The Ultimate List of History Books

Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick

Readers are plunged into the harsh realities of life in North Korea. Firsthand testimonies from defectors allow us to witness this Orwellian world – no Internet access, radios and televisions limited to government broadcasts only, displays of affection are punished, informants are rewarded, and an offhand remark can send a person to the gulag for life.

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

During Northern Ireland’s Troubles, violence between the IRA, loyalist groups, and British forces became part of daily life. In 1972, Jean McConville, a widowed mother of ten, was abducted from her home. Through investigative reporting and intimate portraits of IRA members, informants, and survivors, Keefe exposes the moral gray zones of rebellion and the lingering wounds of conflict.

The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled from Chicago to Mississippi, where a brief encounter with Carolyn Bryant led her husband and half-brother to abduct, torture, and murder him. His mutilated body, disfigured almost beyond recognition, was shown in an open-casket funeral and shocked the nation, fueling the Civil Rights Movement. An all-white jury acquitted the killers. Months later, protected by double jeopardy, the two men openly confessed their crime.

All Souls by Michael Patrick MacDonald

In South Boston’s Old Colony housing project, MacDonald’s life unfolds amid poverty, drug epidemics, and gang violence that tear families and neighborhoods apart. Children grow up surrounded by loss, crime, and limited opportunity. This firsthand account becomes both a condemnation of systemic neglect and a testament to the resilience of those who endured it.

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton set sail for Antarctica with the goal of traversing the entire continent by land. However, their ship became trapped within a vast expanse of ice with winter approaching. The Endurance was ultimately destroyed, prompting the crew to embark on a nearly impossible 850-mile voyage across the treacherous waters of the South Atlantic in search of the nearest outpost of civilization.

Transcending Darkness by Estelle Glaser Laughlin

The walled ghettos of Poland during the Holocaust were sites of immense suffering. After enduring years within the ghettos, Estelle’s family was forcibly transported to the Madjanek concentration camp. Amidst the horror, Estelle commemorates the unsung heroes – individuals whose acts of kindness shone as beacons of hope amidst the darkness.

The Only Plane In The Sky by Garrett M Graff

September 11, 2001, is seared in the American psyche and does not need further description of the horror. Through oral accounts from airport personnel and first responders to government officials and ordinary civilians, Graff paints a vivid picture of the chaos and heroism throughout the day, from the initial morning rush at airports to the heartbreaking scenes at Ground Zero.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

In post-revolutionary Iran, strict religious laws reshape everyday life, controlling dress, behavior, and speech. Nafisi, a professor dismissed for refusing to wear the veil, gathers a secret group of women to study forbidden Western literature. Through discussions of novels, they confront censorship, gender oppression, and ideological control. Part memoir, part cultural history, Nafisi’s story reveals the power of imagination in a society determined to silence it.

In The Time Of The Revolution by Alan Axelrod

The American Revolution, spanning from 1775 to 1783, was not just a war but a transformative period in North American history. While some participated in battles, many simply carried on their daily lives. Axelrod covers military encounters but also provides a unique perspective into the daily life, emotions, and mindsets of Americans during the revolutionary period.

Under The Black Flag by David Cordingly

Pirates have long captured our imagination with tales of black schooners, tropical islands, treasure maps, colorful parrots, and buried gold. However, many stories commonly believed are historical facts mixed with 300 years’ worth of poems, novels, and films. Cordingly compares the romanticized image of piracy with the harsh reality during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose

President Jefferson tasked Merriweather Lewis with an unprecedented mission: lead an expedition through the untamed wilderness of the West. At that time, the United States ended at the Mississippi River, with St. Louis as a gateway to the vast, uncharted territory beyond. Over three years, Lewis’s team journeyed across dense forests to treacherous mountain ranges to the Pacific Coast in Oregon.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

In 1925, explorer Percy Fawcett embarked on a journey into the Amazon, seeking the fabled El Dorado with his 21-year-old son, garnering widespread news attention. Drawing upon years of research, he aimed to prove the existence of an ancient civilization he named “Z.” However, Fawcett’s expedition suddenly and mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides

On January 28, 1945, 121 U.S. troops embarked on a mission deep within enemy territory in the Philippines. Their objective: traverse thirty miles across hostile terrain, evade enemy patrols, and liberate 513 American prisoners held captive in a heavily fortified Japanese camp. With the recent massacre of prisoners elsewhere, time was scarce for planning this high-stakes operation.

No Beast So Fierce by Dane Huckelbridge

In Champawat, India, around 1900, a Bengal tigress was wounded by a poacher in the dense forests of the Himalayan foothills. Injured and unable to hunt her usual prey, the tigress turned to an easier food source: human beings. Over the next seven years, the infamous Champawat Man-Eater claimed a staggering 436 lives and single-handedly disrupted village-to-village communication.

Turn Right At Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

On July 24, 1911, Hiram Bingham III made history by stumbling upon the breathtaking citadel of Machu Picchu nestled within the Andes Mountains. However, controversy shrouds his legacy a century later, as evidence emerges of looting artifacts and undue credit for the discovery. As Mark Adams embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, retracing Bingham’s footsteps, he probes the question: What was Machu Picchu?

War Against All Puerto Ricans by Nelson A Denis

The United States invaded Puerto Rico in 1898, then a territory under Spanish control. The island was subjected to military occupation and placed under colonial rule. Fifty years later, Puerto Rico experienced a violent uprising against US authority. The US Army had a historic response – the first time in history that the US government bombed its own citizens.

The Library by Andrew Pettegree & Arthur der Weduwen

From ancient repositories of knowledge to modern public institutions, the evolution of libraries (and correspondingly, books) is a winding tale. The Library traces a path from ancient stockpiles of scrolls and manuscripts to medieval monastic libraries and onward to Renaissance humanist collections and the embattled public resources we have today.

The Travels by Marco Polo

Polo’s memoir is a groundbreaking work in Western literature, detailing his journey to the Mongol empire over a twenty-four-year period beginning in 1271. Serving in the court of Kublai Khan, Polo participated in diplomatic missions that bridged the gap between Europe and Asia during an era when much of the Asian continent remained a mystery to Europeans.

One description I love is when Polo described “lizard dragons that can swallow a human whole” – Europeans had never seen a crocodile before.

Life And Death In The Andes by Kim MacQuarrie

The Andes are the world’s longest mountain chain, linking most countries in South America and soaring to heights of up to 22,837 feet. Featuring towering peaks, deep valleys, and breathtaking landscapes, the Andes have served as a cradle for civilizations across millennia. MacQuarrie leads readers on a historical journey, dedicating chapters to various topics spanning the region’s past and present.

The Travels of Ibn Batutta by Ibn Battuta

At age 21, Ibn Battutah left Tangier in 1325 on a pilgrimage to Mecca; however, his journey stretched an astounding 29 years, encompassing over 40 countries and covering 75,000 miles on the modern map. Battutah is one of the earliest chroniclers of life within the Islamic Empire, including witnessing one of the earliest recorded medical school dissections and other innovations.

In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall

Goodall’s pioneering years in Gombe revolutionized our understanding of chimpanzees – and redefined what it means to be human. Living among them, she observed tool use, social bonds, rivalries, and tenderness that blurred the boundaries between human and animal. Part scientific chronicle, part personal memoir, her account reveals life in the wild on its own terms.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom by TE Lawrence

The Arab Revolt was a widespread uprising against Ottoman rule during World War I, driven by a desire for self-governance. In pursuit of strategic advantages in the Middle East, the British extended military support to Arab leaders. Lawrence, a British soldier, recounts his pivotal role in leading Arab forces, offering perspectives into politics, history, and culture.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

This firsthand account follows Douglass’s life under slavery – being separated from family, enduring beatings, hunger, and backbreaking labor, and witnessing the cruelty inflicted on others. Forbidden to read or write, he secretly learns anyway, fueling his determination to flee the system. His escape to the North marks the end of years of bondage and the beginning of freedom.

The Good War by Studs Terkel

With 400,000 Americans perishing in what stands as humanity’s largest conflict, Terkel resurrects World War II through the voices of numerous veterans. Despite the grimness of many recollections, few express regret; for them, the war was a defining, albeit complex, experience. The Good War helped drag America out of the Great Depression and experience newfound freedoms, from women to African Americans.

Northmen by John Haywood

In 800 AD, the Vikings struck terror as pagan raiders, navigating their formidable longships and plundering cities across Europe. However, as these Scandinavian seafarers ventured further afield, they underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming integral players in the medieval world. From the infamous sack of Lindisfarne in 793 to the assassination of Snorri Sturluson in 1241, Haywood explores the origins, consequences, and eventual decline of Viking seafaring.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

On May 10, 1996, Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest after 57 hours without sleep and the mind-altering effects of oxygen deprivation. Over the next six hours, Krakauer battled ferocious winds and blinding snow, besieged by hallucinations. Tragically, the following morning revealed the toll of the storm: six fellow climbers had not returned to camp and were desperately struggling for their lives.

Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Drawing from his harrowing experience in Nazi death camps, Frankl offers profound insights into the essence of life. He notes that among fellow survivors, it wasn’t necessarily the youngest or fittest who endured, but those who had discovered meaning and purpose in their lives. Inspired by his own experiences, Frankl explores the philosophical question: why are we here?

The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard

Woodard traces the rise and fall of the pirate haven in Nassau, Bahamas. In this unconventional society, pirates, former sailors, indentured servants, political refugees, and runaway slaves banded together to establish a unique form of democracy. They disrupted trade routes, plundered slave ships, and challenged the European empires in the New World, ushering in a brief yet illustrious era of triumph for the Republic of Pirates.

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

A highly contagious virus originating from the African rainforest appears unexpectedly in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., spreading rapidly with no cure. With a mortality rate of 90 percent within days of infection, panic ensues as authorities scramble to contain the outbreak. Preston vividly portrays the high-stakes battle waged by scientists and doctors against viruses like Ebola in an attempt to prevent potential global pandemics.

A People’s History Of The United States by Howard Zinn

A People’s History offers a counter-narrative, portraying American history as marked by exploitation and manipulation by a small elite. Through compelling accounts, Zinn unveils the harsh realities of labor struggles, racial inequality, and socioeconomic divisions often overlooked. By shedding light on these forgotten realities, Zinn challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the nation’s past and reconsider conventional notions of societal progress.

How To Hide An Empire by Daniel Immerwahr

While Americans are familiar with the notion of the United States as an “empire”, this book uncovers the lesser-known territories beyond the mainland that the country has inhabited. Post-World War II witnessed a shift away from traditional colonialism towards a new mode of global influence – through culture, technology, and transportation. Immerwahr’s work is essential to understanding the complex and often fraught relationship between America and its territories.

Open Veins Of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano

Since the arrival of Europeans, Latin America has endured relentless exploitation, serving as a source of wealth for Europeans and, later, Americans. Galeano traces the veins of resources – gold, silver, cacao, rubber, and more – that have fueled the continent’s economy. Galeano intertwines scientific analyses with the suffering of the people, providing a distinctive lens through which to understand the region’s history.

A Little History Of The World by E.H. Gombrich

Gombrich guides readers through humanity’s journey from the Stone Age to the atomic bomb, capturing a timeline of wars, conquests, artistic achievements, and scientific progress along the way. Beyond mere recitation of dates and facts, the narrative unfolds as a story, presenting a sweeping panorama of humankind’s shared experience over centuries.

Prisoners Of Geography by Tim Marshall

Climate, seas, mountains, rivers, deserts, and borders all reflect strengths and weaknesses of major regions, influencing geopolitical strategies of world leaders. Geography is one of the major, but often overlooked, determining factors in world history.

What does it mean that Russia must have a navy, but also has frozen ports six months a year? How does this affect Putin’s treatment of Ukraine? How is China’s future constrained by its geography? Why will Europe never be united? Why will America never be invaded?

Stamped From The Beginning by Ibram X Kendi

From Cotton Mather to W. E. B. Du Bois and Angela Davis, historical debates reveal that racist ideas are not born out of ignorance or hatred but rather as justifications to uphold inequities such as access to education and employment. Nonetheless, Kendi emphasizes the potential to discredit such ideas, offering a glimmer of hope for a more equitable and inclusive society.

Puerto Rico: A National History by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo

Meléndez-Badillo traces Puerto Rico’s sweeping past – from Indigenous civilizations and Spanish colonization to U.S. annexation, economic dependency, and modern political struggles. The island faces political upheaval, economic exploitation, population displacement, and ongoing debates over its status as colonial legacies continue shaping Puerto Rican life today.