Comments on: New acquisitions http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2009/04/10/new-acquisitions/ Failing better at understanding the past Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:50:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Gavin Robinson http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2009/04/10/new-acquisitions/comment-page-1/#comment-14255 Gavin Robinson Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:13:57 +0000 http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/?p=601#comment-14255 This was "only" £50, but I'm not sure why as you'd think something about the military experience of the civil wars would have a broader appeal than just academics. At least now I've got a well-paid job I can afford most things I want. The Holmes essay is really good. I would've liked a bit more discussion of Mark Stoyle's work on Cornish identity as that's the one possible exception. Holmes just mentioned in the further reading bit that he doesn't find it entirely convincing but doesn't say why. Phil Baker's chapter is great too. I think revisionism left us with much too narrow definitions of politics, ideology, and radicalism. I'm not surprised that Adamson was a bit unsure about the future. Right now the field is very diverse and unpredictable, and to me that's definitely a good thing. I hope no-one ever manages to impose a master narrative on it again. This was “only” £50, but I’m not sure why as you’d think something about the military experience of the civil wars would have a broader appeal than just academics. At least now I’ve got a well-paid job I can afford most things I want.

The Holmes essay is really good. I would’ve liked a bit more discussion of Mark Stoyle’s work on Cornish identity as that’s the one possible exception. Holmes just mentioned in the further reading bit that he doesn’t find it entirely convincing but doesn’t say why.

Phil Baker’s chapter is great too. I think revisionism left us with much too narrow definitions of politics, ideology, and radicalism.

I’m not surprised that Adamson was a bit unsure about the future. Right now the field is very diverse and unpredictable, and to me that’s definitely a good thing. I hope no-one ever manages to impose a master narrative on it again.

]]> By: Nick http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/2009/04/10/new-acquisitions/comment-page-1/#comment-14252 Nick Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:08:18 +0000 http://www.investigations.4-lom.com/?p=601#comment-14252 I've been working my way through Adamson and his contributors' essays since Christmas. It's a good collection, with a particularly interesting essay by Clive Holmes, although I thought Adamson's otherwise excellent historiographical introduction withered away a bit when it came to mapping out the future direction of approaches to the civil wars. I know the feeling on book prices. You know you are too immersed in your subject when you (for example!) seriously contemplate paying £70 for a book on royalist newsbooks that the library will not get for another 9 months... (I didn't get it in the end, but I had to drag myself away from Blackwell's!). I’ve been working my way through Adamson and his contributors’ essays since Christmas. It’s a good collection, with a particularly interesting essay by Clive Holmes, although I thought Adamson’s otherwise excellent historiographical introduction withered away a bit when it came to mapping out the future direction of approaches to the civil wars.

I know the feeling on book prices. You know you are too immersed in your subject when you (for example!) seriously contemplate paying £70 for a book on royalist newsbooks that the library will not get for another 9 months… (I didn’t get it in the end, but I had to drag myself away from Blackwell’s!).

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