Great History Book #1
Pax Brittanica, Heaven’s Command, Farewell the Trumpets by James Morris
An epic and glorious three volume account of the British Empire, where the sun never set, superb in detail and richly textured; witty, poignant and stylish.
Nemesis by Max Hastings
The fascinating and richly detailed story of Allied command decisions, rivalries and follies during World War Two on the heavy road to defeating Japan.
– Dreadnought by Robert K Massie Magnificent account of the complex factors that brought about World War One. Meticulously researched, rich in detail and larger than life personalities.
– Henry VIII by Alison Weir Henry 111’s life and times in all its magnificence, splendor, geopolitics, intrigue and brutality.
– A Time for War by Robert D Sculzinger – Descriptive and evocative narrative of the lead up to the Vietnam War from France’s involvement to America’s participation.
The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman
A monumental saga of Europe and America in the last decades of the 19th Century. Replete with larger than life characters on the fringe of the calamitous 20th Century.
– Taking Charge – The Johnson White House Tapes, 1963-64 by Michael R Beschloss Fascinating insight into the first two years of the Johnson Administration highlighting LBJ’s political skills and interpersonal foibles.
– A History of Modern France by Alfred Cobban One of the great standard texts on the history of Modern France, detailing events that impact on what France is today.
– 1918 by Gregor Dallas Brilliant account of the aftermath of World War One in Paris, Berlin and beyond.
– London – The Biography by Peter Ackroyd From Londonium at the time of the Romans to today’s pre-eminent international city, this book sparkles with scholarship and fascinating detail.
– England – A Portrait by John Bowie. A learned and evocative history of England, intimate and rich in detail and insight.
– Dixie Betrayed by David J Eicher The South’s efforts during the Civil War from great hope to disaster and loss.
– Japan – The blighted blossom by Roy Thomas A history of Japan highlighting the savagery and majesty of that unique country.
– Agincourt by Juliet Barker Henry V’s famous campaign in France is recounted in magnificent detail.
– How War Came by Donald Cameron Watt The reasons behind the outbreak of World War Two highlighting the national figues and geopolitical issues involved.
– The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough. Epic and fascinating sweeping human drama of the building of the greatest engineering feat ever of its time. The book deals with its problems ranging from a failed attempt by the French, an ensuing financial scandal, to the final triumph under US stewardship.
– The Tyranny of Distance by Geoffrey Blainey Award winning history of Australia and the role that distance played in the development of the land Down Under.
– The Fall of Paris by Alistair Horne The campaign that saw the fall of France in 1940 which brought defeat but the avoidance of the repeat of World War One mass carnage.
– The Jungle is Neutral by F Spencer Chapman Thrilling true story of guerilla warfare in the jungles of Malaya after the fall of Singapore in 1942.
– The Hangman’s Diary by Rocky Stockman. A history of hanging through the ages with all its barbarism .
– A Leap Year 366 of Great Stories from History by W B Marsh and Bruce Carrick. Fascinating tales from history of what happened on each day of the year. Rich in colour and diversity.
– Queen Victoria’s Private Life – E E P Tisdall A unique and intimate insight into the life of the longest reigning British sovereign by one of her courtiers.
– Abraham Lincoln by Carl Sanders – Wonderfully evocative and beautifully written life of Lincoln in three volumes.
– The Faber Book of Reportage edited by John Carey Eyewitness accounts of historical events both great and prosaic.
– Wine and War by Don & Petie Kladstrup Entertaining and informative story of how France’s vintners protected and rescued the great national asset during the Second World War.
– Gentlemen’s Blood – A History of Dueling by Barbara Holland Fantastic history of dueling across the ages when honor and the need for satisfaction were at a premium.
– The Fall of Paris by Alistair Horne All encompassing account of the siege of Paris in the Franco Prussian War of 1870 including the fate of poor Castor and Pollux.
– Dictionary of Modern History 1789-1945 by Duncan Townson A concise but thorough account/compendium of key events in modern history.
– Edward VII – a Portrait by Christopher Hibbert Intimate portrait of the pleasure seeking and unoccupied Prince who became a well loved and respected King.
– Day of Infamy by Walter Lord Moment by moment description of the devastating and undeclared attack by the Japanese on the US IN 1941.
– The Zimmerman Telegram by Barbara Tuchman Reads like a fast moving thriller of efforts by Germany to stop America entering World War One.
– August 1914 by Barbara Tuchman The definitive account of the all crucial month which determined if World War One would be over quickly or drag on for years.
– Titan The Life of John D Rockefeller by Ron Chernow Fascinating story of the Baptist accountant who became three times richer than Gates or Buffett.
– On the Psychology of Military Incompetence by Norman Dixon An analysis of what makes military decision and the problems that exist when humans are put in charge.
– Chariot – The Astounding Rise and fall of the world’s first war machines by Arthur Cotterell Ancient technology comes alive with this fascinating history of the fast but often dangerous chariot.
– American Shogun – MacArthur, Hirohito and the American Duel with Japan by Robert Harvey Colorful and enthralling account of the lives of America’s ‘Caesar’ and Japan’s all powerful Emperor in the lead up to World War Two.
– Warrior Race – A History of the British at War by Lawrence James A history of Britain at war and the strong martial thread through its long history.
– Alfred the Great – the man who made England by Justin Pollard The story of the only English King to be named ‘Great’ and the man who forged the country as one.
– Castles of Steel by Robert K Massie At the outbreak of World War One Britain’s Navy was the greatest on Earth threatened only by the might of an ambitious Germany. Fascinating.
– The March of Folly by Barbara Tuchman Magnificent volume detailing how throughout history governments have pursued policies contrary to their own interests.
– Dixie Betrayed – How the South Really Lost the Civil War by David J Eicher The Civil War from the Confederates’ perspective and the reason why the South so valiantly lost.
– Hong Kong – Epilogue to an Empire by Jan Morris Rich in detail and romantic perspective on Britain’s exotic colony in the East.
– Empire – How Britain Made the Modern World by Niall Ferguson Engrossing and detailed rich account of Britain and its magnificent Empire.
– War of the Roses – Peace and Conflict in the 15th Century by John Gillingham incisively written and highly readable account of a fascinating period of history.
– A Genius for War – A Life of George S Patton by Carlo D’Este The life of larger than life four star General and tank commander Patton who was one of the wealthiest officers in the US Army.
– Edison & The Electric Chair – A Story of Light and Death by Mark Essig Fascinating insight into the rivalry between General Electric and Westinghouse and the development of the electric chair.
– Cousin Randolph – The Life of Randolph Churchill by Anita Leslie Highly readable and personal account of Randolph Churchill, Winston’s talented but multi-faceted only son.
– Knights of the Air by Ezra Bowen The Chivalry, bravery and magnificence of aerial warfare in the First World War when cavalry leapt to the skies’.
– The Civil War by Shelby Foote – Epic, Three volume, definitive, account of the war between the States where over 600,000 Americans died.
– Douglas Haig – The Educated Soldier by John Terraine The life of Commander in chief of the British Army on the Western Front, Field Marshall Douglas Haig, held accountable for the massacre of hundreds of thousand.
– The Last Kaiser – William the Impetuous The Life of Prussia’s last King and German’s last Kaiser. A portrait of a war-monger and naval aficionado who ‘always wanted it to be Sunday’.
– The Washing of the Spears by Donald R Morris Europe’s fight for Africa in all its rich pageantry, valor and bloodshed.
– A Distant Mirror – The Calamitous 14thth Century by Barbara Tuchman Twice Pulitzer Prize winning historian Tuchman writes in her rich and evocative style on this crucial epoch in human history.
– The Germans by Gordon A Craig A remarkable analysis of the Germans by Professor Craig, where he dissects their history, culture, and national outlook.
– Churchill by Alison Weir Weir provides a wide ranging and detailed look at the man who many say was the greatest Englishmen of all.
– Sand Against the Wind by Barbara Tuchman The story of General ‘Vinegar Joe’ Stillwell and America’s role in China during World War Two.
– Intellectuals by Paul Johnson Esteemed historian Paul Johnson profiles leading intellectuals and presents their credential as he sees them.
– A History of the Modern World from 1917 to the 1980s by Paul Johnson An eminently readable look at a range of countries in Europe and the US as World War One comes to a close and future tumultuous decades wait.
– An Intimate History of Humanity by Theodore Zeldin Renowned historian Zeldin takes a humanist look at history in a fascinating dissertation.
– Frederick the Great by David Fraser The character and personality of the great Frederick is laid bare here in all its complexity, talents and regal magnificence.
– Escoffier by Kenneth James The Life and Times of the Greatest French Chef of recent times who gave the world such memorable dishes.
– The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy Provides a fascinating overview of the great powers from Charles V to today’s American relative decline, and is its comparisons among powers that has undeniably been a major contribution to our understanding of world history.
– Despite the French Revolution, The Persistence of the Old Regime: Europe to the Great War by Arno J. Mayer A fresh interpretation of how, contrary to established thinking, the elite class was able to defend its feudal and aristocratic privileges until WWI.
– Age of Extremes. The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991 by Eric J. Hobsbawm A unique insight into world history, encompassing wars, revolutions, economic crisis and all the major transformations of the twentieth century, providing a major contribution to our efforts to comprehend and explain the emergence of ‘extremes’.
– William The Conqueror by David C Douglas Meticulous and rigorously detailed academic account of the man who brought about the most decisive event in English history.
– Guns, germs and steel by Jared Diamond
A ‘Big History’ book at its best. An ambitious and audacious work that asks one of modern history’s most contentious and compelling questions; why do some civilisations succeed and others fail?
– Ideas by Peter Watson
An amazingly well constructed and presented for such a complex discussion. This anthology challenges the reader to look at history as a continual rise and decline competing ideas and concepts, from fire to Freud.
– The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius
A personal aide to Emperor Hadrian, Suetonius’s accounts the lives of previous Emperors giving the reader a fantastic contemporary’s insight into imperial Rome, with all the gossip, innuendo and score settling that we would expect to see in a modern political memoir.
– Japan at War (An Oral History) by Haruko Taya Cook & Theodore F. Cook
An equally disturbing, poignant and insightful book presents the reader a collection of fascinating and confronting interviews given by Japanese soldiers and civilians after the Pacific War.
– The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor
A superb read. Beevor’s book delivers the reader a grand and strategic outlook at the events leading to the fall of Berlin and the siege itself. But it also tells of a smaller more intimate battle that millions of Germans and Russians endured caught between two of history’s most brutal regimes.
– The Mask of Command by John Keegan
A well written and structured military history. Keegan’s book explores the characteristics needed by a brilliant commander to inspire battle effectiveness and loyalty in his troops.
– City of Heavenly Tranquility – Beijing in the History of China by Jasper Becker
A fascinating history of Beijing against the backdrop of changes by recent Governments to destroy its magnificent architectural heritage.
– The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Love of Words by Simon Winchester
An enthralling international bestseller, this book tells the story of the making of the Oxford English Dictionary.
– The Tyrannicide Brief by Geoffrey Robertson
A passionate and bloody account about the trial and execution of Charles I, and of the extraordinary prosecutor, John Cooke, who took on the case at the instruction of Cromwell, and for his trouble was executed when the monarchy was restored.
– The Duchess by Amanda Foreman
There is plenty of political intrigue in this international bestselling biography of the captivating18th-century English aristocrat, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, prominent socialite and active political campaigner in the 1780s.
– Shakespeare, the world as stage by Bill Bryson
A relatively brief, but very entertaining book that stands out among the thousands written on the topic.
– Masters and Commanders: How Roosevelt, Churchill, Marshall and Alanbrooke won the war in the west 1941-45 by Andrew Roberts
Written with great skill and contemporary relevance, this book gets under the skin of the American-British relationship in the 1940s and the strategic rows that raged about how best to tackle Hitler and win the war.
– The War Business by George Thayer
An eye opening and staggering account of the private and government arms trade in the first half of 20th century. Including unscrupulous weapon dealers, business barons and acts of sabotage and espionage, Thayer’s meretriciously researched book sometimes reads like a political thriller penned by the likes Frederick Forsyth or Ian Fleming.
– The Annals of Imperial Rome by Tacitus
One of the ancient world’s greatest surviving historical annals; it can easily be mentioned in same breath as Sun Tzu’s Art of War or Machiavelli’s The Prince. Tacitus writings have been studied for centuries as a fantastic source for the ‘beginning of the end’ of Imperial Rome. A great foundation for those with an interest in original historical readings and want to form their own opinions.
– The Story of American Freedom by Eric Foner
While modern historians seem to only specialise in specific issues and periods in time, Eric Foner is bold enough to tackle literally two of the biggest; America, and its relationship with the ideals of freedom. A fascinating and practical account of a nation’s master social and political narrative of the last 250 years.
– The Teutonic Knights by William Urban
A complex, comprehensive and engrossing read. Those who invest their time and effort into Urban’s book however will be richly rewarded with a thorough understanding of the little known ‘other’ Holy Crusades in the Baltic regions from the 12th to 15th centuries. The Teutonic Knights Order are shown to be just as charitable, fearsome and powerful as the more well known Orders of the times like the Hospitallers and Templars.
– The Prince by Machiavelli
The Prussians found it in Napoleon’s possessions after his defeat at Waterloo. Stalin and Mussolini always kept copies close by, and American gangsters reportedly use the book as a ‘mafia manifesto’. Not only is ‘The Prince’ an excellent source for those interested in political realism, but also an unparalleled insight into the political turnings of papal and city state warfare and politics in renaissance Italy.
– Cities in Civilization by Peter Hall
A great read for anyone with even a passing interest in urban history. Hall, a world renowned urban planner scholar writes a comprehensive, interesting and cohesive argument on why great cities in civilisation derive their progress by the necessity to nurture their innovators and creative classes.
– Atlantic by Simon Winchester
With a strong historical narrative Winchester begins with the Atlantic Sea’s geological birth and then quickly moves on describe humanity’s first nautical endeavours from Viking longships to English Man-o-Wars and beyond. A book of wondrous scope yet woven anecdotal personal and historical stories from the Atlantic. An excellent start for those with only a casual knowledge of the Atlantic and nautical history, yet wish to learn more.
– A World at Arms by Gerhard L. Weinberg
A Herculean, meticulously researched book on history’s biggest war, the Second World War. Contrary to the common emphasise on ‘larger than life’ characters and decisive battles, Gerhard reminds the reader that the war was won and lost on a grand geo-strategic level. **
– The Rothschilds by Frederic Morton
A well researched and stylishly written account of the rise and rise one of the modern world’s wealthiest families. Morton was given unprecedented access to the family’s London thereby providing a keen insight into the inner workings of a powerful and influential family. Peppered with dry wit and stylish prose.
– D-Day by Antony Beevor
Beevor’s formidable writing and research skills have produced a polished and detailed account of arguably the most iconic and epic campaign of the Second World War. Rich in detail and analysis, of not only the Germans and Ally side of the conflict, but also the Resistance, and unfortunate French civilians caught in-between.
– Monash – The Outsider who won a War by Roland Perry – The story of Sir John Monash, Australia’s greatest soldier, who, it was said, should have been put in charge of Allied efforts in the First World War.
– La Belle France – A Short History by Alistair Horne – A sweeping, grand narrative with all the style, intellectual vigor and vividness that historian Sir Alistair Horne is renowned for. It describes the hugely absorbing account of the long history of the country, that has contributed so much to the world.
– Ten Days that Shook the World by John Reed – the definitive eyewitness account of the 1917 October Revolution in Russia by journalist John Reed. A classic and glowing insight into the upheaval.
– Citizens by Simon Schama – A beautifully written account of the French Revolution. The work examines not only the political unrest prior and during the collapse of ancien regime, but also provides an in-depth social history, allowing new insights into this fascinating period.
– The History of the Wars by Procopius of Caesarea – A primary source that chronicles the great European and African campaigns of the last Roman emperor Justinian and his gallant General Belisarius.
– A Short History of the World by Geoffrey Blainey – a broad-brushed and ambitious narrative of the achievements of man on planet Earth. Fascinating, intellectual and readable time and again.
– Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town by Mary Beard – through a painstaking uncovering of ancient relics and even graffiti, Beard weaves a compelling social narrative that brings nuance to the normal and pathos to the pedestrian.
– Gallipoli by Les Carlyon – an exhaustive and meticulously researched account of the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of the First World War. Quite possibly the definitive text on the subject that eschews myth and glory.
– Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor – A lavishly written narrative of the epic struggle of the Soviets repelling the Nazi invaders. The focus weaves in and out of the grander military history, delving into the lives of soldiers as much as it does the generals’.
– Charlemagne by Derek Wilson – A book chronicling one of the finest kings and keenest political minds of medieval Europe who brought peace and stability to all under his reign. A fascinating read.
– The Civil War: An Illustrated History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns – the print companion to the award winning The Civil War documentary series. See the history come alive with primary sourced pictures in a sobering and often confronting – yet no less riveting – book.
– Augustus: The Life of Rome’s First Emperor by Anthony Everitt – A colorful and lively telling of the story of Augustus, a triumph of telling the story of his effort in transforming a crumbling republic into a glorious empire.
