Must-read books about history

[deef]

Whether it's about the Greco-Roman world, medieval times, colonial era, 20th century... what are the must-read books in your opinion?

My pile is shrinking and I need to order new books. So I could use your advice.

[acornuser]

How about General Tao Hanzhang's modern Chinese interpretation of the "Art of War"? I have this and was reading it just before the Georgia conflict.
www.amazon.com/Sun-Tzus-Art-War-Interpretation/dp/1402745524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268708202&sr=1-1

[deef]

I need more advice people. Come on now.

[merkavah12]

Um...have you read "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" by Eric Metaxas?

[deef]

No... just read some information about it, sounds interesting... I ordered it! Thanks!

[jamierobertson]

What about "Portraits of Paul", or anything else by the context group (Malina, Pilch et al) with regard to Judaism/Christianity in the first century?

[deef]

I already read a lot about first-century christianity, historical Jesus, etc.. I'm looking for book advice for history books that don't nessecarily involve christianity (at least nog first-century christianity).

[himself]

Toby Huff: The Rise of Early Modern Science: China, Islam, and the West

[Deleted]

Ian Kershaw's Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris and Hitler: 1936-1945: Nemesis

James Hannam's God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science

F. J. Coplestone's History of Philosophy

[deef]

I already read God´s Philosophers of course.

Thanks for the other tips though! Feel free to keep 'em coming!

[grahammartinveale]

Northern Ireland and "The Troubles"

"Making Sense of the Troubles" by David McKittrick, and David McVea
"Straight Left : An Autobiography" by Paddy Devlin
"John Hume: A Biography" by Paul Routledge
"Man of War, Man of Peace?" by David Sharrock, and Mark Devenport
"Green Flag: The Bold Fenian Men v. 2: History of Irish Nationalism" by Robert Kee

The Tudors

"Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII" by David Starkey
"Elizabeth, The Queen" by Alison Weir


World War Two

"The Diary of Anne Frank"
Michael Burleigh "The Third Reich: A New History"
Richard Evans " The Third Reich in Power, 1933 - 1939: How the Nazis Won Over the Hearts and Minds of a Nation "
Richard Overy "Why the Allies Won"
Richard Overy "The Dicatators"
Robert Gellately "Lenin, Stalin and Hitler: The Age of Social Catastrophe"

Other British History

"A Brief History of the English Civil Wars" by John Miller
"Monarchy: England and her Rulers from the Tudors to the Windsors" by David Starkey

Christian Theology

"The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reform" by Roger E. Olson
(essential to understanding Anglo-American Evangelicalism, and very highly recommended)

The Reformation
"The European Reformation" by Euan Cameron
(A text book, but readable, superior to anything by Alister McGrath on the Reformer's Theology, and frankly the only book you'll need on the Reformation)

Hope that helps. Very British I'm afraid, with it's focus on "Hitler and the Henries".

GV

[deef]

Excellent, thanks so much.

[himself]

John Lukacs:
* A Thread of Years
* The Hitler of History
* June 1941: Hitler and Stalin

a Lukacs reader:
*The Remembered Past

on the end of the Ancient Age
R.A. Lafferty: * The Fall of Rome
Randers-Pehrson: * Barbarians and Romans
Peter Brown: * The World of Late Antiquity

on the end of the Middle Age
Johan Huizinga: * The Autumn of the Middle Ages

on the end of the Modern Age
Jacques Barzun: * The House of Intellect
John Lukacs: * At the End of an Age

[turoldus]

On the Middle Ages check anything by Jacques Le Goff.

[deef]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions.