Reading History

Short and succinct, Reading History introduces students to different kinds of historical writing, acting as a guide to help them read and understand primary and secondary sources.

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History students read a lot. They read primary sources. They read specialized articles and monographs. They sometimes read popular histories. And they read textbooks. Yet students are beginners, and as beginners they need to learn the differences among various kinds of readings – their natures, their challenges, and the unique expectations one needs to bring to each of them.


Reading History is a practical guide to help students read better. Uniquely designed with the author’s engaging explanations in the margins, the book describes primary sources across various genres, including documents of practice, treatises, and literary works, as well as secondary sources such as textbooks, articles, and monographs. An appendix contains tips and questions for reading primary or secondary sources.


Full of practical advice and hands-on training that allows students to be successful, Reading History will cultivate a wider appreciation for the discipline of history.