History means many things to many people. But finding an answer to the question ''What is history?'' is a task few feel equipped to answer. If you want to explore this tantalising subject, where do you start? What are the critical skills you need to begin to make sense of the past?

The perfect introduction to this thought-provoking area, Jenkins'' clear and concise prose guides readers through the controversies and debates that surround historical thinking at the present time, providing them with the means to make their own discoveries.