The author Barbara W. Tuchman emphasizes the responsibilities of a historian towards readers. She believes that a historian's primary duty is to curate information effectively, filtering out excessive details while focusing on the essential elements that contribute to a coherent and engaging narrative. By transforming raw data into a compelling story, historians can captivate their audiences and maintain their interest in history.

Tuchman criticizes those who present large amounts of unorganized information, as it fails to serve the reader’s needs and reflects a lack of effort from the author. A successful historical narrative should not only inform but also resonate with readers, allowing them to connect with the past meaningfully. According to Tuchman, the essence of history lies in its storytelling ability, which brings events and figures to life.