History Enrichment – AJP Taylor – the first TV historian

TaylorAJP Taylor’s lectures are excellent things for an A Level student to consider, not least because they are the very antithesis of much of what is produced today. Compare for example at this trailer for Sky’s “The British” with Taylor’s discussion of Europe in 1940 here, and you can draw your own conclusions about style V substance. Moreover, the fact remains that Taylor’s lectures regularly drew in over 10 million viewers on Sunday nights. As Dhruti Shah comments, there were not special effects, rather “he drew in the audiences with his strong opinions and unscripted lecture.” A BBC article on Taylor can be found here.

Finally, and above all please do take the chance to watch him at his best.  Here he discusses Churchill’s reputation. 

Mr Kydd.

Please note that my full post on AJP Taylor can be found at http://heathenhistory.co.uk/

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