Larger	The Purpose of the Past: Reflections on the Uses of History Author: Gordon S. Wood
	Book Information Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) Book Type: Paperback Members Wishing: 2 Rating: ? ISBN-13: 9780143115045 - ISBN-10: 0143115049 Publication Date: 1/27/2009 Pages: 336

An erudite scholar and an elegant writer, Gordon S. Wood has won both numerous awards and a broad readership since the 1969 publication of his widely acclaimed The Creation of the American Republic. With The Purpose of the Past, Wood has essentially created a history of American history, assessing the current state of history vis-à-vis the work of some of its most important scholars--doling out praise and scorn with equal measure. In this wise, passionate defense of history’s ongoing necessity, Wood argues that we cannot make intelligent decisions about the future without understanding our past. Wood offers a master’s insight into what history--at its best--can be and reflects on its evolving and essential role in our culture.