Any Interesting History based books i could read?

i'm really interested in History and want to study it eventually and have recently started to read more history based books but is there any anyone could recommend?
I particulary like topics like,
Tudors,
World War 2, Weimar Germany, The Third Riech
The industrial revolution in britain
Something american. I don't know much about american history
Anything on the troubles in Northern Ireland
And Fascist Italy.
Or anything else that anyone has enjoyed.
thanks
=]

Reply 1

Freud

14

Do you mean like novels or actual hard facts?

Reply 2

Oh-WOW

OP

10

Freud

Do you mean like novels or actual hard facts?

Both. I guess hard facts are more useful but i enjoy the novels.

Reply 3

LmnCD

Europe Since Napoleon - David Thomson

I bought a copy after my history teacher recommended it, have not started reading it yet as I am reading another book at the moment. It goes from the French revolution up until about 1960 so should cover a few things that you stated may interest you.

Reply 4

Jerby

On the Third Reich, I'd suggest Richard J. Evans' trilogy of books. I'd also recommend Empire by Niall Ferguson. It's an interesting, albeit popular take on the subject and I really enjoyed it.

In Defence of History by Evans should also you give an insight into historiography, which is important at uni level. Tosh's In Pursuit of History and Jordanova's History in Practice are also good works in this vein.

Reply 5

littlebee2

battle cry of freedom by James M Pherson which is about american civil war?

Reply 6

emmers1990

If you like Roman history; Rubicon by Tom Holland is good.

Reply 7

Adam83

12

i didnt like Rubicon.

good books are rare, i thought 'London: the Autobiography by Jon E. Lewis' was great because it avoided a self-important waffling historian who uses eight words where one will do. It is a selection of primary sources describing events.
Beginning with Tacitus there are 150 pages up to the 19th century, around 100 on the 19th century and another 100 on the twentieth century. Some of the extracts are more interesting than others but thats life.

Reply 8

cabbaman98

Read:
Nuremberg: Evil On Trial

Gives a great understanding as to what people played what part in the Third Reich, gives great sources and examples of what effect these people had and a great overview of who was responsible for the holocaust, the military and the economic situation of Germany.
It puts everything I knew about the Third Reich into a much more coinciding and worked out way.
It's also great evidence as to what type of leader Hitler was and how he controlled his men.

Reply 9

ilikepiesandstuff

11

Oh-WOW

i'm really interested in History and want to study it eventually and have recently started to read more history based books but is there any anyone could recommend?
I particulary like topics like,
Tudors,
World War 2, Weimar Germany, The Third Riech
The industrial revolution in britain
Something american. I don't know much about american history
Anything on the troubles in Northern Ireland
And Fascist Italy.
Or anything else that anyone has enjoyed.
thanks
=]

Anne Franks Diary?
Easy to read, and you can compare it with the TV show next week! :smile:

Reply 10

necessarily benevolent

14

Yes.

There are quite a few books listed in my profile.

Reply 11

Ducar111

2

The first world war by AYP Taylor..

Reply 12

Yolly

For Tudors:
Eamon Duffy is very good for reformation esp. Stripping of the Altars and The Voices of Morebath.

C J Sansom has a series of novels set in 1500s, which are pretty accurate. I'm on the first one, and so far has been good, a lot easier going than pure non-fiction too. The first is called Dissolution and I think there are another three.

Reply 13

Bagration

18

Six Days by Jeremy Bowen is the best history book ever, full stop.

Reply 14

harlequin_7_

Lord of the rings? But seriously, go non fiction and then read GUY about tudor England, absolute genius.

Reply 15

Elrobi

9

Colin Bateman writes some quite funny stuff on The Troubles. Very, very dark and very, very Northern Irish.

Reply 16

Oh-WOW

OP

10

Elrobi

Colin Bateman writes some quite funny stuff on The Troubles. Very, very dark and very, very Northern Irish.

someone from Northern ireland. Hi :smile:

Reply 17

EMck

Colin Bateman is a laugh!
My fav. writer by far!
Carrot Cake :biggrin:

N.I!

Reply 18

AShipley

Dark Continent by Mark Mazower. and I'd commend all the R.J.Evans mentioned above. In Defense of History is genius

Reply 19

username202682

17

Try this for an alternative History of the United States
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.
It's a brilliant book and it covers much of what isn't in the US curriculum about the History of the United States, partly because there is a lot of avoidance on the topics that Zinn covered. It is a very popular book. Some have suggested it becomes part of the reading curriculum for History students in High School in the United States. Like this.

Any Interesting History based books i could read?

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you