Why read The German Conception of History?

Book cover of The German Conception of History: The National Tradition of Historical Thought from Herder to the Present

Book description

This is the first comprehensive critical examination in any language of the German national tradition of historiography. It analyzes the basic theoretical assumptions of the German historians of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and relates these assumptions to political thought and action.
The German national tradition of historiography had its…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The German Conception of History as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Brett Bowden

Author

It is difficult to settle on just five books; I include Iggers here because this book transcends its primary subject, German historiography. It offers an insight into some of the key thinkers that have helped to shape predominant and pervasive thinking about human progress and socio-political development. Thinkers such as Kant and Herder, Hegel and Schiller. It is important to have a good understanding of the foundations of a train of thought, and Iggers knows his subject matter well and astutely highlights the various strengths and weaknesses.

From Brett's list on The best books on humankind’s place in history.