The Birth of the Past
- The Birth of the Past
The concept of the past has its own history. And in his new book, The Birth of the Past (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011), Zachary S. Schiffman explores how the notion of a past emerged in the West—a past that was more than just before the present, but different from the present. It is anintellectual exploration that should keenly interest historians. Schiffman, a professor of history at Northern Illinois University, draws from his important book in his essay, "Defamiliarizing the Past," which is followed by an interview with senior editor Donald Yerxa conducted in November 2011.
