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Quote by Jill Lepore

“History is the art of making an argument about the past by telling a story accountable to evidence. In the writing of history, a story without an argument fades into antiquarianism; an argument without a story risks pedantry. Writing history requires empathy, inquiry, and debate. It requires forswearing condescension, cant, and nostalgia. The past isn’t quaint. Much of it, in fact, is bleak.”

Quote by Jill Lepore

Work

The Story of America: Essays on Origins

This book delves into the foundational aspects of American history, examining the cultural, political, and social origins that have shaped the nation's identity and evolution. more

Author

Jill Lepore
Jill Lepore

Jill Lepore is a distinguished professor of American history at Harvard University, known for her expertise in American history and literature. Born on August 27, 1966, she has made significant contributions to the field with her extensive research and publications. Lepore's work often focuses on the intersection of history, politics, and culture, offering insightful analyses of American society and its development. more

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“Jane Francklyne, born in 1565, had lived for less than a month. She left very little behind. She was buried in the Ecton churchyard, but her father would hardly have paid a carver to engrave so small a stone. If not for the parish register, there would be no record that this Jane Francklyne had ever lived at all. History is what is written and can be found; what isn't saved is lost, sunken and rotted, eaten by the earth.”