We’ve spoken to hundreds of historians asking them to recommend the best history books (and explain what’s so good about them in an in-depth interview). Here are some of the popular history books that have been recommended. For a more detailed look at different people, times or places in history, we've divided our recommendations into a number of sections:
World History
Books on world history, including American, Chinese, French, Russian, German or British history. The big global conflicts of the 20th century remain a key source of fascination, and we have a large number of book recommendations on World War II.
Historical Figures
Book recommendations about key historical figures—like Hitler, Alexander the Great, Catherine the Great, Napoleon and Genghis Khan—are among the most popular on our site.
Historical Era
Ancient history, medieval history and modern history. We also have book recommendations on early modern history and contemporary history (history of the present).
Other book recommendations are on:
The Best New Books
We have a running list of the best new history books. We also keep an eye on prestigious prizes, like the UK’s Wolfson History Prize, where professional historians look for the latest history that is both scholarly and well-written.
One thing is clear from our hundreds of interviews with historians: there are a lot of books out there that are both highly readable and well researched, revealing the past but also shedding light on the present:
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The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs
by Marc David Baer -
2
The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World
by Malcolm Gaskill -
3
Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688
by Clare Jackson -
4
Going to Church in Medieval England
by Nicholas Orme -
5
God: An Anatomy
by Francesca Stavrakopoulou -
6
Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues That Made History
by Alex von Tunzelmann
The Best History Books: the 2022 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
The Best History Books: the 2022 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Carole Hillenbrand
Every year the Wolfson History Prize celebrates books that combine meticulous and original research with great writing, accessible to the general reader. Here, one of the 2022 judges, the eminent Islamic scholar Carole Hillenbrand, guides us through the shortlist to explain why each book is a must-read.
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Ukraine and Russia: From Civilied Divorce to Uncivil War
by Paul D'Anieri -
2
Ukraine: What Everyone Needs to Know
by Serhy Yekelchyk -
3
Ukraine’s Nuclear Disarmament: A History
by Yuri Kostenko -
4
Ukraine in Histories and Stories: Essays by Ukrainian Intellectuals
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5
The Orphanage: A Novel
by Serhiy Zhadan
The best books on Ukraine and Russia, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
The best books on Ukraine and Russia, recommended by Serhii Plokhy
Thousands of people have been killed since 2014 in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in a war that has been rife with disinformation, misleading narratives and false flag operations. Here Serhii Plokhy, Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, recommends books to better understand the conflict, from an introductory work by an eminent historian to the latest work of some of Ukraine’s leading novelists.
The best books on World War II, recommended by Antony Beevor
The popular military historian Antony Beevor recommends some of his own favourite books about the Second World War.
The best books on World War I, recommended by Jonathan Boff
It’s been 100 years since World War I ended, but there is still very little consensus about what caused it, or what its consequences were. Historian Jonathan Boff talks us through the latest books and best modern interpretations of World War I.
The best books on Ancient History in Modern Life, recommended by Mary Beard
Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, talks us through the books that have had the deepest impact on her thinking about the ancient world and explains why studying Classics is absolutely relevant to modern life.
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The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
by David McCullough -
2
Wilderness At Dawn: The Settling of the North American Continent
by Ted Morgan -
3
The Story of American Freedom
by Eric Foner -
4
This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
by Drew Gilpin Faust -
5
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
by Hampton Sides
The best books on American History, recommended by Brent Glass
The best books on American History, recommended by Brent Glass
Which are the best books on American history? Brent Glass, Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the world’s largest museum devoted to telling the story of America, chooses five standout books in a crowded field.
The best books on The French Revolution, recommended by Lynn Hunt
It’s a revolution that still resonates and yet it resists easy interpretation. Lynn Hunt, a leading historian of the French Revolution, tells us what the events of 1789 and later years really meant, and what relevance they have for us today.
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The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy
by Kenneth Pomeranz -
2
Cotton: the Fabric that made the Modern World
by Giorgio Riello -
3
The City of Blue and White: Chinese Porcelain and the Early Modern World
by Anne Gerritsen -
4
Vermeer's Hat: The seventeenth century and the dawn of the global world
by Timothy Brook -
5
Horizons: The Global Origins of Modern Science
by James Poskett
The best books on Global History, recommended by Maxine Berg
The best books on Global History, recommended by Maxine Berg
From the Indian cottons that were traded around Asia and Africa in the Middle Ages, to the global dominance of the blue-and-white pottery of Jingdezhen, historian Maxine Berg introduces five books that transformed our understanding of the past millennium and are significant milestones in the development of the vibrant field of global history.
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The Campaigns of Napoleon
by David G Chandler -
2
Talleyrand
by Duff Cooper -
3
With Eagles to Glory: Napoleon and His German Allies in the 1809 Campaign
by John H Gill -
4
Private Memoirs Of The Court Of Napoleon
by Louis François Joseph Bausset-Roquefort -
5
With Napoleon in Russia: Memoirs of General de Caulaincourt, Duke of Vicenza
by Armand de Caulaincourt
The best books on Napoleon, recommended by Andrew Roberts
The best books on Napoleon, recommended by Andrew Roberts
How did Napoleon Bonaparte, an upstart Corsican, go on to conquer half of Europe in the 16 years of his rule? Was he a military genius? And was he really that short? Historian Andrew Roberts, author of a bestselling biography of Napoleon, introduces us to the books that shaped how he sees l’Empereur—including little-known sources from those who knew Napoleon personally.
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Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory
by David Blight -
2
The Fiery Trial
by Eric Foner -
3
Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South
by Stephanie McCurry -
4
Absalom, Absalom
by William Faulkner -
5
The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
by Ulysses S Grant and Elizabeth Samet (editor), Mark Bramhall (narrator)
The Best Books on the American Civil War, recommended by Drew Gilpin Faust
The Best Books on the American Civil War, recommended by Drew Gilpin Faust
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” wrote William Faulkner. Here, Drew Gilpin Faust, a leading historian of the American Civil War and former President of Harvard, recommends the best books to read about the conflict between North and South that tore the United States apart from 1861 till 1865 – and beyond.
The best books on Ancient Rome, recommended by Tom Holland
How accurate is what we think we know about the Romans? Tom Holland, the author of Rubicon, tells us about the exercise of power, the staging of ceremony and the influence of religion in ancient Rome.
The best books on Native American history, recommended by Jennifer Graber
That US expansion was predicated on the violent dispossession of Native people is a key aspect of American history that is finally getting the attention it deserves among historians. Here Jennifer Graber, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, highlights books by Native scholars and writers that focus on their experience.
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A History of Japanese Political Thought, 1600-1901
by Watanabe Hiroshi -
2
As We Saw Them: The First Japanese Embassy to the United States
by Masao Miyoshi -
3
Rearranging the Landscape of the Gods: The Politics of a Pilgrimage Site in Japan, 1573-1912
by Sarah Thal -
4
Japan’s Total Empire: Manchuria and the Culture of Wartime Imperialism
by Louise Young -
5
Shots in the Dark: Japan, Zen, and the West
by Shoji Yamada
The best books on Japanese History, recommended by Adam P. Bronson
The best books on Japanese History, recommended by Adam P. Bronson
From myths about Zen and spiritual fulfilment to the reality of Japan’s religious pluralism, from the impact of Confucian political philosophy to the occupation of Manchuria, historian Adam P. Bronson recommends books to get started on Japanese history.
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Venice: A Documentary History 1450-1630
by Brian Pullan & David Chambers -
2
The Military Organization of a Renaissance State: Venice 1400-1617
by John Rigby Hale & Michael E. Mallett -
3
Venice: A Maritime Republic
by Frederic Chapin Lane -
4
Venice: the Hinge of Europe
by William McNeill -
5
The Venetian Empire: A Sea Voyage
by Jan Morris
The best books on The Venetian Empire, recommended by Georg Christ
The best books on The Venetian Empire, recommended by Georg Christ
The Venetian Republic was one of the mightiest empires of early modern Europe, with its Terraferma dominions on land and a maritime empire, the Stato da Màr, that stretched across the Mediterranean. Its unique strength lay in long-distance trade and, as historian Georg Christ explains, in some ways, it resembled a company more than a state. Here, he recommends books to better understand the Venetian empire, what it was and how it grew.
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The Crisis of the European Mind
by Paul Hazard -
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The Enlightenment in America
by Henry May -
3
The Enlightenment and the Intellectual Foundations of Modern Culture
by Louis Dupré -
4
The Religious Enlightenment
by David Sorkin -
5
Democratic Enlightenment: Philosophy, Revolution, and Human Rights, 1750-1790
by Jonathan Israel
The best books on The Enlightenment, recommended by Jonathan Israel
The best books on The Enlightenment, recommended by Jonathan Israel
Which are the best books on the Enlightenment? Jonathan Israel, one of the leading historians of early modern Europe, recommends his top five.
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The Dutch Revolt
by Geoffrey Parker -
2
The First Modern Economy: Success, Failure, and Perseverance of the Dutch Economy, 1500–1815
by Ad van der Woude & Jan de Vries -
3
The Dutch Moment: War, Trade and Settlement in the Seventeenth Century Atlantic World
by Wim Klooster -
4
Calvinists and Libertines: Confession and Community in Utrecht, 1578-1620
by Benjamin J. Kaplan -
5
Rembrandt's Universe: His Art, His Life, His World
by Gary Schwartz
The best books on The Dutch Golden Age, recommended by Maarten Prak
The best books on The Dutch Golden Age, recommended by Maarten Prak
The Netherlands witnessed a flourishing in the late 16th and first half of the 17th century, leading the world in technology, commerce and the arts, particularly painting. Historian Maarten Prak recommends five books to help you understand why the Dutch Golden Age saw the invention of stock exchanges and why it produced Rembrandt, too.
The best books on Europe’s Vanished States, recommended by Norman Davies
The rise of China means the study of its history is suddenly in vogue. But, says historian Norman Davies, there’s as much to learn, if not more, from looking at states that have disappeared
The best books on British Empire, recommended by David Cannadine
The history professor tells us why it’s less interesting to argue about whether the Empire was a force for good or ill, than to understand how it worked and why it fell apart. He suggests a reading list to get us started.
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Mao’s Last Revolution
by Michael Schoenhals & Roderick MacFarquhar -
2
Maoism at the Grassroots
edited by Jeremy Brown and Matthew D. Johnson -
3
Red Star over China
by Edgar Snow -
4
The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal's Maoist Revolution
by Aditya Adhikari -
5
A Critical Introduction to Mao
by Timothy Creek
The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell
The best books on Maoism, recommended by Julia Lovell
While researching Maoism, China expert Julia Lovell battled against two incorrect assumptions: “firstly that Maoism is a story of China; and secondly that Maoism is a story of the past.” Here she recommends five books for coming to grips with the global, still-relevant impact of Maoism.
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Alexander the Great: The Anabasis and the Indica
by Arrian -
2
The History of Alexander
by Quintus Curtius Rufus -
3
The First European: A History of Alexander in the Age of Empire
by Pierre Briant -
4
The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources from the Achaemenid Period
by Amélie Kuhrt -
5
Fire from Heaven
by Mary Renault
The best books on Alexander the Great, recommended by Hugh Bowden
The best books on Alexander the Great, recommended by Hugh Bowden
Alexander the Great never lost a battle and established an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Indian subcontinent. From the earliest times, historians have argued about the nature of his achievements and what his failings were, both as a man and as a political leader. Here, Hugh Bowden, professor of ancient history at King’s College London, chooses five books to help you understand the controversies, the man behind the legends, and why the legends have taken the forms they have.
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Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean 400-800
by Chris Wickham -
2
African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa
by Michael Gomez -
3
The Travels of Marco Polo
by Marco Polo & Rustichello da Pisa -
4
Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324
by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie -
5
Medieval Market Morality: Life, Law and Ethics in the English Marketplace, 1200-1500
by James Davis
The best books on The Middle Ages, recommended by Hannah Skoda
The best books on The Middle Ages, recommended by Hannah Skoda
Oxford medieval historian Hannah Skoda chooses her top five books on the Middle Ages, explaining why she finds the whole idea of their ‘middleness’ problematic and how a more global approach tends to shatter many long-held assumptions about the period.
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The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America
by Russell Shorto -
2
New York Burning: Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan
by Jill Lepore -
3
Slavery in New York
by Ira Berlin & Leslie Harris (editors) -
4
Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940
by George Chauncey -
5
New York and Los Angeles
by David Halle (editor)
The best books on New York History, recommended by Louise Mirrer
The best books on New York History, recommended by Louise Mirrer
Like several of the great cities of the world, New York’s openness to people born elsewhere and relative tolerance lay at the foundation of its success, though darker episodes in the city’s 400-year history also need attention. Historian Louise Mirrer, President of the New-York Historical Society, recommends books that are essential to understanding the essence of the Big Apple.
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The Silk Road: A New History
by Valerie Hansen -
2
Sogdian Traders: A History
Étienne de la Vaissière (trans. James Ward) -
3
Diary: Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law
Ennin (trans. E O Reischauer) -
4
Foreign Devils on the Silk Road
by Peter Hopkirk -
5
Silk Roads: Peoples, Cultures, Landscapes
by Susan Whitfield
The best books on The Silk Road, recommended by Valerie Hansen
The best books on The Silk Road, recommended by Valerie Hansen
From the Han dynasty to the time of Marco Polo, the routes connecting Asia, Africa and Europe—now known as the Silk Road—were responsible for enormous amounts of global trade. Yale historian Valerie Hansen, author of The Silk Road: A New History, introduces us to its rich history: “one of the reasons the Silk Road is a misnomer is that silk was not the main good moving along.”
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The Venture of Islam, Volume 1: The Classical Age of Islam
by Marshall Hodgson -
2
Imams and Emirs: State, Religion and Sects in Islam
by Fuad I. Khuri -
3
Book of Travels (Safarnāma)
by Nasir-i Khusraw -
4
Travels through Arabia and Other Countries in the East
by Carsten Niebuhr -
5
The Others
by Seba al-Herz
The best books on Sunnism and Shiism, recommended by Toby Matthiesen
The best books on Sunnism and Shiism, recommended by Toby Matthiesen
In a bid to get away from simplistic explanations of why sectarian identity in the Middle East can lead to conflict, Swiss political scientist Toby Matthiesen wrote The Caliph and the Imam: The Making of Sunnism and Shiism. Here he recommends other books that shed light on Sunni and Shia differences, including a racy novel set in Saudi Arabia.
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Black Reconstruction in America
by W E B Du Bois -
2
Exodus: Religion, Race and Nation in Early Nineteenth-Century Black America
by Eddie S Glaude Jr -
3
Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression
by Robin D G Kelley -
4
Hands on the Freedom of the Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC
Faith S. Holsaert, Martha Prescod, and others (eds.) -
5
Creating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present
by Nell Irvin Painter
African American History Books, recommended by Imani Perry
African American History Books, recommended by Imani Perry
Princeton Professor Imani Perry—a prolific scholar of African American Studies whose biography of Lorraine Hansberry, Looking For Lorraine, won the 2019 PEN Biography Prize—recommends five books she considers essential to an understanding of the history of black life in America.
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Negotiating Mughal Law: A Family of Landlords across Three Indian Empires
by Nandini Chatterjee -
2
The Princes of the Mughal Empire, 1504–1719
by Munis Faruqui -
3
Millennial Sovereign: Sacred Kingship & Sainthood in Islam
by A. Azfar Moin -
4
Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court
by Audrey Truschke -
5
Writing Self, Writing Empire: Chandar Bhan Brahman and the Cultural World of the Indo-Persian State Secretary
by Rajeev Kinra
The best books on The Mughal Empire, recommended by Richard M. Eaton
The best books on The Mughal Empire, recommended by Richard M. Eaton
The Mughals ruled the Indian subcontinent for three centuries, a multicultural empire that brought together an extraordinary mix of Mongol, Islamic, Persian and Indian practices, religious beliefs and philosophies. Here, historian Richard M. Eaton, a professor at the University of Arizona, chooses some of the best scholarly works on the Mughals that shed new light on how the empire functioned.
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Christianity In The West 1400-1700
by John Bossy -
2
Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe
by Brad Gregory -
3
Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet
by Lyndal Roper -
4
The Voices of Morebath: Reformation and Rebellion in an English Village
by Eamon Duffy -
5
For The Sake Of Simple Folk: Popular Propaganda for the German Reformation
by R W Scribner
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
The best books on The Reformation, recommended by Peter Marshall
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther, an unknown friar in an obscure town in eastern Germany may or may not have posted a list of complaints to the door of his local church. His actions would lead to what was later called ‘the Reformation’ — a grisly period in European history that nonetheless paved the way for a more tolerant and pluralistic society. Peter Marshall, one of the period’s leading scholars, talks us through the best books on the Reformation.
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The Non-Aligned Movement: Genesis Organization and Politics.
by Jurgen Dinkel -
2
Southern Constellations: The Poetics of the Non-Aligned
by Bojana Piskur -
3
The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World
by Vijay Prashad -
4
Race and the Yugoslav Region: Postsocialist, Post-Conflict, Postcolonial?
by Catherine Baker -
5
Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination
by Adom Getachew
The best books on The Non-Aligned Movement, recommended by Paul Stubbs
The best books on The Non-Aligned Movement, recommended by Paul Stubbs
The Non-Aligned Movement was a loose alliance of more than 100 member states whose heyday was during the Cold War, though it continues to exist today. Here, sociologist Paul Stubbs chooses five books to illustrate the cultural, political and economic influence of the Non-Aligned Movement and argues the ideas that animated it are still of vital importance.
The best books on Bosnia, recommended by Velma Šarić
As a teenager, Velma Šarić’s hometown of Kladanj welcomed refugees from eastern Bosnia as it was bombed and shelled, her primary school eventually becoming a shelter for people fleeing the massacre at Srebenica. Now she runs Sarajevo’s Post-Conflict Research Centre, trying to prevent anything like it from ever happening again. She recommends books to read on the Bosnian War and explains that it was not a war between different communities, but rather an assault on the country’s multiethnic, multicultural identity.
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt
by Alan Brinkley -
2
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal
by William Leuchtenburg -
3
Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945
by David M. Kennedy -
4
It Can't Happen Here
by Sinclair Lewis -
5
Eleanor Roosevelt: The Defining Years: Volume Two 1933-1938
by Blanche Wiesen Cook
The best books on Franklin D. Roosevelt, recommended by Cynthia Koch
The best books on Franklin D. Roosevelt, recommended by Cynthia Koch
Historians consistently rank FDR, the 32nd and longest-serving president of the United States, as among America’s greatest. Here, Cynthia Koch, Director of History Programing for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation, talks us through his life and explains how, in many ways, his guile was key to his success.
The best books on Modern French History, recommended by Richard Vinen
The social and political development of France has been strongly contested ever since the country finally became a republic for good in 1870. Here, Professor Richard Vinen of King’s College London recommends five books that will help you understand modern France, all written in a golden age of French historical writing.
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Wonders and the Order of Nature 1150-1750
by Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park -
2
Science and the Secrets of Nature: Books of Secrets in Medieval and Early Modern Culture
by William Eamon -
3
Leviathan and the Air-Pump
by Simon Schaffer & Steven Shapin -
4
Probability and Certainty in 17th Century England. A Study of the Relationships between Natural Science, Religion, History, Law and Literature
by Barbara Shapiro -
5
The Business of Alchemy: Science and Culture in the Holy Roman Empire
by Pamela Smith
The best books on The Scientific Revolution, recommended by Vera Keller
The best books on The Scientific Revolution, recommended by Vera Keller
The scientific revolution is often seen as having transformed the way we think and ushered in the modern world, but in highlighting the work of a few key individuals, it has distorted the reality of how science advances in society and how it interacts with truth. Here, Vera Keller, Professor of History at the University of Oregon, challenges popularly held assumptions about the scientific revolution and explains how its meaning, significance and importance have been disputed and misunderstood.
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Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics
by Maria Sobolewska & Robert Ford -
2
There's Nothing For You Here
by Fiona Hill -
3
Brexit and British Politics
by Anand Menon & Geoffrey Evans -
4
Listen, Liberal: or Whatever Happened to the Party of the People?
by Thomas Frank -
5
The British General Election of 2019
by Paula Surridge, Robert Ford, Tim Bale & Will Jennings
The best books on Brexit, recommended by Anand Menon
The best books on Brexit, recommended by Anand Menon
Brexit shook British politics in 2016 and, six years on, its long-term consequences both for the UK and for the European Union remain highly uncertain. Here political scientist and Brexit expert Anand Menon recommends books to help you understand Brexit, what caused it and why, and puts those trends in a wider global political context.
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Njinga of Angola: Africa’s Warrior Queen
by Linda Heywood -
2
Cross-Cultural Exchange in the Atlantic World: Angola and Brazil during the Era of the Slave Trade
by Roquinaldo Ferreira -
3
Slave Trade and Abolition: Gender, Commerce, and Economic Transition in Luanda
by Vanessa Oliveira -
4
Lourenço da Silva Mendonça and the Black Atlantic Abolitionist Movement in the 17th Century
by José Lingna Nafafé -
5
A History of West Central Africa to 1850
by John Thornton
The best books on The History of Angola (pre-20th century), recommended by Mariana Candido
The best books on The History of Angola (pre-20th century), recommended by Mariana Candido
West Central Africa was involved in the transatlantic slave trade from its inception in the fifteenth century until it ended in the late nineteenth century. It’s the region that lost the largest number of enslaved people to the transatlantic slave trade, with over 5.6 million people taken away. And yet Angola, where three of the five main slaving ports were located, is little studied in English. Here, Mariana Candido, a professor at Emory University, introduces us to some of the best books (available in English) on this era of Angolan history, from the biography of one ruler, Njinga Mbandi, to a survey of the entire period.
The Best History Books for Teenagers, recommended by Alex (age 16)
It’s tricky finding history books for teenagers at an age when they are too old for children’s books, but not yet ready to read long, weighty tomes with lots of footnotes. Alex, a UK-based history fan who previously chose books for us age 10, returns to Five Books to recommend his selection of the best history books for teenagers.
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Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement
by Barbara Ransby -
2
God’s Long Summer: Stories of Faith and Civil Rights
by Charles Marsh -
3
Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King Jr and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference
by David J. Garrow -
4
The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader: Documents, Speeches, and Firsthand Accounts from the Black Freedom Struggle
by Clayborne Carson, Darlene Clark Hine, David J. Garrow, Gerald Gill & Vincent Harding -
5
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X and assisted by Alex Haley, Laurence Fishburne (narrator)
The best books on The Civil Rights Era, recommended by Lerone Martin
The best books on The Civil Rights Era, recommended by Lerone Martin
The struggle for Black freedom in America has been going on since the first enslaved Africans were brought to the continent, but it was the civil rights era of 1954 to 1968 that finally resulted in a raft of legislation that gave equal citizenship to Black people in the United States. Here, Professor Lerone Martin of Stanford University recommends the best books to understand the American civil rights movement, with a focus on some of the individuals who were key to its success.
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The Habsburg Empire: A New History
by Pieter M. Judson -
2
Political Radicalism in Late Imperial Vienna: Origins of the Christian Social Movement, 1848-1897
by John Boyer -
3
Fin-de-Siecle Vienna: Politics and Culture
by Carl E. Schorske -
4
Kidnapped Souls: National Indifference and the Battle for Children in the Bohemian Lands, 1900-1948
by Tara Zahra -
5
Danube: A Journey through the Landscape, History and Culture of Central Europe
by Claudio Magris
The best books on The Austro-Hungarian Empire, recommended by Jonathan Kwan
The best books on The Austro-Hungarian Empire, recommended by Jonathan Kwan
The Austro-Hungarian Empire is often viewed as unmanageable in its diversity, and its eventual collapse inevitable. But, as historian Jonathan Kwan explains, it was politically much more robust that people have given it credit for and its capital, Vienna, the most culturally vibrant place in Europe.
The best books on Tibet, recommended by Robert Barnett
Discussions about Tibet are often reduced to arguments about China’s right to run it. The Tibetologist says this obscures a much more subtle debate about what it means to be Tibetan in modern Tibetan society.
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US Navy: A Concise History
by Craig L. Symonds -
2
Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy
by Ian W. Toll -
3
Sea of Glory: America’s Voyage of Discovery
by Nathaniel Philbrick -
4
The Two-Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War
by Samuel Eliot Morison -
5
Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the U.S. Navy
by Trent Hone
The best books on American Naval History, recommended by John Kroger
The best books on American Naval History, recommended by John Kroger
The story of the American navy is deeply intertwined with that of the nation, says John Kroger—former Chief Learning Officer to the US Navy—although we don’t always afford naval history the attention it deserves. Here he selects five of the best books about American naval history and predicts a renewed focus on Pacific naval defenses in the coming decades.
The best books on Angela Merkel, recommended by Tom Nuttall
For 16 years, as chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel was the most powerful woman in the world. Here Tom Nuttall, the Economist’s Berlin bureau chief, talks us through books to help us understand her time in office, and explains how her East German upbringing influenced her style of governance.
The best books on The US Cabinet, recommended by Lindsay Chervinsky
In contrast to many other countries, the secretaries who serve in the United States cabinet aren’t chosen from among the country’s elected officials but entirely reflect the president’s personal choices. Here, presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution, talks us through the role of the cabinet and recommends which books to read to understand more about it.
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Napoleon: a Life in Gardens and Shadows
by Ruth Scurr -
2
Plunder: Napoleon's Theft of Veronese’s Feast
by Cynthia Saltzman -
3
The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World
by Marie Favereau -
4
London's 'Golden Mile': The Great Houses of the Strand, 1550–1650
by Manolo Guerci -
5
The Habsburgs: To Rule the World
by Martyn Rady
Best History Books of 2021, recommended by Paul Lay
Best History Books of 2021, recommended by Paul Lay
Historical writing continues to shed new and interesting light on all manner of topics, including even much-written about subjects like Napoleon, who died 200 years ago this year. Paul Lay, the editor of History Today, offers his choices for the best history books published in 2021.
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1
The European Miracle: Environments, Economies and Geopolitics in the History of Europe and Asia
by E L Jones -
2
The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy
by Kenneth Pomeranz -
3
The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress
by Joel Mokyr -
4
Guns, Germs and Steel
by Jared Diamond -
5
How the World Became Rich: The Historical Origins of Economic Growth
by Jared Rubin & Mark Koyama
The best books on The Great Divergence, recommended by Davis Kedrosky
The best books on The Great Divergence, recommended by Davis Kedrosky
After a slow start, why did northwest Europe move ahead of the rest of the world in the early modern period and establish an economic dominance whose effects are felt to this day? Davis Kedrosky, a student at Berkeley and publisher of the economic history newsletter, Great Transformations, introduces ‘the Great Divergence’ and suggests some books that get to the heart of the question.
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1
President Nixon: Alone in the White House
by Richard Reeves -
2
All The President’s Men
by Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein -
3
Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon
by Fred Emery -
4
Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power
by Robert Dallek -
5
Nixon's Shadow: The History of an Image
by David Greenberg
The best books on Richard Nixon, recommended by David Greenberg
The best books on Richard Nixon, recommended by David Greenberg
American president Richard Nixon will be forever remembered for his role in the Watergate scandal and his resignation in 1974, a blow for a man obsessed with his image who hoped to be remembered as a peacemaker on the global stage. Here historian David Greenberg, a professor at Rutgers, recommends books on a man who elicited very strong emotions, both for and against.
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1
Survivors: Children’s Lives after the Holocaust
by Rebecca Clifford -
2
Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture
by Sudhir Hazareesingh -
3
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe
by Judith Herrin -
4
Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood
by Helen McCarthy -
5
Burning the Books: A History of the Deliberate Destruction of Knowledge
by Richard Ovenden -
6
Atlantic Wars: From the Fifteenth Century to the Age of Revolution
by Geoffrey Plank
The Best History Books: The 2021 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch
The Best History Books: The 2021 Wolfson Prize Shortlist, recommended by Diarmaid MacCulloch
Every year the Wolfson History Prize seeks out books that combine careful research with good writing, aimed at the general reader. Here, Diarmaid MacCulloch, historian and chair of the judges, talks us through the outstanding history books that made the 2021 shortlist, and why, in his view, they’re all must-reads.
The best books on Joe Biden, recommended by Ronald A. Klain
On January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States. Here Ronald A. Klain, the veteran lawyer who is once again serving as Biden’s chief of staff, recommends books that show the man behind the public persona including his love of Irish poetry, the string of terrible personal tragedies that have affected his life and career, and his leading role in blocking a Supreme Court appointment that would’ve decimated abortion rights.
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1
The Expressiveness of the Body and the Divergence of Greek and Chinese Medicine
by Shigehisa Kuriyama -
2
The Gospel of Germs
by Nancy Tomes -
3
The Cholera Years: The United States in 1832, 1849, and 1866
by Charles Rosenberg -
4
Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology
by Deirdre Cooper Owens -
5
The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America
by Allan Brandt
Best History of Medicine Books, recommended by Keith Wailoo
Best History of Medicine Books, recommended by Keith Wailoo
The history of medicine is not just the story of life-saving discoveries, it’s also about how medical advances interact with the society from which they emerge. Here Professor Keith Wailoo, a historian of medicine and public health at Princeton University, recommends books that shed light on the social history of medicine, especially in the United States.
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1
God’s War
by Christopher Tyerman -
2
The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization and Cultural Change, 950-1350
by Robert Bartlett -
3
The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives
by Carole Hillenbrand -
4
Chronicles of the Crusades
by Geoffroy de Villehardouin and Jean de Joinville, edited by Caroline Smith -
5
Seven Myths of the Crusades
edited by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt
The best books on The Crusades, recommended by Guy Perry
The best books on The Crusades, recommended by Guy Perry
Once seen as a great romantic adventure, the Crusades tend to be viewed now as an early venture in Western imperialism. But, as the Oxford historian Guy Perry explains, there is nothing so simple about them. He chooses five books that get to the complex truth of the Crusades as historical phenomena.
The best books on Boudica, recommended by Richard Hingley
Boudica was an Iron Age queen who led her people into rebellion against Roman rule in the province of Britannia. She was defeated, but only after she had burned several towns, including London, to the ground. Here Richard Hingley, Professor of Archaeology at Durham University, explains how to sift the truth from the myth, and why Boudica has remained an enduring source of fascination down the centuries.
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1
American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia
by Edmund S Morgan -
2
Many Thousands Gone: The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America
by Ira Berlin -
3
Embattled Freedom: Journeys through the Civil War’s Slave Refugee Camps
by Amy Murrell Taylor -
4
The Souls of Black Folk
by W E B Du Bois -
5
The Strange Career of Jim Crow
by C. Vann Woodward
Best Books on the History of the American South, recommended by Edward Ayers
Best Books on the History of the American South, recommended by Edward Ayers
To understand the America of today, you must understand the American South of the past, says historian Edward Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of the Humanities and President Emeritus at the University of Richmond. Here, he recommends five books to get started with, and also explains what his own books were aiming to contribute to the field of Southern history.