I need recommendations for history books

[zheng89120]

Hi, I am a high student school student and I would like to learn about american and world history. I havn't started history yet, but I would like books that would carry me over to university. What two books would you guys recomend? They should be one-volumed, authoritive, and inclusive. I have heard that A People's History of The United States is a good american history book, but I have no clue what to get for world history. Any advice and recommendation would be aprreciated, thanks. :)

[crisaor]

On world history, try Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century (1914-1991), by Eric Hobsbawm. For previous periods, try the "Era of" series.

[IWilKikU]

Most world history books can't be all that inclusive. If you want books that will carry over into university, I recomend getting area or time/sittuation specific books. For example, Simon Schama's History of Great Britain, or a book on the prodestant Reformation. Those are the types of books that would be the most useful in more than one history class.

[atiguhya padma]

For world history, you might try A Brief History of the Human Race by Michael Cook, or Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

JM Roberts has done a one-volume History of the World which is good.

[subterranean]

I recommend Modern World History (Palmer and Colton, if I'm not mistaken), it's quite comprehensive.

[star blue]

a people's history of the united states is a good leftist take on our past. howard zinn did a lot of work with noam chomsky, who is one of the most politically influential people alive today.

[ajoe]

Don't Know Much about History by Kenneth C. Davis.
I haven't read this book, but I've read another of his book and it's plain fun! :)

[subterranean]

The title is interesting ...

[Isagel]

Not really what you are looking for, but a very amusing and critical take on classic stories in history - "Decline and fall of Practically evrybody" by Cuppy.

[ajoe]

Originally posted by subterranean
The title is interesting ...

:D

[atiguhya padma]

The following books by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto:

1) Millenium
2) Civilization
3) Ideas that Changed the World

[hal9000]

Originally posted by star blue
a people's history of the united states is a good leftist take on our past. howard zinn did a lot of work with noam chomsky, who is one of the most politically influential people alive today.

Good recommendation. I find terms like "leftist"and "intellectual" misleading. Zinn's account of US history is objective, as opposed to the revisionist brand we all learned in public school where, as Ralph Nader puts it, "you won't find the proper name in a civic's text book of a misbehaving corporation."

Anytime people recount historical events or foreign policy that doesn't mesh with the official version, they're called "leftists," or "intellectuals." Using these labels immediately marginalizes those who oppose current policy makers in America or imperial power. Reminds me of when Jeff Greenberg was asked why Chomsky never apperared on Nightline. He said something like, " he's not even in the same world," meaning the corporate owned media world of course, and what he means is that Chomsky's views are not governed by corporate tyranny.

[Sancho]

I'll have to throw in with Hal and add that rather than "leftist" or "Intellectual" I think Zinn's focus was to write a history from the average Joe's perspective. That is to say, from the perspective of those influenced by policy not those making policy.

While the nation was becoming powerful during the industrial revolution on natural resources, what was life like for an eastern Kentucky coal miner?

President Lincoln, Generals Grant and Lee changed history but what did the average rifleman think? (he was probably more interested in finding a pair of serviceable boots)

I love (and hate) the way the book starts: There's an entry from Columbus' log recounting his initial encounter with the Arawac indians as he sailed into the bay in Haiti (Hispaniola) and the natives swam out to greet the ships. He comments that the indians are healthy, attractive and hospitable. Then he sums up his thoughts with the conclusion that they would make excellent slaves.

[Sancho]

A recent book along those same lines, although more narrowly focused, is a slim volume by Paul Fussell, "The Boys' Crusade." Its the American Infantry in Northwestern Europe from 1944 to 1945 from the dogface soldier's perspective.

Having spent much of my adult life with the modern American Infantry, I've always been slightly suspicious of those heroic "Greatest Generation" war stories. Make no doubt, I feel incredibly indebted to the greatest generation, but sometimes the histories seemed to have been written with rose colored glasses. When I read "The Boys' Crusade," I immediately recognized the average Grunt.

Ahhh, these guys are the real deal. There are hilarious parts and there are tragic parts but there doesn't seem to be any embellished parts.

A good read.

[hal9000]

Sancho,

I enjoyed reading both your posts, and look forward to reading, The Boys' Crusade.

[Comrade_Ogilvy]

Hmm I read a bunch of college books printed in the 60s and 70s before I started my history courses. I really eat that stuff up so I think I'll look up some of the books suggested to you out of my own curioisity. I doubt any of the books I read would help you though, their out of date and probably biased in ways I don't understand.

[IWilKikU]

has anyone read "1421, The Year China Discovered the World"? I can't recall right off who wrote it, but it looked really interesting. Other history books I've been looking at are "By the Sword" which is a history of the sword in every culture that developed their own variation of it, European, Oriental, South American, ect...; "The Real Middle Earth" a book about the "magic" of early mediavel England, and Starkey's "Six Wives" about the Wives of Henry VIII. Has anyone read any of these?

[Buh4Bee]

a people's history of the united states is a good leftist take on our past. howard zinn did a lot of work with noam chomsky, who is one of the most politically influential people alive today.

I second this recommendation. I read this book and learned so much about American history, but again its really liberal. But that is why you should read it. (Shhh... I might be getting political)

[novelsryou]

I'm reading Elizabeth and Mary (www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Mary-Cousins-Rivals-Queens/dp/0375708200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245404379&sr=1-1), very good. These people had no problem chopping heads off, even 16 Year old Lady Jane Grey's.