Richard Cohen

"A fascinating, epic exploration of who gets to record the world's history -- from Julius Caesar to William Shakespeare to Ken Burns -- and how their biases influence our understanding about the past. There are many stories we can spin about previous ages, but which accounts get told? And by whom? Is there even such a thing as "objective" history? In this lively and thought-provoking book, Richard Cohen reveals how professional historians and other...

Behind every acclaimed work of literature is a trove of heartfelt decisions. The best authors put painstaking-sometimes obsessive-effort into each element of their stories, from plot and character development to dialogue and point of view. Veteran editor and teacher Richard Cohen draws on his vast reservoir of a lifetime's reading and his insight into what makes good prose soar. Here are Gabriel Garcia Márquez's thoughts on how to start a novel...

"There are many stories we can spin about the past, but which stories get told? And by whom? One human being can shape our understanding of the past through the prism of his or her own beliefs and prejudices. And in this book Cohen reveals how historians--and other critical witnesses such as the writers of the Bible, novelists, and political propagandists--influence accepted accounts of the human experience. The depth of Cohen's inquiry, and the delight...