History: Remembered, Recovered, Invented

by Bernard Lewis

Book Overview

The description for this book, History-Remembered, Recovered, Invented, will be forthcoming. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671620703
• ISBN13: 9780671620707
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 111 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A joy to read

This is not a long book yet in it Bernard Lewis discusses history: what is it, why we remember some events and not others and how we use our history (our collective memory) to justify, undermine, or legitimate what we like or don't like about our world.Most of the examples are drawn from the Middle East; most notably Cyrus and Masada but the French Revolution, the Latin Kingdom, and the Russian Revolution also put in an appearance. And, as is true of all Dr. Lewis' works, this one is painstakingly researched and well thought-out.But that is not what makes this book so special; that is not why this short little essay almost warrants five stars.This little book deserves its stars because it is written so clearly and with such gentle humour. I felt, as I turned the pages, as though Dr. Lewis and I were having a little chat--over coffee or tea. I felt as though I had gotten to know him a little bit, as though he told me something quietly wise; something I would have to think about after he had left.Not many books about a subject as weighty as History can do that... yet this one does. I highly recommend this book a true joy to read.