Saturday, December 13, 2008

Historians.


This is coolbert:

"Narrative history is the practice of writing history in a story-based form. It can be divided into two sub genres: the traditional narrative and the modern narrative."

Here are some historians that have written commercially viable, best-seller material. Persons NOT trained in a classical academic sense, but, nonetheless, talented writers who became esteemed and enjoyed success in a way the professorial academic type does not!

1. Bruce Catton.

2. Shelby Foote.

* Neither man had a baccalaureate degree.

* Neither man was trained as a historian.

* Both men had only the most limited of military experience.

* Both men wrote in the narrative style of histiography.

"Both men wrote in the narrative style of histiography. Narrative history is a genre of factual historical writing that uses chronology as its framework (as opposed to a thematic treatment of a historical subject)."

And we cannot forget a woman who ALSO wrote very good military history.

3. Barbara Tuchman.

* Was also not trained as a historian.

* Did not have ANY military experience [as you might expect]!

* Also wrote military history in the narrative style.

* Was highly educated [Radcliffe college]!

* Was from an esteemed family with impeccable credentials and connections.

[even a professional soldier complimented Tuchman in that she was able to differentiate between a "flank" and a "wing" This is a high compliment considering the source?]

All three, Catton, Foote, and Tuchman, at one time or another, worked as journalists.

Foote also had minor career as a novelist!

All three wrote military history THAT WAS NOT dry, boring, turgid!! On the contrary! Wrote for the “masses”, in the narrative style that WAS ENTERTAINING!!

coolbert.

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