Okay, here is my final list of book recommendations. General History I love reading history and the books below are some of the best I have come across. They show the unvarnished facts about what these men did, so use discretion before handing these books to your kids. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Goodwin Lincoln struggled with depression, yet had a profound understanding of people. This detailed yet riveting book follows the lives of very different men and political rivals who all ended up in Lincoln’s cabinet. It is a worthwhile read on so many levels. I also really enjoyed Goodwin’s most recent book “The Bully Pulpit” about the friendship and then rivalry of Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft and the original Muckrackers. John Adams by David McCullough David McCullough writes history just as it should be written. While I loved many of his other books, such as “Truman” and “The Greater Journey”, I think “John Adams” is my favourite. This book is such a treat to read, with so much insight into an amazing marriage between John and Abigail, and the complex friendship they both had with Thomas Jefferson. Conquistador by Buddy Levy So colourful and utterly transporting. Near constant sense of wonder as you watch the old world clash with the exotic locations and personalities of the new world. What a story! The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie What I just said applies to this book as well. So horrific how a handful of men on horses toppled such a gigantic empire. This book shows how it happened. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the World by Laurence Bergreen It’s hard fathom how much of the world was unknown in the 1400s. The experiences of these men sailing into the unknown and enduring indescribable hardship and encountering exotic cultures is endlessly fascinating. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West by Stephen Ambrose A great adventure story in the same vein as the last book except on land. I love books like this. So interesting to read about the northwest before western civilization transformed it. The Fifties by David Halberstam The cultural revolutions of the 60s and 70s happened because of the cracks that started in the 50s. It was such a transformational decade much different than portrayed on “Leave it to Beaver.” Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Jaw dropping. Read it!! What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe The most thorough and comprehensive history book I have ever read, yet written in such a way that made it a pleasure to read. A World Undone by G.J. Meyer Supposed to be one of the best one volume books on the first world war. I loved it. I especially appreciated his background chapters of the European trends in the different empires that led to the clash. It makes this book an excellent general history of Europe.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 13:43:17 +0000
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