Christopher Hill: The Life of a Radical Historian

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A luminous biography of one of the last century’s most influential historians Born in 1912, Christopher Hill was one of the foremost historians of his generation. Abandoning the re spectable provincial Methodism of his youth, Hill embraced Marxism and pursued a celebrated intellectual career. His early enthusiasm as a member of the Communist Party eventually gave way to disillusionment with its doctrinaire practices. Hill embodied the conflicts and challenges of the postwar decades. Michael Braddick’s astute biography situates Hill’s life and work in the proper historical context, bringing him alive for twenty-first-century readers. What People Are Saying "A fascinating portrait of a remarkable scholar. Works as both a judicious assessment of a major historian and a riveting tale of a don’s life." Jonathan Healey, author of The Blazing World "Braddick gives us for the first time the whole man, vividly recovering the personal and political concerns that informed Christopher Hill’s historical writings." David Norbrook, author of Writing the English Republic "A splendid biography. Even those who know Hill’s work will learn a great deal. Braddick reveals Hill as a profound historical thinker and a vital voice in contemporary discussions of the English Revolution." John Rees, author of The Fiery Spirits "Braddick has written a fine life of Christopher Hill – lucid, fair and scholarly." Tristram Hunt, Literary Review "It is good to have this biography of one of the 20th century’s greatest and most significant Marxist historians." Richard J Evans, New Statesman "A very good place to revive the discussion of Hill’s vision of the English Revolution, warts and all." John Rees, Counterfire"As Braddick’s book richly and scrupulously details, there haven’t been many historians like Christopher Hill ... excellent." Marcus Nevitt, Spectator "[Braddick] writes with rare lucidity and grace." Richard Davenport-Hines, Times Literary Supplement "A welcome portrait of a still towering figure in British intellectual life." Aidan Beatty, Irish Times "There is much to enjoy in this book ... [and] no shortage of colourful detail." Rhodri Lewis, Prospect "Excellent ... Braddick’s study suggests Hill may have had a bigger impact on the scholarly understanding of 17th-century Britain than anyone in the second half of the 20th century." Stefan Collini, London Review of Books "Reading Braddick reminds us why Hill mattered – and still matters. In an era demanding historical perspectives on the recurring crises of capitalism, state power, and cultural hegemony, Hill’s determination to understand the past as a means to shape a better future remains profoundly relevant....This solid, scholarly biography provides the essential map to that life and work." Ryan Breeden, Bullet "Braddick’s new book, Christopher Hill: The Life of a Radical Historian, offers the first full and comprehensive interpretation of his subject’s life, work, and politics." Marcus Rediker and Peter Linebaugh, Nation "Braddick’s book is well-researched, readable, and thoughtful....it contains precisely the material we need to make sense of Hill’s work." Raphael Magarik, Jacobin Show more