'Historians' Fallacies' is a thing you have to read if you plan to write history or journalism or anything that will be read by professionals. I'll go further still and claim that you don't know how to read or write professionally until you've read this book.

This book is not a course in composition nor is it a course in logic -- though a course in logic is advisable for any writer. 'Historians' Fallacies' goes beyond what we learn from logic courses to point up dozens of arcane fallacies -- flaws in thinking -- and how those flaws manifest themselves in real-world historiography.

The author cautions readers that NOBODY thinks perfectly and that the best among us can still fall prey to fallacy, blindsided by some flaw in our thinking that escapes the notice of both writer and editor and makes it into print.

Contrary to popular contention, 'publish or perish' isn't always the rule within the academy. 'Historians' Fallacies' shows how it is entirely possible to publish AND perish. Nobody wants to go there, so everybody ought to read this book. ( )

This book is an essential read for anyone considering a career as a historian, or even interested in the historical process and wanting to be able to look at historical writing more critically.

I'll agree with the commenter that said the book dragged in places--by the end you can definitely tell he had a length requirement to meet! Still, the first 75% of the book is incredibly useful, even if you just want to be able to shout "Fallacy!" during debates with friends. ;) ( )

A bit slow in places, but it details the logical fallacies that even the best historians make whether they know it or not. ( )

An essential work for any historian or social scientist. This book may not be what you need to learn how to write, but it is certainly about how not to do it.