From Library Journal
These 25 essays were contributed by some of the self-confident founders of the Historical Society, begun in 1997 by a group disillusioned with the two major historical associations and determined to distinguish itself by its focus: a self-conscious condemnation of the dominance of the historical profession by social and political trendiness and a call for a return to disciplinary basics. Although unified by the editors' recurring statements of dissatisfaction with history as practiced by most of today's historians, the book proves incredibly uneven in both presentation and quality. In content, it ranges from reprints of brief newspaper op-ed pieces to longer essays with source notes such as those in professional journals. It is the uneven quality of the offerings, however, that proves most troublesome. While some selections demonstrate considerable thought about the discipline and practice of history, others reveal emotions that may prove as counterproductive as the trends they condemn. Academic libraries may want to add the volume for its perspective on the current state of the profession.ACharles K. Piehl, Mankato State Univ., MN Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Washington Times - October 10, 1999
"...given the intellectual firepower of [Reconstructing History], [readers] are likely to wonder if the postmodernists have more than met their match."


Book Description
In May 1997, a group of distinguished historians announced the formation of the Historical Society, an organization that sought to be free of the jargon-laden debates and political agendas that have come to characterize the profession. Eugene Genovese, Prsident of the Society, explained the commitment to form a new and genuinely diverse organization. "The Society extends from left to right and embraces people of every ideological and political tendency. The Society promotes frank debate in an atmosphere of civility, mutual respect, and common courtesy. All we require is that participants lay down plausible premises; reason logically; appeal to evidence; and prepare to exchange criticism with those who hold different points of view. Our goal: to promote an integrated history accessible to the public." From those beginnings, the Society has grown to include hundreds of members from every level of the profession, from Pulitzer-prize winning scholars to graduate students, across the ideological and political spectrum. In this first book from the Historical Society, several founding members explore central topics within the field; the enduring value of the practice of history; the sensitive use of historical records, sources, and archives; the value of common standards; and much more. An engaging and challenging work that will appeal to scholars, students, educators, and the many public readers who have become lost in the culture wars, Reconstructing History is sure to generate the kind of civil, reasoned debate that is a foundational goal of the Historical Society. Contributors include Walter A. McDougall, Marc Trachtenberg, Alan Charles Kors, Deborah A. Symonds, Leo P. Ribuffo, Bruce Kuklick, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Gertrude Himmelfarb, Edward Berkowitz, John Patrick Diggins, John Womack, Victor Davis Hanson, Miriam R. Levin, Martin J. Sklar, Eugene D. Genovese, Daniel C. Littlefield, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, Russell Jacoby, Rochelle Gurstein, Paul Rahe, Donald Kagan, Diane Ravitch, Sean Wilentz, Louis Ferleger and Richard H. Steckel.


About the Author
Emory University and a member of the executive board of the Historical Society. Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn is Associate Professor of History at Syracuse University.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In May 1998, a group of prominent scholars announced the formation of the Historical Society, an organization that sought to be free of the jargon-laden debates and political agendas that have come to distance so many readers from their interest in historical scholarship.. "In this first book from the Historical Society, several founding members explore central topics in the field, including the sensitive use of historical records, sources, and archives; the debates over teaching history in the public schools; the enduring value of the practice of history; and much more. Reconstructing History is sure to challenge and inform scholars, students, educators, and the many general readers who have become lost in the culture wars.

SYNOPSIS

Fox-Genovese (history and humanities, Emory U.) and Lasch-Quinn (history, Syracuse U.), founding members of the Historical Societyan organization promoting "an integrated history accessible to the public"address the sensitive use of historical records, sources, and archives; the debates over teaching history in the public schools; and the value of practicing history. Specific topics discussed in 25 contributions include American capitalism and socialism, 1890-1916; the controversy over national history standards; Faulkner's South; military history; the history of science; defining liberal education; history and postmodernism; and African American literary criticism. No index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal