Nearby History: Exploring the Past Around You - Hardcover

by David Kyvig (Author), Myron A. Marty (Author), Larry Cebula (Author)

Nearby History by David E. Kyvig and Myron A. Marty is one of the essential volumes on any public historian's bookshelf and syllabus. Whereas every other "how to do history" book seems aimed at fledgling academic historians and grounds its advice on academic libraries and footnoting, it is Nearby History that shows the reader how to do hands-on public history research with the resources found in every community. First published in 1984, the book remains as important as ever. And yet the world of historical research has changed since 1984--not just the explosion of online historical sources but also the possibilities of using digital cameras and scanners for research, digital communities for historical collaboration, and podcasts, smartphone apps and websites to present research and interpretations of nearby history. It is time for an update.

Newly updated by Larry Cebula, this fourth edition of Nearby History is a comprehensive handbook for those interested in investigating the history of communities, families, local institutions, and cultural artifacts, Nearby History helps its readers research the world near at hand. In this fourth edition, the authors discuss a variety of research approaches involving published literature, unpublished documents, oral histories, visual and material sources, and landscapes; offer guidance in the uses of technology, particularly digital photography and digital voice recording; and suggest methods of historical presentation. The authors also explore the promise and pitfalls of research in the digital age. Richly illustrated with photos and documents, Nearby History is an excellent resource for both professionally trained and self-taught historians.

Author Biography

David E. Kyvig, now deceased, was distinguished research professor and professor of history at Northern Illinois University, is a former president of the National Council on Public History. His book Explicit and Authentic Acts: Amending the U.S. Constitution, 1776-1995 received the 1997 Bancroft Prize and other awards. His most recent work, The Age of Impeachment: American Constitutional Culture since 1960, was a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2008.

Myron A. Marty is the Ann G. and Sigurd E. Anderson University Professor and dean of arts and sciences emeritus at Drake University. His most recent book, Communities of FrankLloyd Wright: Taliesin and Beyond, appeared in 2009. His other publications include DailyLife in the United States, 1960-1990: Decades of Discord, and (with Shirley Marty) Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin Fellowship.

Larry Cebula is a professor of history at Eastern Washington University and is the Assistant Digital Archivist at the Washington State Archives. He is the author of Plateau Indians and the Quest for Spiritual Power: 1700-1850 and is editor of the website and smartphone app SpokaneHistorical.org.