"McDonald has written a feisty, candid account of his professional life."—Journal of Southern History
"A hitchhiker’s guide to the historian’s galaxy. . . [from] the premier American historian writing today."—American Spectator
"For nearly half a century now McDonald has been publishing scintillating studies of the political, economic, and intellectual origins of the American republic. . . . He has earned the reputation ‘a legend in his own time’ not only for his scholarship and productivity, but also for the way in which he has scaled the academic heights. In a profession long dominated by liberals and leftists, he has fearlessly challenged the regnant orthodoxy and lived to tell the tale. . . . Recovering the Past is that tale. . . . All the tempests (of his career) he recounts with zest in this candid and highly readable memoir."—Modern Age
"For all the occasionally caustic observations and the consistently sage intellect, the thing that comes through most of all is McDonald’s unbridled joy; a joy for history, a joy for the pursuit of knowledge, and an overall zest for life."—Southern Historian
"One of the more absorbing recent books of interest to conservative readers. . . . McDonald’s compelling narrative is peppered with blunt assessments of his own profession and historical trends. He devotes considerable space to raking left-wing revisionist historians over the coals. . . . McDonald’s blunt, no nonsense observations and conservative outlook are encouraging signs of optimism from an honest scholar. . . . Should be on every conservative’s short list of must-read books."—Human Events
"Informative, delightful to read, and a page-turner for any American who loves history."—California Literary Review
"An entertaining memoir by a historian who wants to recover America’s past from those who he believes have distorted its meaning."—History: Reviews of New Books
"Forrest McDonald is that rarest of creatures—an American academic who is an outspoken conservative. He is also a first-rate historian, the prolific author of indispensable works of history. . . . This memoir offers an excellent bird’s-eye view of what’s happened in the writing and teaching of history over the past 50 years."—Washington Times
"McDonald provides a bracing—and highly entertaining—inside view of the battleground of academic history in the PC age. He also communicates a joy in his craft."—National Review
"McDonald has written a bright memoir that illuminates the craft of the historian and provides a spirited account of his long-running battle against the unthinking leftist bias that plagues his profession. . . . McDonald is nothing if not combative, but the tone of [this book] is far from belligerent. He clearly believes himself to be a lucky man, engaged in work he thoroughly enjoys and blessed with the freedom to pursue it."—Wall Street Journal
“This book is as engaging as it is provocative. McDonald’s autobiographical one-man tour through the major battles of twentieth-century American historiography is hard to put down.”—Pauline Maier, author of American Scripture
“When a first-rate historian reflects on his life and work with candor and wisdom, other historians will want to read it. But McDonald has written a book that anyone who cares about education, or is just in the mood for a witty romp through the vicissitudes of academia, will enjoy and profit from.”—Eugene D. Genovese, author of The Southern Tradition
“A delightful and informative account that captures the sense of intellectual adventure that drew McDonald to the life of a historian, as well as his thoughtful reactions to the controversies that have plagued the profession in recent years.”—Diane Ravitch, author of The Language Police
