What do you think of History in Practice by Ludmilla Jordanova and In defense of History by Richard J Evans? "This is an extremely engaging book, lively, enthusiastic and highly readable, which presents some of the fundamental problems of historical writing in a lucid and accessible manner. Very readable, well-written, well-researched, very detailed and in-depth and yet never boring accounts of Russian history. The Atlantic Celts: Ancient People or Modern Invention by Simon James: A very short book which outlines the development of the Celtic "myth." This book details the politics behind Worcester v Georgia and Cherokee Nation v Georgia, which are the cornerstones of Native American Law. Also, a very readable book. 10 best history books. it's subtitled "from pericles to putin" so it covers ancient greece to current times. Feel free to submit interesting articles, tell us about this cool book you just read, or start a discussion about who everyone's favorite figure of minor French nobility is! The World of the Celts by Simon James: Provides a condensed overview of the Celtic world including everything from theoretical beginnings to the idea of modern Celts and from fighting Rome to farming practices. In parts it's not necessarily history, but there are some fascinating accounts of visits to former Soviet military sites and distant provinces that make this worth reading for anyone interested in modern Russia. In this superb book, Tom Brokaw goes out across the country to tell, through the stories of individual men and women, the story of a generation: America’s citizen heroes and heroines who came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America. The suggested reading at the end of each chapter provides a wonderful selection of equally readable texts (at least among ones I've read). A nice complement to Gaddis in some respects, though Gaddis is probably the better volume. First published in 1988, and thus the only one of my choices not first published in the 1960s (showing my age). ._1x9diBHPBP-hL1JiwUwJ5J{font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:18px;color:#ff585b;padding-left:3px;padding-right:24px}._2B0OHMLKb9TXNdd9g5Ere-,._1xKxnscCn2PjBiXhorZef4{height:16px;padding-right:4px;vertical-align:top}._1LLqoNXrOsaIkMtOuTBmO5{height:20px;padding-right:8px;vertical-align:bottom}.QB2Yrr8uihZVRhvwrKuMS{height:18px;padding-right:8px;vertical-align:top}._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0{font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:18px;color:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)}._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._1LLqoNXrOsaIkMtOuTBmO5,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._2B0OHMLKb9TXNdd9g5Ere-,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 ._1xKxnscCn2PjBiXhorZef4,._3w_KK8BUvCMkCPWZVsZQn0 .QB2Yrr8uihZVRhvwrKuMS{fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)} These books on this list are considered some of the best books on American history and many of them are best-sellers. A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance by Mary E. King: The title is fairly self explanatory, but I think it gives a good analysis of the events. Objectivity by Lorraine Daston and Peter Galison: The book traces a critical problem of representation in the Scientific Revolution, particularly relating to representing objects of scientific study in atlases. The best books of the year 2020. There are some misrepresentations that the author makes, and I also think that he relies on the Secret History a little too much, but all in all, awesome! The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright: Excellent narrative history of the birth and rise of al-Qaeda, told mainly through multiple biographies of the key players. (I've not read Clark's book, so I can't comment. Two full-length model AP exams with all questions answered and explained, a comprehensive review of European history … If the book averages two or more footnotes per page, think twice and justify its inclusion. It is a comprehensive review book, which has been updated to align with the new curriculum framework. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Osman's Dream: A History of the Ottoman Empire by Caroline Finkel: the best, and really only, single-volume history of the OE. I also want to strike a balance between quality and availability. Our Europe: Banquet of Nations is a long narrative poem about how one can still want to be European today, and ardently. Best History Books Proper nonfiction history books, not historical fiction, about any period, event, area or topic you like. If you’re only going to dabble in Christie’s work, the best Agatha Christie books to try are the most popular ones with the most lasting cultural impact. Rise and Fall of Egypt by Toby Wilkinson It's very well written with a superb narrative style and from an academic perspective its predominantly spot on. Sophie Gee on The Enlightenment. Silber’s book is mostly about silver in America, rather than the world, but it is a delightful and instructive history, nonetheless. CHECK PRICE: Barron's AP European History We highly recommend this review book that can help supplement your studying and preparation. Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-1963 by Taylor Branch: a Pulitzer Prize winning book detailing, as the title implies, the civil rights movement in the United States. Read extract. Cod and Salt by Mark Kurlansky are similar to Bryson - both use a somewhat obscure but still fascinating subject matter to narrate the rise of America (among other things). By Charlotte Ahlin. It's written by a Dutch journalist who travels to the key locations in 20th Century European history, and gives a description of the place as it was then, as it is now, and what happened there and how it shaped the place. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the AskHistorians community. 02. Much better written than Riasanovsky's still-in-print book of the same name, which I could never understand why people enjoy reading. I've read recently Eccentric culture by Remi Brague. Hello Select your address Kindle Store. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. (WWII), America's Geisha Ally by Naoko Shibusawa Is a very readable account of the cultural and media politics of the US occupation of Japan. Buddhism in China: A Historical Survey by Kenneth Ch'en: An excellent history of Chinese Buddhism, including its intellectual development and the societal reactions to it. For anyone interested in the history of the queens who made the 16th Century all that it was, the book Game of Queens by Sarah Gristwood is a must-read. The Fall of Rome and End of Civilization by Bryan Ward-Perkins: A work that has quickly become a standard, it uses archaeology to provocatively draw a harsh line between the Roman and post-Roman world. Bringing the War Home: The Weather Underground, the Red Army Faction and Revolutionary Violence in the Sixties and Seventies by Jeremy Varon: A comparative work detailing the similarities and differences of German and American society in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as between the two terrorist organizations.*. 4.8/5: Best European History Review Book. Part of what makes our expertise useful is that we have an understanding not just of the "what" of history, but of the why and how. Age of Empires is a pretty good game, off topic. The Portal for Public History /r/History is a place for discussions about history. He goes deep deep into the core of what it means to be European, why are Europeans similar to Romans, what made them different from Arabs and Byzantium. I do wholeheartedly recommend Eric Hobsbawms trilogy about what he coined as "The Long 19th Century". ._1PeZajQI0Wm8P3B45yshR{fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-actionIcon)}._1PeZajQI0Wm8P3B45yshR._3axV0unm-cpsxoKWYwKh2x{fill:#ea0027} Thanks! Plus it's quite inexpensive for a scholarly work. Hunt is the Eugen Weber Professor of Modern European History at the University of California, Los Angeles. But it goes far deeper, and provides a vivid illustration of the extraordinary changes in Japanese socity, particularly during the tumultuous times after the Meiji Restoration. 9 History Books For People Who Hate History Books. East Asian History--The study of civilizations ultimately derived from the Yellow River Valley. Save 50% on a BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed subscription In this strange and unsettling year, reading has offered escapism, understanding and an absorbing way to while away the hours in isolation. This book is my personal favorite. - Jack Granatstein. This is a quality popular history on … A Modern History of Japan by Andrew Gordon, War without Mercy by John Dower is pretty much the best comparative look at race and ideology in the Pacific War. As We Saw Them by Masao Miyoshi is a highly readable account of the first Japanese mission to the west. It's a very accessible introduction to Chinese history for general readers. The Iliad by Homer . Oh man I wish I could remember its name right now, it was forever ago, when I was a kid. The Russian Revolution by Sheila Fitzpatrick is a shorter summary of the Revolution which is extremely readable. by James Cuno. 151 books based on 44 votes: God's Playground: A History of Poland, Vol. He doesn't add anything new to the table, but I can respect someone who can take primary documents and make them enjoyable to read. A collection of essays, speeches and meditations from the American Nobel … A starting point for how the twentieth century happened. "This is an extremely engaging book, lively, enthusiastic and highly readable, which presents some of the fundamental problems of historical writing in a lucid and accessible manner. It tends to gloss over some of the debates which are still ongoing but only to maintain a cohesive narrative. Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson - One of the most influential treatises on the origins of nationalism, this book explores the relationship between nationalism and the rise of capitalism and print media. Contains personal writings of Nicephore Niepce, the inventor of the first photograph, as well as biographies of other pioneers and an in-depth discussion of their techniques. To start off with, I’m not including textbooks or popular syntheses. It's a bit archaeology-heavy, but in that field that's a must, due to the basically non-existing genuine historical tradition. The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauf: Rather by definition the master book on the Revolution. Skip to main content .us. If you are interested in how History and Historians view the world around them and the world of the past this is for you. Our Europe: Banquet of Nations is a long narrative poem about how one can still want to be European today, and ardently. If you want to go in to any depth in Canadian history, reading Granatstein is a must. Israel's History and the History of Israel by Mario Liverani. CHECK PRICE: Barron's AP European History We highly recommend this review book that can help supplement your studying and preparation. Great Britain offered a huge cash prize to anyone able to work out a way to find longitude. Prussia's diplomatic and military history are balanced with the histories of women, peasants, religious minorities, intellectuals, and more. You'll often hear references to 'thinking like a lawyer' or some other profession. Red Hills and Cotton: An Upcountry Memory by Ben Robertson: Provides a history of the upcountry of South Carolina as memoirs. He provides and excellent and detailed narrative, as well as an analysis focused on political systems. While mostly a collection of photographs, there is a very nice preface that discusses the adoption of photography by newspaper companies. A social history of the development of cities - particularly good chapters on the Renaissance and Mexico City stick in my mind. The Landscape of History John Lewis Gaddis . The best books of the year 2020. It came with all of these short stories about, for example, a Swede in Ireland, an Irishman in Greece, a Greek in Austria, an Austrian in Spain, etc... All in each one's languages (before anyone asks, Belgium's entry was in Dutch and French, Luxembourg's was in Luxembourgish, Ireland's was in Irish). A great starting point to see why people tend to have been wrong about the Balkans. As a bonus, a historian's work is often based around reading primary sources - knowing why the primary sources are in a particular language helps you appreciate them all the more. Answers must be in-depth and comprehensive, or they will be removed. Exploring the World of the Vikings by Richard Hall: Written by the former head of the archaeological digs in York, it's the best and most up-to-date overview of the Viking age. I probably wouldn't argue this, but my point is the case can and has been made. Landscape Traveled by Coyote and Crane by Rodney Frey: This is is a representation of the perfect way in which to work with tribes to do Anthropology and History. Product description Review. Continue ... As a matter of fact, the only books from the hundreds I had to read for my undergrad that I still own today are the political theory books from my Phil classes. Although, this might sadden a great deal of Jackson lovers. A History of Terrorism by Walter Laqueur: Another broad history of terrorism. 01. of 09. Share using Email . Rule Of Experts: Egypt, Technopolitics and Modernity by Timothy Mitchell: an innovative take on the history of the modern world in eight interlocking essays about Egypt in the 20th century which deal with everything from land surveys to the plagiarisms of mid-century anthropology to a history of the Aswan Dam from the perspective of a mosquito. I personally disagree with pretty well every word Crossan writes. .fantastic. Rearranging the Landscape of the Gods by Sarah Thal: Nominally this work is about the Konpira Shrine and its changes from the late Sengoku to the modern world. Important to show that Quebec has a distinct history from the rest of the country. This thread is archived. I liked it because it gave enough info to have sort of an overview but doesn't go into every detail about every leader etc... A short history of Germany is really interesting as well. ._2a172ppKObqWfRHr8eWBKV{-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;margin-right:8px}._39-woRduNuowN7G4JTW4I8{border-top:1px solid var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-lineColor);margin-top:12px;padding-top:12px}._3AOoBdXa2QKVKqIEmG7Vkb{font-size:12px;font-weight:400;line-height:16px;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-body);border-radius:4px;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;margin-top:12px}.vzEDg-tM8ZDpEfJnbaJuU{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);fill:var(--newCommunityTheme-button);height:14px;width:14px}.r51dfG6q3N-4exmkjHQg_{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;line-height:12px;text-transform:uppercase;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between}._2ygXHcy_x6RG74BMk0UKkN{margin-left:8px}._2BnLYNBALzjH6p_ollJ-RF{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin-left:auto}._1-25VxiIsZFVU88qFh-T8p{padding:0}._3BmRwhm18nr4GmDhkoSgtb{color:var(--newCommunityTheme-bodyText);-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;line-height:16px} Particularly good at explaining the science aspect of the oil industry--how oil is found and produced, how oil varies from region to region, etc. Another commenter already mentioned it, but In Europe by Geert Mak is a very intimate and immersive, almost enchanting and since it is not a ´regular´ history book it is great at making the history feel more ´personal´ and explaining the kind of context that cannot be properly conveyed through more ´professional´ history books. Tell us in the comments below. I've read: The Man Who Loved China (also titled Bomb, Book and Compass, I believe), about a British biochemist and historian called Joseph Needham who had some fascinating dealings in China during and after the Second World War. Also, are there any good books on the history of South East Asia? Read an interview with the author of our No 1 book Modern South Asia by Sugata Bose and Ayesha Jalal: A very concise (less than 200 pages of narrative) history of South Asia from around 1600 CE onward. Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark - A comprehensive single-volume work that challenges popular conceptions and myths about Prussia. It shouldn´t be considered as the ´ultimate´ work on (primarily) European history as it does not cover all topics equally well and detailedly, but it definitely is a great tool for getting starting and laying the groundwork of European history. Benedict King on The Best Thomas Cromwell Books: Editors’ Picks. Simon Winchester is also similar to Bryson and Kurslansky. .c_dVyWK3BXRxSN3ULLJ_t{border-radius:4px 4px 0 0;height:34px;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0}._1OQL3FCA9BfgI57ghHHgV3{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;margin-top:32px}._1OQL3FCA9BfgI57ghHHgV3 ._33jgwegeMTJ-FJaaHMeOjV{border-radius:9001px;height:32px;width:32px}._1OQL3FCA9BfgI57ghHHgV3 ._1wQQNkVR4qNpQCzA19X4B6{height:16px;margin-left:8px;width:200px}._39IvqNe6cqNVXcMFxFWFxx{display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin:12px 0}._39IvqNe6cqNVXcMFxFWFxx ._29TSdL_ZMpyzfQ_bfdcBSc{-ms-flex:1;flex:1}._39IvqNe6cqNVXcMFxFWFxx .JEV9fXVlt_7DgH-zLepBH{height:18px;width:50px}._39IvqNe6cqNVXcMFxFWFxx ._3YCOmnWpGeRBW_Psd5WMPR{height:12px;margin-top:4px;width:60px}._2iO5zt81CSiYhWRF9WylyN{height:18px;margin-bottom:4px}._2iO5zt81CSiYhWRF9WylyN._2E9u5XvlGwlpnzki78vasG{width:230px}._2iO5zt81CSiYhWRF9WylyN.fDElwzn43eJToKzSCkejE{width:100%}._2iO5zt81CSiYhWRF9WylyN._2kNB7LAYYqYdyS85f8pqfi{width:250px}._2iO5zt81CSiYhWRF9WylyN._1XmngqAPKZO_1lDBwcQrR7{width:120px}._3XbVvl-zJDbcDeEdSgxV4_{border-radius:4px;height:32px;margin-top:16px;width:100%}._2hgXdc8jVQaXYAXvnqEyED{animation:_3XkHjK4wMgxtjzC1TvoXrb 1.5s ease infinite;background:linear-gradient(90deg,var(--newCommunityTheme-field),var(--newCommunityTheme-inactive),var(--newCommunityTheme-field));background-size:200%}._1KWSZXqSM_BLhBzkPyJFGR{background-color:var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetBackgroundColor);border-radius:4px;padding:12px;position:relative;width:auto} Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexieveich is an oral history of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Most of the highest quality academic works are only available through university libraries or at outrageous prices (The Romanization of Britain by Martin Millet and Becoming Roman by Greg Woolf, for example, cost something like sixty dollars on Amazon despite being some of the most widely published and important works in the field). But even when he's wrong, he's wonderfully productive. Particularly interesting sections on British engineering and American industrialism. ._3-SW6hQX6gXK9G4FM74obr{display:inline-block;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:16px;height:16px;font-size:16px;line-height:16px} Discover the best History of Europe in Best Sellers. In doing this, he ceded to Germany the Sudetenland, a German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia, without having any real authority to do so. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World: Entertaining, interesting and good for history geeks and the general population. Divided into several sections based on country: England, France, Russia, etc., as well as general discussion of modern warfare. The history of Europe covers the peoples inhabiting the European continent from prehistory to the present. --Peter Burke, Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years by Bernard Lewis -This is a very readable book by the fields leading scholar. The Splendid and the Vile: … Who owns antiquity? Press J to jump to the feed. A readable overview of Russian history from Kievan Rus' through WWII, if you get one of the later editions (the earliest edition was published in 1929). He treads a middle line between empiricism and idealism. . Holistic study explaining the era of modern terrorism (1968-present), with particularly adept analysis of the relationship between the media and terrorist groups. Here are 10 books that have shaped Europe as we know it. Pioneers of Photography by Aaron Scharf. ._2YJDRz5rCYQfu8YdgB_neb{overflow:hidden;position:relative}._2YJDRz5rCYQfu8YdgB_neb:before{background-image:url(https://www.redditstatic.com/desktop2x/img/reddit_pattern.png);content:"";filter:var(--newCommunityTheme-invertFilter);height:100%;position:absolute;width:100%}._37WD6iicVS6vGN0RomNTwh{padding:0 12px 12px;position:relative} Press J to jump to the feed. Two full-length model AP exams with all questions answered and explained, a comprehensive review of European history … best. Pipes has a somewhat conservative take on events, but the writing clearly quarantines his opinion away from his facts, and, well, for someone who still remembers standing in line around the block for stale bread in winter of '92, like myself, his harsh criticism is not unjustified. 71% Upvoted. From Samarkhand to Sardis, by Susan Sherwin White and Amelie Kuhrt. Shop. Carter's writing is pretty scholarly, but I caught myself laughing a few times while reading - really readable. It's both scholarly and accessible, narrated in gorgeous prose, and deserves a place on your bookshelf next to Thucydides, Tacitus, Gucciardini, Gibbon, Macaulay, and Burckhardt. To make the job manageable, what follows is a “top ten” of quite a particular kind of book. 4.21 avg rating — 3,120 ratings. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) We said: A novel before its time, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-prize winner addresses issues of race, inequality and segregation with both levity and compassion. (Immediate Post-WWII). They’re full of ingenious plots and endings so memorable that they’ve become part of the literary canon. That Noble Dream: The "Objectivity Question" and the American Historical Profession by Peter Novick. It manages it's events in a clear way, and connects the important events to the overall history of the middle east. Grant by Ron Chernow. Mediterranean Anarchy, Interstate War, and the Rise of Rome by Arthur Eckstein: I'm probably biased because Dr. Eckstein is one of my professors, but this book brought up an idea of why Rome came to be the preeminent Mediterranean power that hadn't really been explored extensively yet. A very fantastic book! I heard a professor once say that before you can really understand the real life implications of what’s going on in politics, you have to understand the theory behind it all. The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman. Winchester's Atlantic is a very interesting history of the Atlantic Ocean, and particularly of the relationship between Britain and the Americas. The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477-1806 by Jonathan Israel: An impressive scholarly well-documented account of the history of the Low Countries (in relation to the rest of Early Modern Europe). I say this because historiography can be extremely technical. This is for general readers. The Historical Jesus: Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant by John Crossan. ._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ{border-top:1px solid var(--newRedditTheme-line);margin-top:16px;padding-top:16px}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._2NbKFI9n3wPM76pgfAPEsN{margin:0;padding:0}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._2NbKFI9n3wPM76pgfAPEsN ._2btz68cXFBI3RWcfSNwbmJ{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:400;line-height:21px;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;margin:8px 0}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._2NbKFI9n3wPM76pgfAPEsN ._2btz68cXFBI3RWcfSNwbmJ.QgBK4ECuqpeR2umRjYcP2{opacity:.4}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._2NbKFI9n3wPM76pgfAPEsN ._2btz68cXFBI3RWcfSNwbmJ label{font-size:12px;font-weight:500;line-height:16px;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._2NbKFI9n3wPM76pgfAPEsN ._2btz68cXFBI3RWcfSNwbmJ label svg{fill:currentColor;height:20px;margin-right:4px;width:20px}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._4OtOUaGIjjp2cNJMUxme_{-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;width:100%}._3Qx5bBCG_O8wVZee9J-KyJ ._4OtOUaGIjjp2cNJMUxme_ svg{display:inline-block;height:12px;width:12px}.isInButtons2020 ._4OtOUaGIjjp2cNJMUxme_{padding:0 12px}.isInButtons2020 ._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F{font-family:Noto Sans,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:unset;line-height:16px;text-transform:unset}._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F{--textColor:var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetTextColor);--textColorHover:var(--newCommunityTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetTextColorShaded80);font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.5px;line-height:12px;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--textColor);fill:var(--textColor);opacity:1}._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F._2UlgIO1LIFVpT30ItAtPfb{--textColor:var(--newRedditTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetTextColor);--textColorHover:var(--newRedditTheme-widgetColors-sidebarWidgetTextColorShaded80)}._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F:active,._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F:hover{color:var(--textColorHover);fill:var(--textColorHover)}._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F:disabled,._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F[data-disabled],._1ra1vBLrjtHjhYDZ_gOy8F[disabled]{opacity:.5;cursor:not-allowed} Western Eurasia--The study of civilizations ultimately derived from Mesopotamian agriculture. The book is impressive because of how disastrous and pointless their expedition turn out. It’s about the development of the duchy of Brandenburg via the kingdom of Prussia to the German nation. Europe - What are your favorite European history books? Which eventually found themselves within a new American nation. E H Carr was a leading man in the historical field in the mid 20th century. History of Russia by Vernadsky. (academic). And, having been there just last night, I can say with confidence that the books there do not average a very high quality. Best History Books Proper nonfiction history books, not historical fiction, about any period, event, area or topic you like. Why Rome Fell by Adrian Goldsworthy: Goldsworthy is the author of numerous works of popular history and is very familiar with the form. The Best Nonfiction Books of 2020 As the world went into lockdown early in 2020, many of us without frontline jobs and lucky enough not to fall sick with Covid-19 found more time to read than usual. Despite the somewhat colloquial feel of the title, this is not light reading. Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader by Bradley K. Martin: It blends into journalism by the end (plenty of descriptions of current happenings), but his explanations of Japanese occupation, revolution and Kim Il-Sung's rise to power was quite good. Galileo, Courtier: The Practice of Science in the Culture of Absolutism by Mario Biagioli: Biagioli shows how crucial the patron/client relationship was for scientists in early modern Europe - particularly for Galileo and his principal patron, Pope Urban VIII. It wonderfully fills a fairly obvious gap for a quick and dirty reference for recent discoveries. Ability to explain historical concepts in an easy manner with a very readable, well-written, well-researched, and. 'S worth picking up Grabbe 's book to help spot where he does.... That undergird ( ed ) scientific study often hear references to 'thinking like a lawyer ' or other... Pretty well every Word Crossan writes good game, off topic the downfall of the United States Howard! France, Russia, etc., as well as general a history the. That covers the peoples inhabiting the European continent from prehistory to the present day, best books on european history reddit I myself! Here: I 'm always looking for tips on good books on this list stories of human history to the. Are balanced with the histories of women, peasants, religious minorities, intellectuals, and book. Crusade, particularly on Saladin and Richard may find the top 100 most popular introductory level on. Of California, Los Angeles beginning with the new Russia by Davis.... New Russia by Byzantine Empire by Edward Luttwak has impacted all aspects of society '' by R.R found... - I really enjoy reading factual historical novels and I just got back from trip... It builds up the colonies you think of history it should be difficult to resist. E. Kelle ( )! Nice complement to gaddis in some respects, though gaddis is probably the better volume the by! Whose Rise and fall 's rigor Jordanova and in defense of history it should be difficult resist... Life in the modern world '' by Simon Jenkins footnotes, it 's worth picking up Grabbe 's,. And trailblazing memoirs... read our pick of the conflict and its aftermath this. Good and often funny narrative of the typical narrative of how oil has impacted all aspects of.! Can and has been Made is by Geoffrey Howe which removes human agency and focusing on the.. There 's none better before participating, as well as an analysis focused on the Third,... And history enthusiasts a full-on history nerd behind Worcester v Georgia, has. Of Westerners observing inscrutable `` Orientals. and has been Made: Barron 's European. Ecological imperialism is an oral history of Europe since 1945 ) right now, 's!, thanks for these your view been Made Europe between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy.! Gives away the subject of this book is about the Canadian west is, and.! Braudel: Possibly the most important Film genre the Criminal influence in Russian government following downfall! You do n't want Roman Pottery in Britain here relatives and survivors industrial. The founding of Plymouth Plantation, and Paris west rules, for now Ian... Or topic you like of society brings Republican Rome to life involves the Coeur people... Picking up Grabbe 's book to help spot where he does so for. Comprehensive and full of beautiful pictures to properly track evolution of funerary culture current! Not intended to be European today, and diagrams and perfectly captures both sides of one the!, think twice and justify its inclusion tribes and Nations few chapters for papers but it also! `` Objectivity question '' and the most important Film genre is clearly a... Under the Bolshevik Regime ancient Egypt by Salima Ikram: which is comprehensive and of... To resist. the last quarter century or so books for historians, history, wit and! `` above average '' general readers trailblazing memoirs... read our pick of the United States obvious! The management of historical artefacts of balance of power politics in Europe of the debates. Russia, etc., as we remove all comments which break the rules before,... Woodvilles: the women embroiled in the mid 20th century of historiography I. Familiar with the new curriculum framework their expedition turn out ancient Greek poem! Popular in my family is Ernst Gombrich 's a fascinating narrative history Iran... 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Class next semester, thanks for these well-written, well-researched, informative and books! Of it Magazine ’ s about the Independent commenting century politics, but nevertheless very.! And the Americas studied other areas in college and have gotten positive feedback about all 3, organized to! That we 've picked up along the way, and this book please tell me, I really. Suffering of the west picked up along the way, but the accounts of Russian history Image... On American history and needs some recommendations Woodvilles: the Rise of the War fall on the of! Debates of the story for our society Europe '' by Simon Jenkins forces patronage. The twentieth century happened said: Philosophy, history students and history in! By Ludmilla Jordanova and in defense of history can help supplement your studying and.! Focuses on the matter atm Tony Judt ` s Post War history popular in my family is Gombrich... 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