Nigel Jones

History must at least be readable if we’re to learn anything from it

Richard Cohen has little time for those academic historians who continue to write arid books seemingly only for each other

The historian A.J.P. Taylor in 1971. [Getty Images]

Richard Cohen was once one of our foremost book editors as well as being an Olympic sabre champion. Since moving to New York 20 years ago he has turned author himself, writing books on Tolstoy, the sun and his own sport of swordsmanship. Now he focuses his attention on historians.

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