Best History Books
Proper nonfiction history books, not historical fiction, about any period, event, area or topic you like. Just well-written, well-researched, informative and interesting books for historians, history students and history enthusiasts. I didn't mean this to be a list of pop history, but I think it's too late now, so you might as well go ahead.
See also:
Best History Books
Best Non fiction American History Books
Best Non fiction War Books
Best Popular History Books on Goodreads
History By Year:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
See also:
Best History Books
Best Non fiction American History Books
Best Non fiction War Books
Best Popular History Books on Goodreads
History By Year:
2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
Tags:
17th-century-history, 18th-century-history, 19th-century-history, 20th-century-history, 21st-century-history, aboriginal, aboriginal-history, academic, african-american, african-american-history, african-american-studies, afro-american-studies, america, american, american-history, american-politics, american-president, american-presidents, american-revolution, american-revolution-history, american-revolutionary-war, american-studies, american-war-of-independence, autobiographies, autobiography, biographies, biography, black-american, black-history, british-history, colonial-america, colonial-history, early-american-republic, european-history, first-nations, first-nations-history, founder, founders, founding-family, founding-father, founding-fathers, french-revolution, history, history-american, indigeneity, indigenous, indigenous-history, medieval, memoir, memoirs, middle-ages, native-american, native-american-history, non-fiction, political-history, political-science, politics, president, presidents, revolution, u-k-history, u-s-history, u-s-politics, uk-history, united-states, united-states-history, united-states-politics, united-states-president, united-states-presidents, us-history, us-politics, us-president, us-presidents, usa, war-of-independence, women, womens-history, womens-studies
Abi
380 books
5 friends
5 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads
3370 books
864 friends
864 friends
Bettie
15797 books
20 friends
20 friends
Bonnie
7325 books
117 friends
117 friends
Susanne
201 books
22 friends
22 friends
Kris
419 books
9 friends
9 friends
Fat
725 books
0 friends
0 friends
siouxzee
1445 books
42 friends
42 friends
More voters…
Comments Showing 1-50 of 73 (73 new)
message 1:
by
Abi
(last edited Apr 24, 2010 02:41AM)
(new)
Feb 13, 2009 03:40AM
![Abi](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1224713972p1/904335.jpg)
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![Tracey](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1294190864p1/1084600.jpg)
![Antoine](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1200625609p1/795030.jpg)
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant
I am of two minds about The Devils of Loudun, so I left it.
![Antoine](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1200625609p1/795030.jpg)
![Theodore](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1302798466p1/5255919.jpg)
Had it not been for Horatio Gates, who stole Arnold's genius at Saratoga and threw him to the wolves causing Arnold to "turn coat", Benedict Arnold could quite possibly been a greater American Hero than George Washington.
This book is of Benedict Arnolds building of a small fleet in the harbor of Skenesborough (modern day Whitehall, NY) to sail north and interdict the British fleet arriving via the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Richelieu river.
The ensuing "Battle of Valcour Island" is considered to be the very first naval engagement by the American Navy.
![Bill Whitaker](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
ETA: Also removed "The Great Indian Novel." Because it, too, is a novel.
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
Midwives, by Chris Bohjalian
Chesapeake, by James A. Michener
Removed for being poetry:
The Ballad of the White Horse, by G.K. Chesterton
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
It is most certainly not historical fiction. What is your evidence that it is?
It won the Pulitzer for "general nonfiction."
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield
The Pale Criminal, by Philip Carr
Queen Margot, by Alexandre Dumas
A Philosophical Investigation, by Philip Kerr
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
I sympathize with the person who pointed out there is too much American history here. I went back and found some good books I had read (primarily Russian Revolution and Cuba) and added those; I can't reasonably add anything I haven't read, but have added some "want to reads" from the wider world.
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Quo Vadis
The Death of Ivan Ilych
Prince of the Atlantic: An Epic Novel Based on the True Exploits of Captain Luke Ryan Irish Swashbuckler & American Patriot Benjamin Franklin's Most Dangerous Privateer
![Ron Johnson](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Not familiar with these, but in order to qualify as history books, they must refer to a period at least 50 years before the publication date...at least I think so. Susanna CBG would know for sure.
I'm having a terrible time whittling my choices down to 100!
![Socraticgadfly](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1377632222p1/110433.jpg)
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Exactly how I feel when I see Gone With the Wind as "best" historical fiction, when it is myth, and not even benign myth. But on the other hand, the First Amendment right to say what books we like is even more critical.
![Sonny](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1577449810p1/6696670.jpg)
![David](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
This 8 volume set written as a popular history is essential to understand the continuity of the development of the United States. This history is readable, does not focus on politics, politicians or generals and warfare. Rather all the above are included as they apply to the social fabric, and cultural development that caused America to become what it has. Here you will understand why normal people did what they did and the events that impacted peoples lives for good or evil. This set can be collected for about $8 or less per volume in used book stores. If you have any interest in history find any volume in a library and read a chapter.
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Open ended listopia such as this one rely largely upon volunteer librarians, such as myself. If a title is misplaced on this list and you want to see it removed, please indicate on what page of the list you found it. This is a very long list, and I can't see scrolling through 18+ pages searching for 1 book, but I will zap it if I know where it is. Thanks.
![Jonas Gehrlein](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1637938816p1/13773191.jpg)
![Irina Zjuzina](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1365441784p1/19222916.jpg)
So, whatever gets you going. Besides, the author disclaims in the book what is fiction and whats not.
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Nothing is wrong with novels, but a fictional story set during an historic period is classified as historical fiction. There are a number of listopias for that genre. There are also some mixed listopias that include both history and historical fiction; the first that comes to mind is the American Civil War listopia, where both genres are welcome.
The listmaker determines the parameters, and by definition a history book is nonfiction. The subscript below the title specifies no historical fiction, so it's as clear as a bell.
If you dislike the listmaker's parameters, you are also free to start a new list, but it's best to check and make sure (using the search bar for listopias) that the list you want to vote on doesn't already exist.
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
History is defined as beginning when there is written language, so no, it's not historical.
Removed for genre reasons from page 3:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The system found and removed 14 duplicates.
![Irina Zjuzina](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1365441784p1/19222916.jpg)
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Thanks for the education, yo. If you want the parameters of the list changed, talk to Goodreads employees. I'm a volunteer, and I'm done with this thread.
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
You want to change the parameters of this list, I suggest you either argue with its creator, or contact GR staff and make a persuasive argument.
Otherwise your choices are to follow the parameters of this list, or to start another one. There are a ton of lists here on Listopia, and more every day.
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
and from page 8:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
And from page 4, the death of Bin Laden being too recent to qualify as history:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
![Mark](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Did you add it to the list? If not, you can do that using the tabs at the top of the list.
![Donna Davis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1382848193p1/11510694.jpg)
Winds of War, Herman Wouk, page 4
War and Remembrance, Herman Wouk, page 7"
Removed as fiction:
Winds of War, #374:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
War and Remembrance, #651:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
Removed as out of genre, When Breath Becomes Air, which is a groundbreaking memoir but not history. History is defined as factual and having taken place at least 50 years prior to the time in which it is written. From page 4:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
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