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Politics & Society » War

Most Recommended Books

On War by Carl von Clausewitz

“Most military historians and most students of war will say there’s never been a book as important as Clausewitz’s On War.”

Hew Strachan, Military Historian and Veteran

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The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth & Michael Hofmann (translator)

“To a certain extent in this novel, but more in his other writings, Roth wrote about what the decline of the empire meant to the Jews. The double assassination at Sarajevo was a terrible moment, in Roth’s view, because it heralded the end of his homeland. With competing ethnicities and the rise of nationalism and so many wanting their own country, the Jews no longer had a homeland. So he lost his country.”

Brigid Grauman,

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The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

“Reading this one book gives you an excellent grasp of the human story and the context from which al-Qaeda emerged.”

Audrey Kurth Cronin, Political Scientist

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The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

“Basically, anything you want to know about how terrorism works you can find in this book. It is not necessarily about who is behind terrorism because in this book it is a shadowy foreign state that wants an agent provocateur in London to explode Greenwich Observatory to make a point.”

Jason Burke, Foreign Correspondent

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The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One by David Kilcullen

“Kilcullen writes from both a theoretical and an experiential point of view.”

Mary Habeck, Political Scientist

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Browse book recommendations:

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  • War

Our interviews covering the best books on war and conflict. On general themes, Michael Howard chooses his best books on war, while Jeremy Black focuses on the history of war. Rose McDermott, Professor of International Relations at Brown, talks about the psychology of war and military expert Antulio Echevarria II talks about military strategy. Journalist Martin Bell discusses reportage and war; Kate McLoughlin, Professor of English at Oxford, the best war writing; Gayle Lemmon, women and war.

We have a lot on the global conflicts of the early 20th century. Andreas Wesemann chooses his best books on the European civil war 1914-1945, historian James Holland discusses perspectives of World War II and Anna Reid talks about the siege of Leningrad. Historian Simon Ball chooses his best books on El Alamein and Paul Preston, biographer of Franco, looks at the Spanish Civil War. Author and historian Keith Lowe looks at the aftermath of World War II.

We also have a rich batch of interviews around current geopolitical conflicts.  Professor Audrey Kurth Cronin looks at terrorism and Malise Ruthven looks at Islamism.  Jason Burke chooses his best books on Islamic militancy and Patrick Cockburn his best on the Iraq war. Peter Beinart discusses post-9/11 America and Marc Lynch looks at the origins of the Arab uprising. Professor Hugh Gusterson chooses his best books on drone warfare.

On settling conflict without fighting, or dealing with the aftermath of conflict, Professor Colleen Murphy looks at transitional justice. Journalist and author John Gittings chooses his best books on peace. Michael Palliser chooses his best books on diplomacy and David Cortwright chooses his on non-military solutions to political conflict. Patrick Kingsley talks about refugees, as does David Miliband.  Shahram Khosravi chooses his best books on the refugee experience.

    The best books on Veterans, recommended by Phil Klay

  • Read
    The best books on Veterans - The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth & Michael Hofmann (translator)

    1

    The Radetzky March
    by Joseph Roth & Michael Hofmann (translator)

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    The best books on Veterans - A Grain of Wheat by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

    2

    A Grain of Wheat
    by Ngugi wa Thiong'o

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    The best books on Veterans - Station Island by Seamus Heaney

    3

    Station Island
    by Seamus Heaney

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    The best books on Veterans - Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey

    4

    Native Guard
    by Natasha Trethewey

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    The best books on Veterans - Empire City by Matt Gallagher

    5

    Empire City
    by Matt Gallagher

The best books on Veterans, recommended by Phil Klay

While many of us in the West commemorate the contribution of war veterans and the soldiers who lost their lives on our behalf, there’s also a tendency to see war as something distant and unconnected with our daily lives. Here Phil Klay, veteran of the US Marine Corps and award-winning novelist, recommends books that help bridge that gap—and capture the complicated relationship between soldiers and the societies on whose behalf they fight.

    The best books on The Cold War, recommended by Archie Brown

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    The best books on The Cold War - The Cold War: A World History by Odd Arne Westad

    1

    The Cold War: A World History
    by Odd Arne Westad

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    The best books on The Cold War - For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War by Melvyn P Leffler

    2

    For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War
    by Melvyn P Leffler

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    The best books on The Cold War - Russia and the Idea of the West by Robert English

    3

    Russia and the Idea of the West
    by Robert English

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    The best books on The Cold War - The Enigma of 1989: The USSR and the Liberation of Eastern Europe Jacques Lévesque (trans. Keith Martin)

    4

    The Enigma of 1989: The USSR and the Liberation of Eastern Europe
    Jacques Lévesque (trans. Keith Martin)

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    The best books on The Cold War - Reagan and Gorbachev by Jack Matlock

    5

    Reagan and Gorbachev
    by Jack Matlock

The best books on The Cold War, recommended by Archie Brown

American military and economic superiority cannot explain why the Cold War came to an end in the late 1980s and early 1990s. According to the historian Archie Brown, you need to accept the primacy of politics and human agency both in the USSR and the West. He chooses five books to understand the Cold War and offers some broader reflections on the qualities of good political leadership—then and now.

    The best books on Auschwitz, recommended by Mary Fulbrook

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    The best books on Auschwitz - Auschwitz and After by Charlotte Delbo

    1

    Auschwitz and After
    by Charlotte Delbo

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    The best books on Auschwitz - Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

    2

    Man's Search for Meaning
    by Viktor Frankl

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    The best books on Auschwitz - The Search: The Birkenau Boys by Gerhard Durlacher

    3

    The Search: The Birkenau Boys
    by Gerhard Durlacher

  • Read
    The best books on Auschwitz - The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial, 1963-1965: Genocide, History and the Limits of the Law by Devin O Pendas

    4

    The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial, 1963-1965: Genocide, History and the Limits of the Law
    by Devin O Pendas

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    The best books on Auschwitz - Underground in Berlin: A Young Woman's Extraordinary Tale of Survival in the Heart of Nazi Germany by Marie Jalowicz-Simon

    5

    Underground in Berlin: A Young Woman's Extraordinary Tale of Survival in the Heart of Nazi Germany
    by Marie Jalowicz-Simon

The best books on Auschwitz, recommended by Mary Fulbrook

Why were so few of the Nazis involved in running Auschwitz brought to justice? Why did some Germans during the Holocaust risk death to hide Jewish people from Nazi persecution, while others were passive bystanders? Historian Mary Fulbrook—author of Reckonings, which won the 2019 Wolfson History Prize—recommends essential reading for understanding Auschwitz and its aftermath.

    The best books on Popular Uprisings, recommended by Robert Poole

  • Read
    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear and the Making of a Massacre by Kim Wagner

    1

    Amritsar 1919: An Empire of Fear and the Making of a Massacre
    by Kim Wagner

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Sharpeville: An Apartheid Massacre and its Consequences by Tom Lodge

    2

    Sharpeville: An Apartheid Massacre and its Consequences
    by Tom Lodge

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - The Making of the English Working Class

    3

    The Making of the English Working Class

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution by Simon Schama

    4

    Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution
    by Simon Schama

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    The best books on Popular Uprisings - Germinal by Emile Zola

    5

    Germinal
    by Emile Zola

The best books on Popular Uprisings, recommended by Robert Poole

Under what conditions do popular uprisings end in massacres? What's the best way for someone protesting against a government to get what they want? Robert Poole, Professor of History at the University of Central Lancashire and author of Peterloo: The English Uprising, recommends the best books on uprisings.

    The best books on War, recommended by Cécile Fabre

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    The best books on War - War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

    1

    War and Peace (Book)
    by Leo Tolstoy

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    The best books on War - All quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

    2

    All quiet on the Western Front
    by Erich Maria Remarque

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    The best books on War - Le silence de la mer by Vercors

    3

    Le silence de la mer
    by Vercors

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    The best books on War - Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations by Michael Walzer

    4

    Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations
    by Michael Walzer

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    The best books on War - Killing in War by Jeff McMahan

    5

    Killing in War
    by Jeff McMahan

The best books on War, recommended by Cécile Fabre

If killing is wrong, how can going to war be justified? Is it always wrong to kill civilians? If a Nazi soldier were billeted in your home, should you respond when he greets you? Philosopher Cécile Fabre chooses Five Books that help explore the profound ethical dilemmas of war.

    The best books on Transitional Justice, recommended by Colleen Murphy

  • Read
    The best books on Transitional Justice - Transitional Justice by Ruti G Teitel

    1

    Transitional Justice
    by Ruti G Teitel

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    The best books on Transitional Justice - A Human Being Died That Night by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

    2

    A Human Being Died That Night
    by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

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    The best books on Transitional Justice - Atrocity, Punishment, and International Law by Mark A Drumbl

    3

    Atrocity, Punishment, and International Law
    by Mark A Drumbl

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    The best books on Transitional Justice - Imperfect Justice: An East-West Diary by Inga Markovits

    4

    Imperfect Justice: An East-West Diary
    by Inga Markovits

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    The best books on Transitional Justice - Brothers of the Gun: A Memoir of the Syrian Civil War by Marwan Hisham and Molly Crabapple

    5

    Brothers of the Gun: A Memoir of the Syrian Civil War
    by Marwan Hisham and Molly Crabapple

The best books on Transitional Justice, recommended by Colleen Murphy

When a period of war or oppression draws to a close, how should a country face up to past wrongdoing while creating a future free of conflict? Colleen Murphy—professor of law, philosophy and political science at the University of Illinois—discusses five books that examine the issues at the heart of ‘transitional justice.’

    The best books on US Foreign Policy, recommended by Gideon Rose

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

    1

    History of the Peloponnesian War
    by Thucydides

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony by Samuel P Huntington

    2

    American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony
    by Samuel P Huntington

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - Duties Beyond Borders by Stanley Hoffmann

    3

    Duties Beyond Borders
    by Stanley Hoffmann

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

    4

    The Post-American World
    by Fareed Zakaria

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - The Frugal Superpower by Michael Mandelbaum

    5

    The Frugal Superpower
    by Michael Mandelbaum

The best books on US Foreign Policy, recommended by Gideon Rose

Should America have intervened in Libya? Done more? Done less? Done it differently? The editor of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Rose, explains the tension that lies at the heart of every American foreign policy decision.

    The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

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    The best books on US Intervention - Promised Land, Crusader State by Walter McDougall

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    Promised Land, Crusader State
    by Walter McDougall

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    The best books on US Intervention - Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

    2

    Ordinary Men
    by Christopher Browning

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    The best books on US Intervention - Strategies of Containment by John Gaddis

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    Strategies of Containment
    by John Gaddis

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    The best books on US Intervention - Dispatches by Michael Herr

    4

    Dispatches
    by Michael Herr

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    The best books on US Intervention - American Pastoral by Philip Roth

    5

    American Pastoral
    by Philip Roth

The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

The foreign affairs commentator explains why US presidents have less room to manoeuvre on foreign policy than they think, and why President Obama had to set aside his “minimalist” inclinations.

    The best books on The Psychology of War, recommended by Rose McDermott

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - How Statesmen Think: The Psychology of International Politics by Robert Jervis

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    How Statesmen Think: The Psychology of International Politics
    by Robert Jervis

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence by Dale Peterson & Richard Wrangham

    2

    Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence
    by Dale Peterson & Richard Wrangham

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

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    Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
    by Sebastian Junger

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Sex and World Peace by Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, Chad Emmett, Mary Caprioli & Valerie Hudson

    4

    Sex and World Peace
    by Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, Chad Emmett, Mary Caprioli & Valerie Hudson

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

    5

    Thinking, Fast and Slow
    by Daniel Kahneman

The best books on The Psychology of War, recommended by Rose McDermott

Traditionally, the study of international relations has been about institutions, not individuals and the psychology that motivates them. But that is changing. Rose McDermott, professor of international relations at Brown University, introduces the work of Robert Jarvis and others pioneering the field of ‘political psychology.’

    The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell

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    The best books on The Opium War - Narcotic Culture by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

    1

    Narcotic Culture
    by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

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    The best books on The Opium War - Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy by Carl Trocki

    2

    Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy
    by Carl Trocki

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    The best books on The Opium War - The Opium War by Peter Ward Fay

    3

    The Opium War
    by Peter Ward Fay

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    The best books on The Opium War - The Inner Opium War by James Polachek

    4

    The Inner Opium War
    by James Polachek

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    The best books on The Opium War - Britain’s Gulag by Caroline Elkins

    5

    Britain’s Gulag
    by Caroline Elkins

The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell

The 19th century opium war marked the clash of the world’s great empires of the age – Britain and China. Historian Julia Lovell says its legacy of Chinese humiliation is still felt keenly in Beijing.

    The best books on Military Strategy, recommended by Antulio Echevarria II

  • Read
    The best books on Military Strategy - The Art of War by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

    1

    The Art of War
    by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

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    The best books on Military Strategy - On War by Carl von Clausewitz

    2

    On War
    by Carl von Clausewitz

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    The best books on Military Strategy - Strategy: A History by Lawrence Freedman

    3

    Strategy: A History
    by Lawrence Freedman

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    The best books on Military Strategy - Modern Strategy by Colin Gray

    4

    Modern Strategy
    by Colin Gray

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    The best books on Military Strategy - The Direction of War: Contemporary Strategy in Historical Perspective by Hew Strachan

    5

    The Direction of War: Contemporary Strategy in Historical Perspective
    by Hew Strachan

The best books on Military Strategy, recommended by Antulio Echevarria II

Texts about military strategy take us back into the mists of time but what it is, and what the nature of war is, remains hotly debated. Antulio Echevarria II of the US Army War College talks us through key books, both old and new, on military strategy.

    The best books on El Alamein, recommended by Simon Ball

  • Read
    The best books on El Alamein - Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein by Niall Barr

    1

    Pendulum Of War: Three Battles at El Alamein
    by Niall Barr

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    The best books on El Alamein - The Desert War: The Classic Trilogy on the North African Campaign 1940-43 by Alan Moorehead

    2

    The Desert War: The Classic Trilogy on the North African Campaign 1940-43
    by Alan Moorehead

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    The best books on El Alamein - Rommel by Desmond Young

    3

    Rommel
    by Desmond Young

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    The best books on El Alamein - Montgomery and the Eighth Army by Bernard Montgomery and Stephen Brooks (ed)

    4

    Montgomery and the Eighth Army
    by Bernard Montgomery and Stephen Brooks (ed)

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    The best books on El Alamein - The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain by Stephen Bungay

    5

    The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain
    by Stephen Bungay

The best books on El Alamein, recommended by Simon Ball

Churchill hailed the Allied victory at the Battle of El Alamein as “the end of the beginning” for Hitler in World War II. But in that very same speech, he downplayed its significance. Historian Simon Ball separates clichés from facts and chooses the best of the vast number of books written about El Alamein, the Desert War and World War II in general.

    The best books on American History, recommended by Brent Glass

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    The best books on American History - The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough

    1

    The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
    by David McCullough

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    The best books on American History - Wilderness At Dawn: The Settling of the North American Continent by Ted Morgan

    2

    Wilderness At Dawn: The Settling of the North American Continent
    by Ted Morgan

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    The best books on American History - The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner

    3

    The Story of American Freedom
    by Eric Foner

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    The best books on American History - This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust

    4

    This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
    by Drew Gilpin Faust

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    The best books on American History - In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides

    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

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 Refugees, recommended by Patrick Kingsley

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    The best books on Refugees - The Aeneid by Virgil

    1

    The Aeneid
    by Virgil

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    The best books on Refugees - The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier

    2

    The Silver Sword
    by Ian Serraillier

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    The best books on Refugees - Border Vigils: Keeping Migrants Out of the Rich World by Jeremy Harding

    3

    Border Vigils: Keeping Migrants Out of the Rich World
    by Jeremy Harding

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    The best books on Refugees - The Lightless Sky: My Journey to Safety as a Child Refugee by Gulwali Passarlay

    4

    The Lightless Sky: My Journey to Safety as a Child Refugee
    by Gulwali Passarlay

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    The best books on Refugees - Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move by Reece Jones

    5

    Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move
    by Reece Jones

The best books on Refugees, recommended by Patrick Kingsley

Having trouble getting your head around the refugee crisis? New York Times reporter Patrick Kingsley, formerly the Guardian’s migration correspondent, chooses the best books on refugees. He explains his choices to Ziad Ghandour, himself a refugee from Syria.

    The best books on Drone Warfare, recommended by Hugh Gusterson

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    The best books on Drone Warfare - A Theory of the Drone by Gregoire Chamayou

    1

    A Theory of the Drone
    by Gregoire Chamayou

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    The best books on Drone Warfare - Predator by Matt Martin

    2

    Predator
    by Matt Martin

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    The best books on Drone Warfare - Sudden Justice by Chris Woods

    3

    Sudden Justice
    by Chris Woods

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    The best books on Drone Warfare - Kill Chain by Andrew Cockburn

    4

    Kill Chain
    by Andrew Cockburn

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    The best books on Drone Warfare - Drone Warfare by John Kaag & Sarah Kreps

    5

    Drone Warfare
    by John Kaag & Sarah Kreps

The best books on Drone Warfare, recommended by Hugh Gusterson

The introduction of drones “makes possible perpetual war without costs”, warns the anthropology professor and security expert Hugh Gusterson. Here he selects the best books that examine their ethical, psychological and political impact upon 21st century warfare.

    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III

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    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III - Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy

    1

    Red Storm Rising
    by Tom Clancy

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    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III - Team Yankee: A Novel of World War III by Harold Coyle

    2

    Team Yankee: A Novel of World War III
    by Harold Coyle

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    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III - On The Beach by Nevil Shute

    3

    On The Beach
    by Nevil Shute

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    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III - World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

    4

    World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
    by Max Brooks

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    P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III - The Postman by David Brin

    5

    The Postman
    by David Brin

P W Singer and August Cole choose the best books on World War III

What will the next global conflict look like? Two of America’s leading defence experts, P W Singer and August Cole, turned to science fiction to explore the prospect of a future war, and how existing technology might be used in one. Here, they choose five novels depicting a fictional World War Three that served as inspiration.

    The best books on Refugees, recommended by David Miliband

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    The best books on Refugees - Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 by Madeleine Albright

    1

    Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948
    by Madeleine Albright

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    The best books on Refugees - City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence

    2

    City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp
    by Ben Rawlence

  • Read
    The best books on Refugees - The New Threat from Islamic Militancy by Jason Burke

    3

    The New Threat from Islamic Militancy
    by Jason Burke

  • Read
    The best books on Refugees - Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence by Jonathan Sacks

    4

    Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence
    by Jonathan Sacks

  • Read
    The best books on Refugees - Little Bee: A Novel by Chris Cleave

    5

    Little Bee: A Novel
    by Chris Cleave

The best books on Refugees, recommended by David Miliband

One out of every 122 people in the world today is displaced by conflict. David Miliband, president of the IRC, chooses five books to help us think constructively about refugees and the causes of the current crisis.

    The Best War Writing, recommended by Kate McLoughlin

  • Read
    The Best War Writing - Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer

    1

    Charlotte Sometimes
    by Penelope Farmer

  • Read
    The Best War Writing - The Iliad by Homer

    2

    The Iliad
    by Homer

  • Read
    The Best War Writing - War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

    3

    War and Peace (Book)
    by Leo Tolstoy

  • Read
    The Best War Writing - Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

    4

    Catch 22
    by Joseph Heller

  • Read
    The Best War Writing - If This Is a Man by Primo Levi

    5

    If This Is a Man
    by Primo Levi

The Best War Writing, recommended by Kate McLoughlin

War writing extends to all sorts of genres, including blogs and Twitter. Oxford University’s Professor Kate McLoughlin, author of Authoring War: The Literary Representation of War from the Iliad to Iraq recommends some of her favourite books of war writing.

    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World, recommended by Carlos Fraenkel

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World - Apology by Plato

    1

    Apology
    by Plato

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World - The Deliverance from Error by al-Ghazālī

    2

    The Deliverance from Error
    by al-Ghazālī

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World - The Guide of the Perplexed by Maimonides

    3

    The Guide of the Perplexed
    by Maimonides

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World - On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

    4

    On Liberty
    by John Stuart Mill

  • Read
    The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World - Winnetou by Karl May

    5

    Winnetou
    by Karl May

The best books on Philosophy in a Divided World, recommended by Carlos Fraenkel

The philosopher argues that a culture of debate, in which people of all backgrounds can openly discuss the truth, is philosophy’s real answer to conflict.

    The best books on Terrorism, recommended by Audrey Kurth Cronin

  • Read
    The best books on Terrorism - Every War Must End by Fred Charles Iklé

    1

    Every War Must End
    by Fred Charles Iklé

  • Read
    The best books on Terrorism - A Savage War of Peace by Alistair Horne

    2

    A Savage War of Peace
    by Alistair Horne

  • Read
    The best books on Terrorism - The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

    3

    The Looming Tower
    by Lawrence Wright

  • Read
    The best books on Terrorism - The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State by William McCants

    4

    The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State
    by William McCants

  • Read
    The best books on Terrorism - Deciphering Sun Tzu: How to Read The Art of War by Derek M. C. Yuen

    5

    Deciphering Sun Tzu: How to Read The Art of War
    by Derek M. C. Yuen

The best books on Terrorism, recommended by Audrey Kurth Cronin

It’s hard to remember when in the midst of one, but terrorism campaigns do always end. Audrey Kurth Cronin, author of How Terrorism Ends, recommends the best books on terrorism.

    The best books on Islamism, recommended by Malise Ruthven

  • Read
    The best books on Islamism - Hasan al-Banna by Gudrun Kraemer

    1

    Hasan al-Banna
    by Gudrun Kraemer

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    The best books on Islamism - Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism by John Calvert

    2

    Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism
    by John Calvert

  • Read
    The best books on Islamism - Landscapes of the Jihad by Faisal Devji

    3

    Landscapes of the Jihad
    by Faisal Devji

  • Read
    The best books on Islamism - Global Salafism by Roal Meijer (editor)

    4

    Global Salafism
    by Roal Meijer (editor)

  • Read
    The best books on Islamism - Shi’ism by Hamid Dabashi

    5

    Shi’ism
    by Hamid Dabashi

The best books on Islamism, recommended by Malise Ruthven

The war on terror relied on a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the threat, say author and academic Malise Ruthven. He picks the best books to get a better understanding of Islamism.

    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism, recommended by Daniel Pick

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism - Mass Psychology and Other Writings by Sigmund Freud

    1

    Mass Psychology and Other Writings
    by Sigmund Freud

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism - The Mass Psychology of Fascism by Wilhelm Reich

    2

    The Mass Psychology of Fascism
    by Wilhelm Reich

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism - Love, Hate and Reparation by Melanie Klein and Joan Rivere

    3

    Love, Hate and Reparation
    by Melanie Klein and Joan Rivere

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism - The Nuremberg Interviews by Leon Goldensohn

    4

    The Nuremberg Interviews
    by Leon Goldensohn

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of Nazism - Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah Arendt

    5

    Eichmann in Jerusalem
    by Hannah Arendt

The best books on The Psychology of Nazism, recommended by Daniel Pick

The historian and author of The Pursuit of the Nazi Mind, Daniel Pick, tells us what we can learn from attempts to use psychology, psychiatry and psychoanalysis to understand Nazism.

    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan, recommended by Sandy Gall

  • Read
    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan - A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby

    1

    A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
    by Eric Newby

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    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

    2

    The Road to Oxiana
    by Robert Byron

  • Read
    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan - Afghanistan by Louis Dupree

    3

    Afghanistan
    by Louis Dupree

  • Read
    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan - Baburnama by Wheeler M Thackston (translator) & Zahir al-Din Babur

    4

    Baburnama
    by Wheeler M Thackston (translator) & Zahir al-Din Babur

  • Read
    The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan - A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan, 1841-1842 by Lady Sale

    5

    A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan, 1841-1842
    by Lady Sale

The Best Books by Foreigners on Afghanistan, recommended by Sandy Gall

The veteran reporter and frequent visitor to Afghanistan tells us about the country he loves, and the Westerners (and Central Asian conqueror) who wrote engagingly about it.

    The best books on The Russian Revolution, recommended by Roland Chambers

  • Read
    The best books on The Russian Revolution - Six Weeks in Russia in 1919 by Arthur Ransome

    1

    Six Weeks in Russia in 1919
    by Arthur Ransome

  • Read
    The best books on The Russian Revolution - A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution by Orlando Figes

    2

    A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution
    by Orlando Figes

  • Read
    The best books on The Russian Revolution - The Debate on Soviet Power by John LH Keep (editor and translator)

    3

    The Debate on Soviet Power
    by John LH Keep (editor and translator)

  • Read
    The best books on The Russian Revolution - Lenin in Zurich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    4

    Lenin in Zurich
    by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • Read
    The best books on The Russian Revolution - History of the Russian Revolution by Leon Trotsky

    5

    History of the Russian Revolution
    by Leon Trotsky

The best books on The Russian Revolution, recommended by Roland Chambers

The Russian revolution was the beginning of the modern age, says award-winning author Roland Chambers. He tells us what Solzhenitsyn imagined Lenin was like, and about the children’s author who led a double life as a spy in Bolshevik Russia.

    Books on the Aftermath of World War II, recommended by Keith Lowe

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    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt

    1

    Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
    by Tony Judt

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    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - The Long Road Home by Ben Shephard

    2

    The Long Road Home
    by Ben Shephard

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - A Woman in Berlin by Anonymous

    3

    A Woman in Berlin
    by Anonymous

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Naples ’44 by Norman Lewis

    4

    Naples ’44
    by Norman Lewis

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Forest Brothers by Juozas Luksa

    5

    Forest Brothers
    by Juozas Luksa

Books on the Aftermath of World War II, recommended by Keith Lowe

Postwar Europe was a scene of both physical and moral destruction. Keith Lowe, author of the award-winning Savage Continent, recommends essential reading for understanding the sheer scale of suffering, dislocation and fighting after the war was over.

    The best books on Peace, recommended by John Gittings

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - The Iliad by Homer

    1

    The Iliad
    by Homer

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - The Art of Peace by Erasmus

    2

    The Art of Peace
    by Erasmus

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - Tales of Army Life by Leo Tolstoy

    3

    Tales of Army Life
    by Leo Tolstoy

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - Beyond War by Douglas Fry

    4

    Beyond War
    by Douglas Fry

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    The best books on Peace - Confronting the Bomb by Lawrence Wittner

    5

    Confronting the Bomb
    by Lawrence Wittner

The best books on Peace, recommended by John Gittings

History is usually studied and written from the perspective of war, says veteran journalist John Gittings. It can look very different when viewed from the perspective of peace.

    Novels and Memoirs of World War II, recommended by James Holland

  • Read
    Novels and Memoirs of World War II - First Light by Geoffrey Wellum

    1

    First Light
    by Geoffrey Wellum

  • Read
    Novels and Memoirs of World War II - Near East by Cecil Beaton

    2

    Near East
    by Cecil Beaton

  • Read
    Novels and Memoirs of World War II - Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard

    3

    Marking Time
    by Elizabeth Jane Howard

  • Read
    Novels and Memoirs of World War II - One Man’s Window by Denis Barnham

    4

    One Man’s Window
    by Denis Barnham

  • Read
    Novels and Memoirs of World War II - Sword of Honour by Evelyn Waugh

    5

    Sword of Honour
    by Evelyn Waugh

Novels and Memoirs of World War II, recommended by James Holland

Historian and novelist James Holland talks us through some of his favourite memoirs and novels about the Second World War and explains his lifelong fascination with the global conflict.

    The best books on Reportage and War, recommended by Martin Bell

  • Read
    The best books on Reportage and War - Trusted Mole by Milos Stankovic

    1

    Trusted Mole
    by Milos Stankovic

  • Read
    The best books on Reportage and War - The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam

    2

    The Best and the Brightest
    by David Halberstam

  • Read
    The best books on Reportage and War - Scoop by Evelyn Waugh

    3

    Scoop
    by Evelyn Waugh

  • Read
    The best books on Reportage and War - Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

    4

    Heart of Darkness
    by Joseph Conrad

  • Read
    The best books on Reportage and War - The Poems of Wilfred Owen by Wilfred Owen

    5

    The Poems of Wilfred Owen
    by Wilfred Owen

The best books on Reportage and War, recommended by Martin Bell

The former BBC war reporter picks out essential reading on the Bosnia and Vietnam wars and explains why a book of poetry speaks more to him about the reality of conflict than any other writing

    The best books on The Spanish Civil War, recommended by Paul Preston

  • Read
    The best books on The Spanish Civil War - The Spanish Civil War by Helen Graham

    1

    The Spanish Civil War
    by Helen Graham

  • Read
    The best books on The Spanish Civil War - Life and Death of the Spanish Republic by Henry Buckley

    2

    Life and Death of the Spanish Republic
    by Henry Buckley

  • Read
    The best books on The Spanish Civil War - The Assassination of Federico García Lorca by Ian Gibson

    3

    The Assassination of Federico García Lorca
    by Ian Gibson

  • Read
    The best books on The Spanish Civil War - Guernica! Guernica! by Herbert R Southworth

    4

    Guernica! Guernica!
    by Herbert R Southworth

  • Read
    The best books on The Spanish Civil War - The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas

    5

    The Spanish Civil War
    by Hugh Thomas

The best books on The Spanish Civil War, recommended by Paul Preston

It was a bloody conflict that divided Spain and drew in Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini. Later, it inspired great works of art and literature. An eminent historian of the period tells us why it continues to fascinate him

    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad, recommended by Anna Reid

  • Read
    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad - Russia at War by Alexander Werth

    1

    Russia at War
    by Alexander Werth

  • Read
    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad - A Writer At War: Vasily Grossman with the Red Army 1941-1945 by Vasily Grossman, translated by Antony Beevor and Luba Vinogradova

    2

    A Writer At War: Vasily Grossman with the Red Army 1941-1945
    by Vasily Grossman, translated by Antony Beevor and Luba Vinogradova

  • Read
    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad - Reflections on the Russian Soul by Dmitry Likhachov

    3

    Reflections on the Russian Soul
    by Dmitry Likhachov

  • Read
    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad - Less Than One by Joseph Brodsky

    4

    Less Than One
    by Joseph Brodsky

  • Read
    The best books on The Siege of Leningrad - Conversations with Stalin by Milovan Djilas

    5

    Conversations with Stalin
    by Milovan Djilas

The best books on The Siege of Leningrad, recommended by Anna Reid

Glorified by Russia, glossed over by the West, the siege of Leningrad is rarely seen for what it was – a tragic story of tremendous suffering and death. The author of Leningrad, Anna Reid, tells us what really happened there

    The best books on Genocide, recommended by Norman Naimark

  • Read
    The best books on Genocide - Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

    1

    Ordinary Men
    by Christopher Browning

  • Read
    The best books on Genocide - The Years of Extermination by Saul Friedländer

    2

    The Years of Extermination
    by Saul Friedländer

  • Read
    The best books on Genocide - Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder

    3

    Bloodlands
    by Timothy Snyder

  • Read
    The best books on Genocide - Blood and Soil by Ben Kiernan

    4

    Blood and Soil
    by Ben Kiernan

  • Read
    The best books on Genocide - A Problem from Hell by Samantha Power

    5

    A Problem from Hell
    by Samantha Power

The best books on Genocide, recommended by Norman Naimark

Genocide isn’t the preserve of fanatics and racist thugs – it’s part of human nature, says Stanford historian Norman Naimark. He tells us how genocide happens, who denies it, where it could return, and the best books to read about it.

    The best books on The Decline of Violence, recommended by Steven Pinker

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World by Oona Hathaway & Scott Shapiro

    1

    The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World
    by Oona Hathaway & Scott Shapiro

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - Homicide by Martin Daly and Margo Wilson

    2

    Homicide
    by Martin Daly and Margo Wilson

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - Statistics of Deadly Quarrels by Lewis F Richardson

    3

    Statistics of Deadly Quarrels
    by Lewis F Richardson

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - Violent Land by David Courtwright

    4

    Violent Land
    by David Courtwright

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - The Remnants of War by John Mueller

    5

    The Remnants of War
    by John Mueller

  • Read
    The best books on The Decline of Violence - Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty by Roy Baumeister

    6

    Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty
    by Roy Baumeister

The best books on The Decline of Violence, recommended by Steven Pinker

Our TV screens may be full of news about war and crime, but this masks a fall in historical terms in the number of violent deaths that’s nothing short of astonishing, says Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker. He tells us how and why this happened. (This interview was updated 17 December, 2020, to include books that have come out since it was published in 2011)

    The best books on Women and War, recommended by Gayle Lemmon

  • Read
    The best books on Women and War - The Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn by Caroline Moorehead

    1

    The Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn
    by Caroline Moorehead

  • Read
    The best books on Women and War - Emma’s War by Deborah Scroggins

    2

    Emma’s War
    by Deborah Scroggins

  • Read
    The best books on Women and War - Mighty Be Our Powers by Leymah Gwobee

    3

    Mighty Be Our Powers
    by Leymah Gwobee

  • Read
    The best books on Women and War - The Girls Come Marching Home by Kirsten Holmstedt

    4

    The Girls Come Marching Home
    by Kirsten Holmstedt

  • Read
    The best books on Women and War - Burqas, Foulards et Minijupes by Anne Lancelot

    5

    Burqas, Foulards et Minijupes
    by Anne Lancelot

The best books on Women and War, recommended by Gayle Lemmon

When war comes, women pick up the pieces, providing for families and taking up jobs previously done by men. Increasingly, women are to be found on the frontlines of combat too, as the author and journalist explains

    The best books on Post-9/11 America, recommended by Peter Beinart

  • Read
    The best books on Post-9/11 America - The Fight is for Democracy by Edited by George Packer

    1

    The Fight is for Democracy
    by Edited by George Packer

  • Read
    The best books on Post-9/11 America - Dangerous Nation by Robert Kagan

    2

    Dangerous Nation
    by Robert Kagan

  • Read
    The best books on Post-9/11 America - The New American Militarism by Andrew J Bacevich

    3

    The New American Militarism
    by Andrew J Bacevich

  • Read
    The best books on Post-9/11 America - Rise of the Vulcans by James Mann

    4

    Rise of the Vulcans
    by James Mann

  • Read
    The best books on Post-9/11 America - Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman

    5

    Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency
    by Barton Gellman

The best books on Post-9/11 America, recommended by Peter Beinart

The neoconservative view that the US has a special mission in the world was supercharged by 9/11. There was also a sense that 9/11 could make America better. Sadly it didn’t work out that way, says Peter Beinart

    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History by Thomas Barfield

    1

    Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History
    by Thomas Barfield

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Heroes of the Age by David B Edwards

    2

    Heroes of the Age
    by David B Edwards

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Before Taliban by David B Edwards

    3

    Before Taliban
    by David B Edwards

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - The Logic of Violence in Civil War by Stathis N Kalyvas

    4

    The Logic of Violence in Civil War
    by Stathis N Kalyvas

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - On War by Carl von Clausewitz

    5

    On War
    by Carl von Clausewitz

Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan

The US has repeatedly misdiagnosed the war in Afghanistan. Former soldier, Andrew Exum, tells us about flawed policy, unhappy outcomes and what could and should have been different.

    The best books on Islamic Militancy, recommended by Jason Burke

  • Read
    The best books on Islamic Militancy - Jihad by Gilles Kepel

    1

    Jihad
    by Gilles Kepel

  • Read
    The best books on Islamic Militancy - A Fury for God by Malise Ruthven

    2

    A Fury for God
    by Malise Ruthven

  • Read
    The best books on Islamic Militancy - Jihad in Saudi Arabia by Thomas Hegghammer

    3

    Jihad in Saudi Arabia
    by Thomas Hegghammer

  • Read
    The best books on Islamic Militancy - The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

    4

    The Secret Agent
    by Joseph Conrad

  • Read
    The best books on Islamic Militancy - From Fatwa to Jihad by Kenan Malik

    5

    From Fatwa to Jihad
    by Kenan Malik

The best books on Islamic Militancy, recommended by Jason Burke

Jason Burke, journalist and author of an acclaimed book on Al-Qaeda, tells us what he learnt about militants when he was caught in a firefight in Iraq—and suggests five books we should read to understand their motivations.

    The best books on The Iraq War, recommended by Patrick Cockburn

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - The Occupation of Iraq by Ali A Allawi

    1

    The Occupation of Iraq
    by Ali A Allawi

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - Fiasco by Thomas E Ricks

    2

    Fiasco
    by Thomas E Ricks

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movement in Iraq by Hanna Batatu

    3

    The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movement in Iraq
    by Hanna Batatu

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - Aftermath by Nir Rosen

    4

    Aftermath
    by Nir Rosen

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness? by Jonathan Randal

    5

    After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness?
    by Jonathan Randal

The best books on The Iraq War, recommended by Patrick Cockburn

The veteran Middle East correspondent gives us his tips for the best reading about the US-led invasion and occupation, and explains why the West shouldn’t have intervened in Iraq in the first place

    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising, recommended by Marc Lynch

  • Read
    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising - Life as Politics by Asef Bayat

    1

    Life as Politics
    by Asef Bayat

  • Read
    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising - Algeria by Martin Evans and John Phillips

    2

    Algeria
    by Martin Evans and John Phillips

  • Read
    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising - Rethinking Islamist Politics by Salwa Ismail

    3

    Rethinking Islamist Politics
    by Salwa Ismail

  • Read
    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising - The Struggle for Syria by Patrick Seale

    4

    The Struggle for Syria
    by Patrick Seale

  • Read
    The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising - Ambiguities of Domination by Lisa Wedeen

    5

    Ambiguities of Domination
    by Lisa Wedeen

The best books on Origins of the Arab Uprising, recommended by Marc Lynch

The Middle East scholar tells us what to read if we’re to understand where upheaval in the Arab world came from, and where it’s going.

    The best books on Oliver Cromwell, recommended by John Morrill

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Cromwell Our Chief of Men by Antonia Fraser

    1

    Cromwell Our Chief of Men
    by Antonia Fraser

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Oliver Cromwell by Barry Coward

    2

    Oliver Cromwell
    by Barry Coward

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - God’s Executioner by Micheál Ó Siochrú

    3

    God’s Executioner
    by Micheál Ó Siochrú

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Oliver Cromwell: New Perspectives by Patrick Little

    4

    Oliver Cromwell: New Perspectives
    by Patrick Little

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Cromwell’s Head by Jonathan Fitzgibbons

    5

    Cromwell’s Head
    by Jonathan Fitzgibbons

The best books on Oliver Cromwell, recommended by John Morrill

The professor of history at Cambridge asks why Oliver Cromwell remains Britain’s most controversial ruler, and what the morbid story of Cromwell’s head after his death has to say about British history.

    Books on the Refugee Experience, recommended by Shahram Khosravi

  • Read
    Books on the Refugee Experience - The Suffering of the Immigrant by Abdelmalek Sayad

    1

    The Suffering of the Immigrant
    by Abdelmalek Sayad

  • Read
    Books on the Refugee Experience - The Rights of Others by Seyla Benhabib

    2

    The Rights of Others
    by Seyla Benhabib

  • Read
    Books on the Refugee Experience - Lost in Translation by Eva Hoffman

    3

    Lost in Translation
    by Eva Hoffman

  • Read
    Books on the Refugee Experience - Servants of Globalization by Rhacel Salazar Parreñas

    4

    Servants of Globalization
    by Rhacel Salazar Parreñas

  • Read
    Books on the Refugee Experience - On the Margins of the World by Michel Agier

    5

    On the Margins of the World
    by Michel Agier

Books on the Refugee Experience, recommended by Shahram Khosravi

To understand what makes integration fail or succeed we need to know why migrants moved in the first place, says Shahram Khosravi, Professor of Social Anthropology at Stockholm University and author of Young and Defiant in Tehran and ‘Illegal’ Traveller.

    The best books on Syria, recommended by Nikolaos van Dam

  • Read
    The best books on Syria - Asad by Patrick Seale

    1

    Asad
    by Patrick Seale

  • Read
    The best books on Syria - Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics by Hanna Batatu

    2

    Syria's Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics
    by Hanna Batatu

  • Read
    The best books on Syria - The Mirror of my Life [Mir'at Hayati] by General Mustafa Talas

    3

    The Mirror of my Life [Mir'at Hayati]
    by General Mustafa Talas

  • Read
    The best books on Syria - Fragments of Memory by Hanna Mina

    4

    Fragments of Memory
    by Hanna Mina

  • Read
    The best books on Syria - Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City by Brigid Keenan

    5

    Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City
    by Brigid Keenan

The best books on Syria, recommended by Nikolaos van Dam

The veteran Dutch diplomat, Nikolaos van Dam, explains why meaningful political change in Syria will be difficult to achieve – and warns that any move towards democracy is likely to be accompanied by severe sectarian tension.

    The best books on War, recommended by Michael Howard

  • Read
    The best books on War - On War by Carl von Clausewitz

    1

    On War
    by Carl von Clausewitz

  • Read
    The best books on War - The Art of War by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

    2

    The Art of War
    by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

  • Read
    The best books on War - The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

    3

    The Red Badge of Courage
    by Stephen Crane

  • Read
    The best books on War - The General by C S Forester

    4

    The General
    by C S Forester

  • Read
    The best books on War - Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman and translated by Robert Chandler

    5

    Life and Fate
    by Vasily Grossman and translated by Robert Chandler

The best books on War, recommended by Michael Howard

Fear is a great examiner of one’s character, argues the World War II veteran and eminent historian of war, Sir Michael Howard. He recommends the best books on war, two on strategy and three on what it’s actually like for soldiers and commanding officers.

    The best books on The Korean War, recommended by Bruce Cumings

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    The best books on The Korean War - Korea by John Merrill

    1

    Korea
    by John Merrill

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    The best books on The Korean War - Selling the Korean War by Steven Casey

    2

    Selling the Korean War
    by Steven Casey

  • Read
    The best books on The Korean War - War Trash by Ha Jin

    3

    War Trash
    by Ha Jin

  • Read
    The best books on The Korean War - Korea: The War Before Vietnam by Callum MacDonald

    4

    Korea: The War Before Vietnam
    by Callum MacDonald

  • Read
    The best books on The Korean War - The Hidden History of the Korean War by I.F. Stone

    5

    The Hidden History of the Korean War
    by I.F. Stone

The best books on The Korean War, recommended by Bruce Cumings

Before Vietnam, America fought in the Korean War—but its role in that conflict has been far less examined. Award-winning historian Bruce Cumings talks about the misconceptions many people still hold, and how they distort our understanding of the current North Korean regime.

    The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Michael Palliser

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    The best books on Diplomacy - Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

    1

    Diplomacy
    by Henry Kissinger

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    The best books on Diplomacy - Talleyrand by Duff Cooper

    2

    Talleyrand
    by Duff Cooper

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Postwar: The Dawn of Today's Europe by Richard Mayne

    3

    Postwar: The Dawn of Today's Europe
    by Richard Mayne

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Le Fil de l'Epée by Charles De Gaulle

    4

    Le Fil de l'Epée
    by Charles De Gaulle

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - The Boys on the Bongo Bus by John Dickie (journalist)

    5

    The Boys on the Bongo Bus
    by John Dickie (journalist)

The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Michael Palliser

Veteran diplomat Michael Palliser discusses his friend Henry Kissinger’s diplomatic skills and says his experiences in post-war Germany made him a committed European

    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus, recommended by Per Gahrton

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    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus - Georgia Diary by Thomas Goltz

    1

    Georgia Diary
    by Thomas Goltz

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    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus - Georgia: In the Mountains of Poetry by Peter Nasmyth

    2

    Georgia: In the Mountains of Poetry
    by Peter Nasmyth

  • Read
    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus - The Caucasus by Thomas de Waal

    3

    The Caucasus
    by Thomas de Waal

  • Read
    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus - Putin’s Russia by Anna Politkovskaya

    4

    Putin’s Russia
    by Anna Politkovskaya

  • Read
    The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus - Ali and Nino by Kurban Said

    5

    Ali and Nino
    by Kurban Said

The best books on Georgia and the Caucasus, recommended by Per Gahrton

‘Most people still live rather primitively, and that is not good from a purely economic point of view, but it’s very charming and the food is wonderful.’

    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict, recommended by David Cortright

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    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - Civilian Jihad by Maria J. Stephan (Editor)

    1

    Civilian Jihad
    by Maria J. Stephan (Editor)

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    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon by Mary Kaldor & Shannon D. Beebe, Mary H. Kaldor

    2

    The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon
    by Mary Kaldor & Shannon D. Beebe, Mary H. Kaldor

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - No God but God by Reza Aslan

    3

    No God but God
    by Reza Aslan

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - How Terrorist Groups End by Seth G. Jones and Martin Libicky

    4

    How Terrorist Groups End
    by Seth G. Jones and Martin Libicky

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - Vietnam by John Prados

    5

    Vietnam
    by John Prados

The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict, recommended by David Cortright

David Cortright, Notre Dame peace studies expert, identifies and rejects one of the myths about non-violent action: that it only works in liberal democracies. He outlines that non-violent protests can achieve their aims, that terrorism can only cease through negotiation, and that wars rarely have winners.

    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI, recommended by Gary Noesner

  • Read
    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI - Bullets, Bombs and Fast Talk by James Botting

    1

    Bullets, Bombs and Fast Talk
    by James Botting

  • Read
    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI - Negotiating Hostage Crises with the New Terrorists by Adam Dolnik and Keith M. Fitzgerald

    2

    Negotiating Hostage Crises with the New Terrorists
    by Adam Dolnik and Keith M. Fitzgerald

  • Read
    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI - Crisis Negotiations by Michael J McMains and Wayman C Mullins

    3

    Crisis Negotiations
    by Michael J McMains and Wayman C Mullins

  • Read
    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI - Hostage Cop by Captain Frank Bolz and Edward Hershey

    4

    Hostage Cop
    by Captain Frank Bolz and Edward Hershey

  • Read
    The best books on Negotiating and the FBI - Influence by Robert B Cialdini

    5

    Influence
    by Robert B Cialdini

The best books on Negotiating and the FBI, recommended by Gary Noesner

The former FBI Chief Negotiator says that negotiators need to come across as non-threatening and non-judgmental. And active listening isn’t just something you use in a hostage situation; it’s important in everyday life, too

    The best books on The European Civil War, 1914-1945, recommended by Andreas Wesemann

  • Read
    The best books on The European Civil War - Like a Tear in the Ocean (Wie eine Traene im Ozean) by Manes Sperber

    1

    Like a Tear in the Ocean (Wie eine Traene im Ozean)
    by Manes Sperber

  • Read
    The best books on The European Civil War - World in Trance by Leopold Schwarzschild

    2

    World in Trance
    by Leopold Schwarzschild

  • Read
    The best books on The European Civil War - The Accused (Hexensabbat) by Alex Weissberg-Cybulski

    3

    The Accused (Hexensabbat)
    by Alex Weissberg-Cybulski

  • Read
    The best books on The European Civil War - The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil

    4

    The Man Without Qualities
    by Robert Musil

  • Read
    The best books on The European Civil War - Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman and translated by Robert Chandler

    5

    Life and Fate
    by Vasily Grossman and translated by Robert Chandler

The best books on The European Civil War, 1914-1945, recommended by Andreas Wesemann

Andreas Wesemann says WWI reparations did not fuel the rise of Nazism – Germany hardly paid any. He tells the true story of the rise of fascism

    The best books on The History of War, recommended by Jeremy Black

  • Read
    The best books on The History of War - The Asian Military Revolution by Peter A Lorge

    1

    The Asian Military Revolution
    by Peter A Lorge

  • Read
    The best books on The History of War - The Ottoman Age of Exploration by Giancarlo Casale

    2

    The Ottoman Age of Exploration
    by Giancarlo Casale

  • Read
    The best books on The History of War - Military Orientalism by Patrick Porter

    3

    Military Orientalism
    by Patrick Porter

  • Read
    The best books on The History of War - Modern Counter-Insurgency by Ian Beckett

    4

    Modern Counter-Insurgency
    by Ian Beckett

  • Read
    The best books on The History of War - The Echo of Battle, the Army’s Way of War by Brian McAllister Linn

    5

    The Echo of Battle, the Army’s Way of War
    by Brian McAllister Linn

The best books on The History of War, recommended by Jeremy Black

In military terms, the traditional view is that the rest of the world is struggling to catch up with the West, says Professor Jeremy Black. But, as some of his book choices reveal, this is historically inaccurate

    The best books on Who Terrorists Are, recommended by Jessica Stern

  • Read
    The best books on Who Terrorists Are - War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges

    1

    War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
    by Chris Hedges

  • Read
    The best books on Who Terrorists Are - The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

    2

    The Secret Agent
    by Joseph Conrad

  • Read
    The best books on Who Terrorists Are - What Terrorists Want by Louise Richardson

    3

    What Terrorists Want
    by Louise Richardson

  • Read
    The best books on Who Terrorists Are - A Human Being Died That Night by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

    4

    A Human Being Died That Night
    by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

  • Read
    The best books on Who Terrorists Are - The True Believer by Eric Hoffer

    5

    The True Believer
    by Eric Hoffer

The best books on Who Terrorists Are, recommended by Jessica Stern

International terror expert Jessica Stern takes a close look at the mind of the terrorist. She explores why people are drawn to extreme violence and how, in many cases, terrorists can build their identities around ideologies that they hold in an ultimately shallow way

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