Dead Certainties: Unwarranted SpeculationsLike his The Embarrassment of Riches and the bestselling Citizens, Simon Schama's latest book is both history and literature of immense stylishness and ambition. But Dead Certainties goes beyond these more conventional histories to address the deeper enigmas that confront a student of the past. In order to do so, Schama reconstructs -- and at times reinvents -- two ambiguous deaths: the first, that of General James Wolfe at the battle of Quebec in 1759; the second, in 1849, that of George Parkman, an eccentric Boston brahmin whose murder by an impecunious Harvard professor in 1849 was a grisly reproach to the moral sanctity of his society. Out of these stories -- with all of their bizarre coincidences and contradictions -- Schama creates a dazzling and supremely vital work of historical imagination. "From the Trade Paperback edition. |
Contents
In Command | 21 |
Deep in the Forest | 40 |
On the Heights of Abraham | 66 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
afternoon appeared asked Attorney became Bemis body Boston brought called Cambridge Chief Clifford close College court dark death defence Doctor door doubt evidence eyes face fact father feel fire followed Francis friends George Parkman give given hand hard Harvard head hope human imagined John John Webster jury Justice keep kind knew known least leave less letters Littlefield live looked manner Marshal mean Medical mind morning murder needed never night notes offered once painting perhaps person piece Professor remains reported seemed seen Shaw Sohier stand story Street sure taken tell thing thought tion told took trial turned voice walked wall wanted Webster week West whole wife witness Wolfe writing