W swoim klasycznym już zbiorze esejów Gertrude Himmelfarb dokonuje krytycznego przeglądu rozmaitych sposobów uprawiania historii, które zyskały na popularności w XX wieku. Konfrontuje tradycyjne metody badawcze ze stanowiskiem historii społecznej oraz z nurtami marksistowskimi, psychoanalitycznymi i postmodernistycznymi. Pozwala to nie tylko uchwycić ich specyfikę, lecz także odsłonić konsekwencję ich założeń dla postrzegania i rozumienia rzeczywistości. Podstawą pierwszego przekładu na język polski jest rozszerzone wydanie książki, które ukazało się w 2004 roku. Nowa historia przyjęła się jako poręczna nazwa dla tych rodzajów historii, które choć nie są spójne, to wszystkie razem i każdy z osobna stanowią wyzwanie dla tradycyjnej historii. Jest to poważne wyzwanie, choćby ze względu na dzisiejszą dominację (jak powiedziałby nowy historyk, hegemonię) nowej historii w historiografii. To właśnie owa dominacja ma kluczowe znaczenie dla mojego wywodu. W całej książce argumentuję bowiem wielokrotnie, że istoty problemu nie stanowi nowa historia sama w sobie, lecz raczej decydująca rola, jaką zaczęła odgrywać, i autorytatywne sądy, które głosi się w jej imię. Fragment książki Gertrude Himmelfarb (19222019) historyk, eseistka, autorka kilkunastu książek, w tym m.in. przetłumaczonych na język polski: Jeden naród, dwie kultury (2007) i Drogi do nowoczesności: brytyjskie, francuskie i amerykańskie Oświecenia (2018). Laureatka licznych nagród, jedna z najbardziej wyrazistych oraz wpływowych amerykańskich intelektualistek okresu powojennego.
Gertrude Himmelfarb Book order
Gertrude Himmelfarb was an American historian recognized for her leadership in conservative interpretations of history and historiography. Her extensive writings explored intellectual history, with a particular focus on Britain and the Victorian era. Himmelfarb also delved into contemporary society and culture, offering insightful analyses of their development and trends. She was a distinguished thinker whose works provide profound perspectives on historical and cultural contexts.






- 2021
- 2012
Exploring the shared moral passion of influential modern thinkers across various traditions and genres, this book delves into their unique responses to contemporary issues. The second edition enhances the original content with a revised introduction and includes three new essays focusing on the contributions of Adam Smith, Lord Acton, and Alfred Marshall, enriching the discussion of moral imagination in their works.
- 2009
Jewish Odyssey of George Eliot
- 250 pages
- 9 hours of reading
The exploration of George Eliot's unique perspective on Judaism reveals the complexities of her identity as a Victorian woman and a non-Jewish author. The book delves into her motivations for championing Jewish themes, particularly the aspirations for nationhood and statehood, highlighting her significant contribution to English literature and her empathy towards a marginalized community. It examines the intersection of her beliefs and literary endeavors, offering insights into her remarkable legacy.
- 2008
The Roads to Modernity
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Gertrude Himmelfarb's elegant and wonderfully readable work, The Roads to Modernity, reclaims the Enlightenment from historians who have downgraded its importance and from scholars who have given preeminence to the Enlightenment in France over concurrent movements in England and in America.
- 2007
Moral Imagination
- 272 pages
- 10 hours of reading
One of America's most distinguished intellectual historians explores the minds and lives of some of the most brilliant and provocative thinkers of modern times, including John Stuart Mill, Benjamin Disraeli, Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Michael Oakeshott.
- 2006
Jews & Gentiles
- 260 pages
- 10 hours of reading
The collection showcases Milton Himmelfarb's insightful essays that traverse social, political, and theological themes. His unique perspectives range from discussions on influential thinkers like Leo Strauss and Spinoza to reflections on significant historical events, including the Holocaust and the role of religion in society. Compiled by his sister, historian Gertrude Himmelfarb, these sixteen essays provide a rich blend of literary enjoyment, intellectual stimulation, and political insight, highlighting Himmelfarb's relevance and depth as an essayist.
- 2004
"The Roads to Modernity reclaims the Enlightenment - an extraordinary time bursting with new ideas about the human condition in the realms of politics, society, and religion - from historians who have downgraded its importance and from scholars who have given preeminence to the Enlightenment in France over concurrent movements in England and America. Contrasting the Enlightenments in the three nations, Gertrude Himmelfarb demonstrates the primacy of the British and the wisdom and foresight of thinkers such as Adam Smith, David Hume, Thomas Paine, the Earl of Shaftesbury, Edward Gibbon, and Edmund Burke, who established its unique character and historic importance. It is this Enlightenment, she argues, that created a moral and social philosophy - humane, compassionate, and realistic - that still resonates strongly today, in America perhaps ever more so than in Europe." "This is a contribution to the history of ideas."--BOOK JACKET.
- 2001
One Nation, Two Cultures
- 191 pages
- 7 hours of reading
From one of today's most respected historians and cultural critics comes a new book examining the gulf in American society--a division that cuts across class, racial, ethnic, political and sexual lines.One side originated in the tradition of republican virtue, the other in the counterculture of the late 1960s. Himmelfarb argues that, while the latter generated the dominant culture of today-particularly in universities, journalism, television, and film--a "dissident culture" continues to promote the values of family, a civil society, sexual morality, privacy, and patriotism. Proposing democratic remedies for our moral and cultural diseases, Himmelfarb concludes that it is a tribute to Americans that we remain "one nation" even as we are divided into "two cultures."
- 1996
Darwin and the Darwinian Revolution
- 528 pages
- 19 hours of reading
Exploring the influence of Darwinism on the intellectual landscape of the nineteenth century, this work presents a biographical, historical, and philosophical analysis that questions the traditional perception of Darwin's significance. It delves into the broader implications of his theories, offering a critical examination of their impact on contemporary thought. The book is praised for its comprehensive and insightful approach, making it a valuable resource for understanding the complexities surrounding Darwin's legacy.
- 1996
The De-moralization Of Society
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
As the debate over values grows ever more divisive, one of the most eminent historians of the Victorian era reminds readers that values are no substitute for virtues--and that the Victorian considered hard work, thrift, respectability, and charity virtues essential to a worthwhile life. "An elegant, literate defense of ninteenth-century English mores and morals."--New York.

