History: A Very Short Introduction

John H. Arnold019285352X, 9780192853523

The book is loosely arranged into three sections. The first three chapters aim to raise certain questions, engage the reader’s interest, and describe (in brief terms) what history has been in the past. Chapters 4 and 5 attempt to show how one might set about ‘doing’ history, first by working with sources and secondly by thinking about interpretations. The final chapters present some thoughts on the status and meaning of history and truth, and why history matters.