Description:
John Toland has always been a somewhat controversial figure in historical circles. A writer of biographies and histories, Toland has no formal training in history--no advanced degrees, and not even an undergraduate course to his name. Yet his biography of Hitler, his Pulitzer Prize-winning history of Japan, and his chronicles of World War II have earned him the respect and support of his many readers, if not always of his peers. Captured by History is Toland's retrospective of his own life, times, and work. Toland makes no pretense of being a professional historian. His earliest aspirations, it seems, were to become a novelist and playwright. Though he failed in the creative-writing arena, he brought a certain novelistic sensibility to the writing of history. He relied heavily on personal interviews for his information, gladly granting anonymity to his sources--a practice that drove documentation-driven historians wild. His books were structured with drama in mind, and read more like exciting novels than dry history. Though historians sneered, readers embraced him. Toland's memoir, Captured by History, undoubtedly will be welcomed by his many fans.
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