On Civilization

Started reading Braudel's A History of Civilizations last night.

It's an interesting book, not the least because it was written in the early 1960s. Ferdnand Braudel was one of the first historians (along with Toyanbee) who revolted against the treatment of history as a simple recitation of people, places, and dates. He believed that history was a social science, and, as such, properly encompassed economics, political science, philosophy, and geography, among others (chapter 2 of this book is called "The Study Of Civilization Involves All the Social Sciences").

As you might imagine, it's more than just a history text; it's also a implicit criticism of the 'old' way of doing things.

Today, of course, Braudel and his disciples have pretty much won the war; it's virtually impossible to find a historian who doesn't approach history as a multi-discipline subject, at least at the collegiate level. Long gone are the rote recitations of famous dead people famous mainly for killing other famous dead people (traditional history can be summarized by noting that "history only remembers murderers and artists"), and instead, one looks at the vast canvas of different peoples and cultures.

Besides, you have to love a history book that opens with a six-page essay on etymology.