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Thread: Good history books?

  1. #1
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    Good history books?

    It's dawned on me that although I've taken many history classes in school I still don't know that much of the history of the world other than US history and some general knowledge of the great powers of the past and their culture. Do you guys have any nice books in mind that would be of interest on this subject? I'm not looking for anything in particular so any suggestions are welcome.

  2. #2
    Sweet farewell, Good Nite
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    The History of The World by J.P. Roberts, and illustrated set. Cambridge has a great 2-volume pocket set as well.

    anything by niall ferguson or john keegan. ferguson published an excellent book fairly recently called Empires. check out Keegan's Book of War.

    many have recommended Guns, Germ, Steel by Jared Diamond that runs the gamut of history.

    enjoy
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    Voice of Chaos & Anarchy
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    Look in used book stores. There were excellent history books, but they are out of print.

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    Booze Hound Noisms's Avatar
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    Guns, Germs and Steel is a great book if you're looking for a theory of History - why things happened the way they did.

    If you're looking for more specific things...well, there are hundreds. Anything by Orland Figes is great. He's an expert on Russian history, and his A People's Tragedy is a masterpiece, I think. He's just released a new book about life under Stalin.

    Antony Beevor is definitely recommended, too. His Stalingrad is very famous - about the eponymous battle - but he's also written about the Spanish Civil War and the history of France.

    I also like Hugh Thomas. He's written lots of history books, mostly about the slave trade and the Spanish empire.

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    I recommend anything written by Anthony Beevor. If you want to read about WW1, I suggest you read anything from Richard Van Emden. He's written several great books about life in the trenches on the Western Front.

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    Registered User MrD's Avatar
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    I didn't like Anthony Beevors Stalingrad too much myself. It seemed less a history book than an attempt to hype up facts in his own view. Many references he simply doesn't provide. He just says he has data, but doesn't say where from.

    You'd actually be better off asking your teachers or googling current reading lists for specific universities in the areas you want to learn in.

    Although problems in Japan mean that WWII isn't likely to be on their reading lists, so if you want to learn about the pacific theatre you have to go elsewhere for material!

    The basic rule is properly referenced evidence. Not heresy or opinion.
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    Booze Hound Noisms's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrD View Post
    The basic rule is properly referenced evidence. Not heresy or opinion.
    What an odd thing to say. Properly referenced evidence is vital, yes, but heresy and opinion are both good and stimulating things in a history book, are they not? Do we really want new books to just endlessly re-hash the accepted view of everything? I'd argue that revisionism is an important impulse in historical research, because it's what allows the subject to grow and broaden. Sometimes we might no agree with what revisionists have to say, but it's important that they have the chance to say it. And usually it's interesting and refreshing to read it.

    Quote Originally Posted by MrD View Post
    I didn't like Anthony Beevors Stalingrad too much myself. It seemed less a history book than an attempt to hype up facts in his own view. Many references he simply doesn't provide. He just says he has data, but doesn't say where from.
    My copy of Stalingrad is painstakingly referenced; Beevor cites all his sources in it.

    Quote Originally Posted by MrD View Post
    Although problems in Japan mean that WWII isn't likely to be on their reading lists, so if you want to learn about the pacific theatre you have to go elsewhere for material!
    That's a bit of a myth, actually. WWII is a big part of the school curriculum in Japan. It's just that they don't learn the same things about it that kids in America or Britain do.

    I recommend to anyone who's really interested in the Pacific Theatreduring WWII to read books by Japanese historians. There's still a considerable number of them who argue against the view that their country was entirely in the wrong. I don't necessarily agree with them, but it's interesting to hear another side of the story.

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    Fingertips of Fury B-Mental's Avatar
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    Eventhough you said you are familiar with American History, I still recommend the book 'The People's History of the United States'. It covers a great deal of American History from an alternate point of view. Its a little less optomistic on the righteousness of American History. A must read for history buffs.
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  9. #9
    Sweet farewell, Good Nite
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    i forgot to mention Francis Fukuyama's The End of History and The Last Man.
    "He was nauseous with regret when he saw her face again, and when, as of yore, he pleaded and begged at her knees for the joy of her being. She understood Neal; she stroked his hair; she knew he was mad."
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    Registered User ReynardtheFox's Avatar
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    Daniel J Boorstin - The Discoverers

    I enjoyed it because he focusses on an discovery made by an individual, and from this position puts the discovery in its social and historical context, so the microcosm of a certain invention (eg. accurate ways to tell time, longitude etc.) leads to a greater understanding of the world at that time. Quite Western history focussed however, so if you wanted Asian or African history you should look elsewhere.
    I want to do with you what spring does with cherry trees ~ Pablo Neruda

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