Ask HN: What are your favourite history books?

Hey,

It depends a little bit on what you mean historical.

I am a great fan of Dan Carlin, who has a vibrant way to narrate history. His podcasts are the best but he also has books. I loved this one : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49947205-the-end-is-alwa...

I try to read a book about all major powers from a few centuries back. The last one I read was about Hamilton (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130.Alexander_Hamilton), which for non-americans is maybe less known than say lincoln. Napoleon (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25637528-napoleon) or Churchill are other nice examples, because those are usually much more complex than history remembers them for :).

I'd love you to answer your own thread if you have suggestions, I'm searching for new ideas as well!

I found The Histories by Herodotus [0] to be an amazing read. While it's not 100% accurate as we know today, the time and effort spent compiling this when it was written is definitely impressive. This one is a reasonably lengthy read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Additionally, though it is somewhat biased in favour of the author, The Conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar [1] was a great look into the campaigns throughout Gaul. And a relatively short read when compared to The Histories.

[0] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1362.The_Histories

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/592167.The_Conquest_of_G...

Robert Caro's Lyndon Johnson biography (multiple volumes) (idolised by Conan O'Brien see https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/style/conan-obrien-robert... - “I’m a fan to a disturbing level.”)

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan

Paris 1919 and The War that Ended Peace - Margaret McMillan

Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

Origins of Political Order: Francis Fukuyama - how politics + the state developed. Interesting contrast of Asia/China vs Europe/UK.

How Asia Works: Success and Failure in the World's Most Dynamic Region Book by Joe Studwel - fascinating history of the tactics east Asian countries adopted to grow post wwII

any history book by Ben MacIntyre is a terrific read. He has written sseveral about WWII: I've read Agent Zig-Zag and Operation Mincemeat. He also wrote a good book about the spy Kim Phiulby, A Spy Among Friends. Another great book about WWII is Citizens of London by Lynne Olson. One of the best books I've read recently is Peter Frankopan's The Silk Roads that fills in the gaps of history for Westerners. Jaw-dropping details on almost every page--such as the real meaning of the Italian greeting ciao ("I am your slave") because Italian ports were the ceneter of the Roaman slave trade--they had to import 450,000-500,000 per year to keep the empire humming...and the origin of the word slave from the Slavs who were captured by the red-haired Vikings as they moved south...knowns as the Russes, who became known as the Russians..

some others-- The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone anything by Erik Larson but especially Isaac's Storm (about the Galveston hurricane of 1900) and In the Garden of Beasts (about the American ambassort to 1930s Nazi Germany) Travels with Herodotus and Shah of Shas by Ryszard Kapuscinski The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum Parisians by Graham Robb

If you like to get to know history of computers then check The Innovators by Isaacson Walter

One of my all time favourite books is Titan: The life of John D. Rockefeller by Ron Chernow.

While it gives an excellent account of Rockefeller’s life, the most enjoyable for me is the incredible setting of the Industrial Revolution in America.

As a non American it was also fascinating to read about the mixture of religion and capitalism.

I highly recommend it.

Any Anthony Beevor books really - Stalingrad, Berlin, D-Day. Max Hastings can be good too - but harder to read

On a history topic im liking Dan Snows podcast, and Al Murrays We have ways of making you talk podcast