Unduly Interested in Note-Taking

Or, Back of the Hand History

Worth reading the whole, delightfully meandering piece:

Historians are like reliable local guides. Ideally, they will know the terrain like the backs of their hands. They recognise all the inhabitants and have a sharp eye for strangers and impostors. They may not have much sense of world geography and probably can’t even draw a map. But if you want to know how to get somewhere, they are the ones to take you.
~Keith Thomas, “Diary,” London Review of Books 32, No. 11 (10 June 2010)

Balthus Van Tassel, “Sacromonte – Travel guide,” Flickr, CC License