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...published in 1955, is one of the classic texts used in beginning history classes to aid the fledgling student in mastering a discipline that has confounded scholars throughout the ages. Gustavson's contention is that this is because most people have been taught history illogically. Rather than seeing the subject as simply the earlier stage of development of a current situation, they plunge in and begin trying to tie names to dates to places to events, without any frame of reference or particular goals in mind (other than passing the course). No wonder that most students emerge from school with a healthy hatred of the subject. Fortunately, Gustavson has a better solution. But he begins his book by describing several common approaches to learning history that, in his opinion, do not work. One is the Great Man method, which essentially reduces the broad spectrum of political events and social movements down to the leadership or influence of its most well-known spokesperson. This, Gustavson feels, is not a viable way to learn history because at the very least it is reductionist and simplistic, and in most cases it winds up being misleading. Related to the Great Man approach is the...