Readers will learn what key questions to pose and how to cull information from such sources as newspapers, libraries, maps, cemeteries, photographs, government documents, the Internet and human memory. It has become a standard among historical society officers and students being prepared to run local museums. The second edition includes ample amounts of new material. We also revised the book to reflect changes and developments in historical thinking over the last few years. There's a lot more interest now in the function of memory in shaping history.
Images can be quite revealing.
For instance, a photograph can tell us about an era, about economic circumstances and about character. Kyvig specializes in 20th Century U.S. history and recently was awarded NIU's Presidential Research Professorship, a distinction given to the university's top researchers. That title received Columbia University's Bancroft Prize, the most prestigious book-publishing accolade for American history. The book brings together a collection of original essays by Kyvig and seven other distinguished scholars who examine how amendments often produce unforeseen and ironic results. This page is maintained by the NIU Office of Public Affairs.