Like Randall Stephens, I love reading historian’s memoirs and autobiographies.. (Although I must admit that I did not make it very far in Arthur Schlesinger Jr.’s diaries before I was put off by his pomposity). Stephens has a great post at the blog of the Historical Society reflecting on the use of historian’s memoirs in the classroom, with a particular focus of his reading of C. Vann Woodward’s Thinking Back: The Perils of Writing History.
Here is a taste:
In my Critical Readings in History course I’ve paired selections from John Hope Franklin’s memoir with selections from Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.’s autobiography. Both went to Harvard in the 1930s. Students can see pretty clearly the basic differences in their backgrounds. One grew up in a well-to-do white family with ties to America’s intellectual aristocracy. The other came of age in Oklahoma, struggling with poverty and race prejudice. It’s not difficult to move from that reading to a discussion of how historians pick the topics they study and how historians are formed by their setting. From there students can reflect on their own interests and how history is, at least in some sense, autobiographical.
I left a comment on Randall's post, but thought I'd leave it here, too.
While it isn't autobiography or memoir, Richard Bushman's On the Road with Joseph Smith: An Author's Diary is a fascinating reflection on the intersections of scholarship and faith. The book is essentially Bushman's diary from the year following the publication of his Joseph Smith biography. It contains some fascinating insights into the mind and life of an American religious historian. Really great stuff.
Christopher: Thanks for calling my attention to this book. I am eager to read it.
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