First Impressions

This week's competition, in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, is from a prizewinning historian:

"However much they might have agreed on the need for accuracy and truthfulness, historians down the ages have held wildly differing views on the purpose to which these things were to be put, and the way in which the facts they presented were to be explained."

* Entries, including postal address, should be sent to First Impressions, The Times Higher , Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1W 1BX, faxed to 020 7782 3300 or e-mailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a £25 book voucher. The closing date is October 1.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Richard Wright's Black Boy , was Linda Rygielski of Johnstone, Renfrewshire.

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