History Today

Given the popularity of history, and especially historical books in recent years, it is surprising how few magazines attempt to bridge the gap between the scholarly periodicals aimed at academics and two page features in magazines devoted to other subjects (or general interest). Those that do mostly concentrate on either family or military history.

History Today, by contrast, takes in the whole field of history, from biographies, through archaeology and individual events to large scale surveys. The success of these articles does vary, but most are written by active and respected scholars, with a leavening of "popular history" writers.

In this limited market, History Today excels in having 5 to 6 main articles, which give the writers a reasonable chance to provide some substance. These articles are probably twice the length, and three times the substance of those in the otherwise comparable BBC History Magazine.

On the other hand, some of the shorter articles in the magazine are entirely disposable.

I have been reading History Today for years. It covers largely European, and especially British, history, with occasional articles on American and world history. Articles are written by established scholars and sound popular historians, such as Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir, and are accompanied by brief bibliographies. Illustrations are usually drawn from sources contemporary with the subject of the article.

Its only drawback for Americans is the price. However, after years of freeloading in libraries, I decided to get a

subscription. Believe me, it is worth it.

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By far and beyond the best history periodical I have come across. And consistantly one of the best magazines I have read. I have subscribed for three years now-and that says a lot for me, especially given the price, since most magazines don't keep my interest for longer than a year. I find myself dropping anything I am currently reading, magazines and books alike, until I have finished each one.

Easy to read and yet usually contains much detail that you can sink your teeth into. The articles do a fantastic job of appealing to both the uninformed and the seasoned student of history. Ever have one of those teachers that would tell a story and then, at the end, after being rivited by the narrative, you actually found you had learned something in a way that made you feel almost as if you had experienced it yourself? Well, many times I find that this magazine does just that. Every now and then they do get a little fluffy but all in all, unbeatable.

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i first subscribed to this magazine decades ago, when its format was smaller, more elegant and more user-friendly, and when the content was not an insult to the reader's intelligence. then, even my friend the snobbish PhD in history called it "a good magazine for amateurs."

in the three issues i have received so far, there has been a distinct religious bias, which, considering the actual span of world history, is inexcusable. one issue concerned itself with two movies, one a new release which was enthusiastically reviewed, leading me to wonder if the magazine had been bought out by a film company.

the quality of the writing is not what i remember, neither is the scholarship, what there is of it. the illustrations also fall far, far short of the quality of yesteryear.

this magazine, in my opinion, is the print equivalent of the television programs that are aimed at an audience believed to be uneducated, uninformed, unclutured, and incapable of logic or critical thought.

i regret wasting my money on it.

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If you're a history enthusiast, you'll enjoy this. Despite being frequently classified as an "academic journal", History Today is really none of that; for one thing, it's actually entertaining. My only complaint is that this magazine focuses too much on British history, but since it's a British publication, I suppose I can't really complain.