Gregory M. Pfitzer: Popular History and the LiteraryMarketplace,1840-1920 University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Massachusetts,2008,469 + xiv pp, Paper,

摘要

Pfitzer's work is especially valuable for those interested in the development ofhistorical thought and theory. The possibility of writing history that is bothrespectable and accessible requires congruence between what historians think theyare doing and what readers want them to do, so Pfitzer's account of changes inprofessional standards and expectations is both necessary and interesting. For bookhistorians and those engaged in publishing, the importance of his book is enhancedby his discussion of the creation, production, and marketing of popular history. Ifthe publisher is indeed the connection between author and reader, then publishers'perceptions of the market and the ways they direct and assist authors to meet themare an important piece of the puzzle.