My History of History

My History of History

I never cared much for history while in school.  It was boring and irrelevant to what was important to me: recess, baseball and playing war with my pals on weekends.  In junior high and high school, it was baseball, the space race, orchestra, band and girls.

However, it was George Santayana's warning that woke me up years later.   The Spanish philosopher wrote in 1905, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I like to read.  And my library (both hardbacks and e-books) is packed with history books and biographies.  It's not so much to make up for those wasted history classes as it is the genuine interest of a more mature mind.

One of my favorites is C. V. Wedgwood's "The Spoils of Time."  Unlike the academics who wrote those boring textbooks back then, this British historian's 1984 book weaves an intriguing tale of human history from the beginning of civilization through the early Renaissance.

Sounds really boring, I know.  I would never have chosen it; the book came in the mail from a book-of-the-month club I had forgotten to cancel.

A "The New York Times" reviewer liked it.  "Hers is a glowing, substantial, ingeniously organized book."  Here, here.

I have read and re-read this book for two reasons.  First and foremost, I admire her gifted writing.  Second, I inevitably learn (or, retain this time) something I missed in the last read.

Then came Jones and Wilson's "An Incomplete Education" in 1987, which covers 'way more than history.  The two former researchers at "Esquire" magazine subtitled their book, "3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't."  It was a wildly successful book and is now considered a classic.

PBS recently aired Ken Burns' 14-hour series about the Roosevelts.  Some really good writing backed by terrific videos and photos.  I had forgotten that FDR had an affair.

So, what does reading history do for a veteran newscaster?  It helps put the history being made today into perspective.

Most important: Look, Ma! I'm reading history!