My knowledge of history sucks. Badly. This is not good, because understanding what has come before is key to making change now. Luckily, in my travels, I’ve worked with some smart, smart people who love to read history books: Joost Vandenborre and Patrick Meagher. I harassed them to give me their list “must-read” history books. Now you have it too.
Both recommended:
- Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples
Joost’s list:
- Martin Meredith, The State of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence
- Orlando Figes, A Peoples Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924
- Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything
- Jonathan Fenby, Chiang Kai Shek: Chinas Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost
- Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game
- Anthony Beevor, Stalingrad
- Henry Kamen, Empire: How Spain Became a World Power, 1492-1763
- Simon Sebag Montefiore, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar
- Thomas Pakenham, The Scramble for Africa
Patrick’s list:
- Barbara Tuchman, The Guns of August & A Distant Mirror
- Simon Schama, Citizens
- Ron Chernows, Biography of Hamilton
- Antonia Frasers, Biography of Mary Queen of Scot
- Niall Ferguson, The Pity of War & The Cash Nexus
- Louis Menand, The Metaphysical Club
- Matther Stewart, The Courtier and the Heretic
- David Fromkin, The War to End All Peace
- David Lewis, The Race to Fashoda
- Riczard Kapuchinski, Imperium
- Runciman, The Fall of Constantinople
- Robert Man, Genghis Khan: Life, Death, Resurrection
- Roy Jenkins, Churchill
- Richard Winston, Charlemagne
- John Keegan, A History of Warfare
- Don Cook, Charles De Gaulle
- Ian Buruma, Inventing Japan
- Anthony Gottlieb, The Dream of Reason
- Thomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilization
Now I just have to find the time to read…
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