Book Description

The consequences of a devotion to history are rarely as dire as those meeting the disgraced Han historian Sima Qian who submitted to castration rather than commit suicide in order to complete China's first true history. Hopefully, students can use this reference to overcome any phobia over historiography. Women authors and those from non-Western cultures are included along with the acknowledged greats, as well as developments in interpreting history from antiquity to postmodernism. Entries--followed by cross-references, texts, references, and contributor's name--are of three types: brief biographical entries on individual historians, or works and genres not associated with one individual; longer surveys of national or regional historiographies; and topical articles on themes, periods, and -isms. Vol. 2 covers K-Z. No photos. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.