Best American History Books
Books about the history of the United States. Non-fiction only, please. Biographies of generals, presidents, activists, etc. are fine, but celebrity bios, even celebrities who lived in turbulent times, will be removed. To be considered History and not Current Events, books must focus on events that occurred at least 50 years ago.
See also:
Best 19th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up
Best 20th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up
See also:
Best 19th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up
Best 20th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up
Tags:
18th-century-history, 19th-century-history, 20th-century-history, aboriginal, aboriginal-history, african-american, african-american-history, african-american-studies, afro-american-studies, america, american, american-history, american-politics, american-president, american-presidents, american-studies, autobiographies, autobiography, best, biographies, biography, black-american, black-history, colonialism, dc, first-nations, first-nations-history, founder, founders, founding-father, founding-fathers, globalization, history, history-american, imperialism, indigeneity, indigenous, indigenous-history, memoir, memoirs, military-history, native-american, native-american-history, non-fiction, political-history, political-science, politics, president, presidents, u-s-history, u-s-politics, united-states, united-states-history, united-states-politics, united-states-president, united-states-presidents, us-history, us-politics, us-president, us-presidents, usa, war
Comments Showing 1-50 of 96 (96 new)
![Travis](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1227047870p1/1729891.jpg)
Who on earth selected these books? These are supposed to be the BEST of American History Books? Where is Shelby Foote or Bruce Catton? Where is a decent history of the American Revolution? Where is there a history of Political Parties in the US?
Some of these authors are inferior in writing on the subject matter. It is not only important to learn about our history, but to learn about it from leaders in the field of the subject matter. Where is the Viet Nam War?
Some of these authors are inferior in writing on the subject matter. It is not only important to learn about our history, but to learn about it from leaders in the field of the subject matter. Where is the Viet Nam War?
How are books by Mc Cain, Hillary & Bill Clinton insightful into our American History?
![Susanna - Censored by GoodReads](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1208973046p1/1109068.jpg)
Shelby Foote is on the list, on page two.
There are plenty of books on the list that are either about the American Revolution, or are biographies of the people involved in it.
And the books were selected by the people who have chosen to vote on this list.
![Cindy](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1672559463p1/339857.jpg)
![Reader](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
"John Adams" (Excellent)
and
"Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" (Good).
Currently reading:
"1776". Has been Excellent.
![Michelle Jones Urfer](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1354738009p1/4467244.jpg)
![Bill Whitaker](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
![Bill Whitaker](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
![Cindy](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1672559463p1/339857.jpg)
![Bettie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1628585304p1/1108123.jpg)
Someone 'muxing this ip' with a Philip Roth story that they think is :Teh:Real:?
![Cindy](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1672559463p1/339857.jpg)
![John Hunt](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)
Also, David Hackett Fischer's Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, at least, is on the list, because I voted for it. (It is, in fact, currently #55. Washington's Crossing is #25.)
ETA: Bernard Bailyn's Ideological Origins of the American Revolution is currently at #107.
![John Hunt](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
My oversight -- it's a great list! I hope it inspires many readers to acquire many of these titles. Participatory democracy works better when more voters know more about the country's history. In 25 years of casual history reading, I have found myself becoming more interested in intellectually challenging history books. I suspect most history 'consumers' have a similar experience. The nation was founded by a group of 'intellectuals'. What would they think about the intellectual quality of contemporary politicians?
![Karen Schwind](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
![Timothy Tyson](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
It's about Japan and China. Other than that, it's a great book about American history.
![Kimberlyn](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
![Karen Schwind](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
![Marguerite](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1429801162p1/11126932.jpg)
![Piseth](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
poster book is published to reader.
![Piseth](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)
![Thom Dunn](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_25x33-8a3530ed95c3dbef8bf215b080559b09.png)
John, I'm assuming this list was not made up before for us to vote on, but is instead a list we make with our choices. If one person wants to put Jesse Ventura on his list--or Bill O'Reilly for that matter-let them do so. Such votes will be drowned out by less fringe opinions. Democracy, etc. etc.
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Anyone can add books to this list.
That's the best American History book.