This week, ending in May 19 2016:
Today's thread is for open discussion of:
History in the academy
Historiographical disputes, debates and rivalries
Implications of historical theory both abstractly and in application
Philosophy of history
And so on
Regular participants in the Thursday threads should just keep doing what they've been doing; newcomers should take notice that this thread is meant for open discussion only of matters like those above, not just anything you like -- we'll have a thread on Friday for that, as usual.
Has anyone else read Andrea and Holt (eds.) Seven Myths of the Crusades? I think some of the chapters make some pretty good points (Franke and Slack, off the top of my head) but overall I'm feeling mostly...underwhelmed. My bias towards Byzantium is obviously the most likely culprit, but I don't want to miss something important just because I'm being contrary.
Thoughts on Michael Oren's Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present? I've picked this up a few times but not sure about his objectivity.
Will Horden and Purcell ever actually publish volume 2 of The Corrupting Sea? What is the value of the longue durée?