How do you see the ability to record history changing? Do you think technology makes recording history easier or harder?

Larson was able to piece together much of his book from documents such as journals and letters written to colleagues or spouses. How do you see the ability to record history changing? Do you think technology makes recording history easier or harder?

It seems like, given the ability to record/photograph events as they happen, that on the one hand accounts can be a lot more detailed and accurate. On the other, though, electronic records seem a lot less permanent. It does make me wonder what part of history we may lose over time as a result.

I am ambivalent about this question. Recording history in the moment is certainly easier with technology--witness the many cell phone videos that are posted online in the nanoseconds following an event. However, like Kim K, I wonder how permanent some of these technological recordings of history will be. Additionally, a technological glitch can wipe out personal e-mails; old-time paper journals seem to me less destructible.

I think it is much easier to have records of events now. Of course, since it is easier there will be much more material for future historians to discover, interpret, and synthesize. We are awash in data now. Imagine doing historical analysis on these data 50 or 100 years from now.

The fact that we are awash in data now makes me wonder how narrative nonfiction writers will adapt. Much of what they do now is piece things together and fill in gaps with imagination/speculation. With fewer gaps, in which directions will imagination take creative nonfiction?

Certainly technology makes recording historical events much faster but I have witnessed these instantaneous reports being highly inaccurate at times. Thus, I agree that usually it's easier but with the caveat that it still requires time to check out the true nature of "facts" and I agree with juliaa that electronic glitches can wipe out valuable information that paper journals/letters, etc. may be more permanent if carefully preserved.

The ability to record history immediately is definitely a plus but, of course, WHAT gets recorded is as always up to the historians, such as those in Room 40. In addition, hard copies are durable, cyber copies are not. I have letters from my Mom, my daughter does not. Sad, sad, sad.