Looking for good history reading material, any time period....?

Question

from ancient times to recent history. I am fascinated on histroy and how man has evolved in terms of civilization. Also, interested in books that inolve the colonial times of America, our beginnings. Any suject will do though, thanks in advance

Answer 1

Jeff Shaara's "Rise to rebellion" and "The glorious cause" are great historical novels about the American Revolution.
Michael Shaara's "The killer angels" and Jeff Shaara's "God's and generals" and "The last full measure" are masterpieces based on the civil war.
"Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt is a sad, touching and often hilarious glimpse of growing up in Ireland around the middle of the 20th century.
"Band of Brothers" by Stephen Ambrose and "Parachute Infantry" by David K. Webster are excellent bios of a company of soldiers fighting in Europe during WW2.

I hope that helps.

Answer 2

I'm currently reading a great book called "How The Irish Saved Civilization", by Thomas Cahill. Although it sounds laughable, it's a fascinating description of the transition from ancient to medieal Europe and the fall of Rome and explores the little-known theme that Irish scribes and monks preserved much of the Roman culture and civilization that flourished in the Renaissance. It's definitely worth your time.

Answer 3

the whole Flashman series by George McDonald Frasier.....

Frasier takes a minor character from a mid 1890's novel and creates a whole career in the British military for him....Flashman finds himself at the Retreat from Kabul, the Indian Mutiny, Balaclava, Gettysburg, Little Big Horn, escaping across the ice flows of the Ohio River with slave catchers after him, riding with Geronimo, accompanying John Brown on the Harper's Ferry Raid as an undercover agent of both the KKK and Abraham Lincoln

the twist is, he is a self described coward, lecher and bully, who through luck and misunderstanding has a reputation for bravery; he spends forty years in some of the most desperate
situations of American and British history, trying desperately not to be killed or ruin his reputation, and to get the next beauty into his bed......

politically incorrect in the extreme, the series is scrupulously researched and dead on accurate,as well as horrifying in describing what man can do to man and fall on the floor laughing funny.....you will not only learn a lot about what went on from 1840 to 1915 in England and America but who what when and why it all happened......and will never look at history the same again

Answer 4

If you want a colonial American book you should definitely check out Guns, Germs, and Steel. It's a really good book about the Spanish Conquest of the Americas. Also anything by John Charles Chasteen.

Answer 5

"Italy, France, and Britain at War," by H. G. Wells.

I'm not going to lie to you. It's not the most entertaining book, especially compared to his much more interesting fictional works like "The Invisible Man" and "The Time Machine," but you'll enjoy it if you like reading about war history.

Take this into consideration: It was written in 1917. It's a book about World War One written while the war was still in progress.

Answer 6

I am a fan of the Civil War myself. May I suggest books by Bruce Catton.

Answer 7

My favorite is The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin , a really good book about the development of knowledge and science that created the modern world. He has also written on the early history of the US. I recommend all of his books.
http://www.amazon.com/Discoverers-Daniel-J-Boorstin/dp/0394726251

Answer 8

I really liked Lytton Strachey's "Elizabeth and Essex" for a novel-like story of Queen Elizabeth I and her favorite (lover?), the earl of Essex.

Answer 9

well my favorite subject is Roman History (bit of greek maybe) Roman Republic by Issac Assimov...excelent overall coverage of Roman History..if u like that one then read this AFTER that Punic Wars...by sum1....lol i dunno i will go look up and leave another answer.. and hmmmm yes thats about all i can think of right now...to tired....

Answer 10

KJV BIBLE