Andrew Liddle criticizes use of historical present in writing

Andrew Liddle criticizes a specific style of modern historical writing and lecturing, particularly when historians address a general audience. He expresses irritation with the frequent use of the ‘historical present’—the practice of describing past events as if they are currently occurring.

While some argue that this tense provides immediacy and vividness, Liddle contends that its habitual use in entire narratives feels ostentatiously theatrical and affected. He argues that the past tense serves a vital intellectual function by placing events within a proper temporal framework.