosh maps out the major questions and developments in historiography with extraordinary clarity, guiding the reader on debates and methods of research in concise and informative ways. His continued attention to up-dating the book without doubt makes it a critical text for undergraduates and an essential resource for postgraduates and scholars. Catherine Dewhirst, University of Southern Queensland, Australia John Tosh's book is the most useful introduction to recent historiography now available. It surveys major trends and achievements more clearly and concisely than its main competitors, and is an excellent and easy resource for contextualising other historical writings of all kinds. It can add a great deal to students' understanding of historical writing. Nicholas Karn, University of Southampton, UK The Pursuit of History has many strengths. It is extremely well-written and lucid. It strikes a very nice balance between tracing historiography, delineating historical methodology, and discussing the major historiographical developments over the last few decades. Comprehensive, insightful and conversant with the latest historiographical currents, it is essential reading in any undergraduate or graduate theory and method course. Thomas W. Gallant, University of California, San Diego, USA John Tosh's Pursuit of History was so far ahead of the game on its first publication that much of the profession are only just now catching up with his wonderfully diverse and pluralistic approach to the study of the past. This new edition promises to equip and inspire the next generations of historians once again very much for the better. Richard Sheldon, University of Bristol, UK Tosh's Pursuit of History, in its newest edition, remains the definitive introduction to historical criticism and historiography. Well-structured, up-to-date, highly readable and drawing on a wealth of fascinating illustrative material from the author's own research, it stands out as the best text combining fundamental method with key theoretical approaches and research trends. William L. Chew III, Vesalius College, Brussels, Belgium The sixth edition of John Tosh's The Pursuit of History is a clearly written, informative and absorbing introduction to the practice of 'doing' history. While retaining the most useful features of earlier editions of the book, this latest edition introduces new, valuable material on public history, digitised sources, historical controversies, transnational history and the nature of the archive. It includes an expanded range of examples and case-studies, including additional material on American history, along with an updated reference list, making it an invaluable text for both tutors and students of history alike. Robert James, University of Portsmouth, UK