What history related books are you currently reading?

I just got "The Silk Road" by Frankopan today :0, and getting the book 1776 (American Revolution).

I am kinda a noob when it comes to reading, for 1776 I will take notes because its for my epq. Would you recommend taking notes for all history books? I was thinking of just summarizing each chapter in my notebook

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

games211

16

Original post by SuperHuman98

I just got "The Silk Road" by Frankopan today :0, and getting the book 1776 (American Revolution).

I am kinda a noob when it comes to reading, for 1776 I will take notes because its for my epq. Would you recommend taking notes for all history books? I was thinking of just summarizing each chapter in my notebook

Horrible histories LOOL, even though it's more about human nature and what not.

Reply 2

Daraawiish

6

I'm reading the journals of the most famous traveller in all time, ibn battuta, a 13th century lawyer (Islamic jurisprudence)who travelled 3 times the distance Marco polo travelled and gives an insight into the medieval world from north Africa to the horn of africa (my country) to as far as China. Also I'm reading another Arabic book called Futuh Al Habash (conquest of Abyssinia) written by a Arab scholar who was an eye witness to the Adal kingdom's(medieval Somali kingdom) invasion of modern day Ethiopia during the Adal-Abyssinia wars and even describes in detail, the different somali clans that took part in this expedition, their alliance with the Ottoman turks, their battles with the Portuguese who were aiding the Ethiopian's. This was the first time an African force-somalis-defeated a European power. Also they were the first to use cannon warfare in Africa. An interesting fact is that the relief force of 400 Portuguese musketeers sent to aid the defeated abyssinian forces were led by the brother of the famous explorer, Vasco da Gama, who would be killed by Adal forces.
Around the same period another somali Kingdom, the Ajuraan sultanate would also successfully engage in naval expeditions against the Portuguese in the Indian ocean and defeat them.This was the first time an African force engaged in naval warfare against a foreign entity. The Ajuraans at first were fighting only to defend their rich coastal port cities like mogadishu that was the richest along the east African coast but soon they decided to fight offensively against the portuguesse, forming a joint ottoman-Ajuraan naval offensive to drive rhe Portuguese out of the other coastal cities they occupied eg. Malindi, patu, Mombasa..These weren't somali cities but they sympathised with them as the it were fellow Muslims who were invaded and therefore decided to help them against the Portuguese.

Reply 3

username2981082

19

Original post by SuperHuman98

I just got "The Silk Road" by Frankopan today :0, and getting the book 1776 (American Revolution).

I am kinda a noob when it comes to reading, for 1776 I will take notes because its for my epq. Would you recommend taking notes for all history books? I was thinking of just summarizing each chapter in my notebook

I am reading a book called 'The Age of Revolutions' by Eric Hobsbawm which focuses on the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution in Britain. I have also ordered a biography about Bayard Rustin.

Reply 4

TsarBucks1

3

I'm reading Iron Curtain: The crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956 by Anne Applebaum atm

Reply 5

nottshistpol1821

10

Just finished the standard Alwyn Turner Crisis What Crisis, now reading She-Wolves by Helen Castor (medieval history about women who effectively ran their kingdoms, Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitane etc)

Reply 6

dazed66

5

Hi, I will be starting history A level in september, and any book recommendations would be great for the periods covered: Russia 1855-1964 or Britain 1951-2007. I'd love good historical fiction or fact/textbook but ideally something that's an 'easier' read (sorry, but I struggle with reading for long periods and it is the holidays..Im trying to work up to it!). If you've seen anything/read anything relevant please let me know!

Reply 7

username1292215

OP

22

Original post by dazed66

Hi, I will be starting history A level in september, and any book recommendations would be great for the periods covered: Russia 1855-1964 or Britain 1951-2007. I'd love good historical fiction or fact/textbook but ideally something that's an 'easier' read (sorry, but I struggle with reading for long periods and it is the holidays..Im trying to work up to it!). If you've seen anything/read anything relevant please let me know!

Read "never had it so good" for Britain

Original post by SuperHuman98

Read "never had it so good" for Britain

personally i found that too dense for the short time period it covered

'This Sceptred Isle' is a book i would recommend
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0140276017/ref=rdr_ext_sb_ti_sims_1

Original post by dazed66

Hi, I will be starting history A level in september, and any book recommendations would be great for the periods covered: Russia 1855-1964 or Britain 1951-2007. I'd love good historical fiction or fact/textbook but ideally something that's an 'easier' read (sorry, but I struggle with reading for long periods and it is the holidays..Im trying to work up to it!). If you've seen anything/read anything relevant please let me know!

(edited 6 years ago)

What history related books are you currently reading?

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