Timothy Judd Stiles

Background

Mr. Stiles was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States, on July 29, 1964. He is a son of Clifford Dillon (a physician) and Carol Stiles.

Education

Timothy Stiles finished his studies at Carleton College, Northfield, MN, receiving Bachelor of Arts (with distinction) in 1986. He earned Master of Arts from Columbia University and did further graduate study between 1986 and 1990.

Career

Mr. Stiles is a historian and writer. He is a contributor to newspapers.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Warriors and Pioneers

    (A history of the American West is told from the interwove...)

    1996
  • The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt 2010
  • Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America 2016
  • Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War 1994
  • Citizen's Handbook 1993
  • In their own words: civil war commanders 1995
  • In their own words: robber barons and radicals 1997

Views

Quotations: "In answering the question, I returned to the beginning: the stories. The narrative seems to occupy a deep place in the mind. When we explain something to ourselves, we prefer to couch the information or explanation in a tale. Take the Civil War, for example. Americans are fascinated with it. Why? The first reason is that it forms a compelling narrative of a clear conflict, with colorful protagonists and climactic moments of resolution. The second reason is its meaning. The Civil War speaks to Americans about the meaning of America. The quality and clarity of the story bring out underlying themes of our nation’s character and direction."

"Professional history is rich with facts and theories — the result of countless studies and decades of research — but the ability to express that information in terms of narrative seems to be fading. Here an there, a really fine writer has rescued the narrative history by applying the knowledge uncovered in aca demic studies to the stories that the public craves. The Civil War is actually one of the most fortunate fields in this respect. Some biographers, too, have revived the literary craft that once was so central to the historian’s work. Their example is what I choose to follow."

"When I write, I try to tell a good (and accurate) story, both for its own sake and as a means of drawing out the underlying meaning, the themes that explain to us how we became what we now are. History affects us deeply; witness the fierce debates over the national history standards. I wish to participate in that public discussion of the American past and what it says about the present."

Membership

• Organization of American Historians , United States

Interests

• travel, hiking, sculpture, politics

• Sport & Clubs

  shotokan karate

Connections

Timothy Stiles married Nadine T. Spence on February 1, 1995.

Father:

Clifford Dillon Stiles

Mother:

Carol Stiles

Wife:

Nadine T. Spence