Illuminating History: A Retrospective of Seven Decades

Harvard University professor emeritus Bailyn (The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution) highlights “small, strange, obscure, but illuminating documents or individuals” he encountered while researching other, larger projects in this hodgepodge of a book. Successful chapters, including the close reading of a will left by a Puritan merchant and an overview of changing interpretations of 17th-century census records, showcase the creativity inherent in the study of history and the conversational nature of scholarship, illustrating Bailyn’s belief that “the historical imagination must be closely bounded by the documentation.” Unfortunately, no effort is made to connect the individual documents and historical figures (which also include an index of colonial newspapers and the religious sect leader who inspired Thomas Mann’s Doctor Faustus) to each other, and as the book progresses, the law of diminishing returns sets in. One chapter catalogues topics discussed at a series of seminars on Atlantic history; the book’s epilogue consists largely of extended excerpts from previous publications. Though readers may glimpse the masterly scholarship and clear writing that distinguish Bailyn’s work, the book’s inconsistency and lack of an overarching thesis lead to a disappointing result. History buffs will be left hoping for a more substantial account of Bailyn’s life and career. (Apr.)