| Product: |
History Today |
| Date: |
24/07/06 (127 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: High quality academic research in popular format
Disadvantages: Populist topics such as Henry VIII and WW2
With an Editorial Board that includes Lord (Asa) Briggs, formerly Chancellor of the Open University, and Dr David Starkey, of Fitzwilliam College Cambridge and well known TV historian, this magazine must have bundles of academic credibilty.
-------------------------------
FACTS AND FIGURES
--------------------------------
The price per issue is £4.20 per month, with a nice glossy colour cover. It is available in good newsagents, such as WH Smith, and also by subscription. See www.historytoday.com for more details, lots of debate and back issues.
Some articles are only available in full on-line with a subscription, unfortuanately, although they also send special offers, some of which are quite interesting. (I just received an invite to an Open Day at a photo archive).
By Direct Debit, it is £37 per annum, or £10 per quarter. Currently there is another special offer for a free OS map c1810 when you take out a sub. However, let me describe it a bit before you jump in.
Regular features include Frontline (editorial), film, books and media reviews and regulars such as archive news and letters page. The editorial position is a definite move away from dry academicia, encouraging lively discussion and relating historical events to contemporary events or issues such as racism. A definite effort is made to relate research to current debate, whilst leaving room for some more lighthearted topics.
This is my opinion of the 3 most recent issues that I have read, which were published earlier this year (nos 2-4, volume 56), in reverse order.
----------------------------
APRIL 2006
===============
April's issue includes an editorial on the Dan Brown/plagiarism debate and David Irving, both current court cases supposedly involving 'historians'.
The main topics covered this month are:
- 'Rulers and Victims: the Russians in the Soviet Union'
- 'Women in the Easter Rising of 1916'
- 'How the West was Lost' (an examination of Native American records of the invasion)
- 'The Gambia : Another Country'
The 8 page feature on Russian federation and nationalism opens with a vivid half page photograph of a boy being rescued from the Beslan siege. I wondered about the sensitivity of including it, as it is very moving and almost too personal to loook at. Apart from this, there is a range of well selected illustrations, including a foggy black and white snap of the citizens of Riga welcoming the Red Army liberators from the German occupation in 1944. Another shows Ukrainians at a pro-Russian march in 2004, marking the anniversary of a treaty of 1654, under which Ukraine became a Russian protectorate. The photograph of Riga looks as if it could be out of a Victorian photograph album, rather than the mid twentieth century, it is of such a rough and ready quality.
It is written by Geroffrey Hosing, professor of Modern Hisotyr at University Colllege, London and based on his soon to published book (as many features are).
The column 'Cross Currents' examines the meaning of appeasement, another article links the importance of female icons to French culture, comparing Brigit Bardot and Joan of Arc. This could be to the detriment of serious debate, were it not for the quality of the writing and research.
-----------------------------
MARCH 2006
================
Articles:
- 8th Wonder: Who was the Real Henry VIII?
- Outlawing Cartoons
- Mothering India: Annie Besant and the European Women
At the end of the ninetheenth century, a fascination with Hindu culture led many proto-feminists (Victorian women who struggled for right to train for a profession, or to improve conditions for working women) went to live in India.
Annie Besant was a case in point. At a time when conventional wisdom held that unskilled workers were incapable of organing successful, as they had no economic leverage, the workers in the Bryant and May match factory were dying of chemical poisoning. Besant organised the 'Match Girls Strike' and won better conditions, creating a precedent for non-unionised workers everywhere.
Besant then went to India, attracted by the Theosophist movement, and the 'search for God and universal brotherhood' in the Hindu tradition, staying there the rest of her life. This article explores how these women were often aghast at some Hindu practices, such as bigamy, child marriage and the 'unconditional social death' of a widow. This bought them into conflict with Hindu society.
The editorial again focusses on David Irving, but warns with a new trial he should not be allowed to make a martyr of himself. .
------------------------
February 2006
=============
Featured articles:
- 'Cellini's Salt',
- 'The Fading of Memory My Lai' (about the Vietnam War)
- 'Dark Age Italy'
- 'Victorian men and their Beards' (about the fashion for facial hair!)
- 'Radio News in 1930's America' is a tie in with the release of the film directed by and starring George Clooney, 'Goodnight and Goodluck'. (This was the month for the Oscar awards in Hollywood).
The article details the phenomenal growth in the popularity of radio in 1930's in the US. This was in turn influenced by the desire of the public for information in the run up to the Second World War and after the Munich crisis. Previously, news was not considered to be a main feature of radio broadcasting - a state of affairs almost unimaginable today.
The popularity led to an increase in the amount of International news broadcast, and reporters employed. One famous or notorious reporter, depending on your point of view, was Boake Carter. He did not hesitate to denounce the the New Deal and was anti-Union, and also backed by the giant company General Foods. His views were anathema to Rooseveldt in the White House, who considered applying pressure to 'muzzle' him.
With greater longevity in the public consciousness, perhaps, was Ed Morrow, the CBS anchorman. He covered the Sudetenland (Czech) invasion, and is the subject of Clooney's film. This article coveres 7 full spread pages with a list for further reading and archive links. Written by David Culbert, ed The Historical Journal of Film, Radio and TV, and Professor at Louisiana State University.
---------------------------
OPINION
== =============
I included all the above to hopefully give an indepth look at what you get before you dip a toe in the water. I wish that I had known about this magazine when I was a student, for despite not necessarily covering a subject I may be particularly in, I have always found it contains something rewarding to read.
There are two main reasons why an amateur hisstorian might be interested . Firstly, to keep abreast of current debate and secondly to keep in touch with events and reviews.
The only similar mag on the market would be BBC History, which is produced unsurprisingly by the BBC, to support their prodigious quantity of programming output in this area. It does not necessarily stick to just that, so you will get a pretty broad range of topics. However, on balance I think that History Today has the academic edge.
I mentioned the broad range of topics, although some subjects such as the Tudors, and World Wars I and II tend to predominate. There must be a demand for this, but personally I think the broader the spectrum the better. This is my only critique, otherwise I thoroughly enjoy each issue.
Summary: Monthly periodical with reputation for quality and research
|
Last comment:
 |
duncantorr - 31/08/06 Sounds good. Although interested in History, I don't think I've ever seen a copy. A thorough review. |
|
