Art History Books For Beginners
Ceola Roefaro
We prepared this list of the best history books of all time to cover a wide variety of subjects and epochs, from the history of ancient civilizations to more specific topics, such as the history of Japan in the 20th century or the history of women who changed the course of science.
Unfortunately, this list will of course be incomplete, perhaps missing whole swaths of time or groups of people, and for that we sincerely apologize! However, we did our best to be as inclusive and wide-ranging as possible, and we will continue to add to this list in an effort to make it more and more complete.
If you feel like you need to brush up on your knowledge of history, but feel intimidated or bored by thick textbooks with countless descriptions of battles, A History of the World in 100 Objects might just be your new best friend!
What started as a BBC broadcast quickly turned into a wonderful history book. Neil MacGregor talks about history in an entertaining and compelling way, using examples of objects people have created over our existence and how these objects have shaped our present.
If the impressive name itself did not convince you yet to add this book to your reading list, let me mention the fact that Guns, Germs, and Steel won a Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction in 1998. And it was well-deserved, in my opinion!
This world history book explains how civilizations developed and why some of them turned out to be more fortunate than others (spoiler alert: to some extent it has to do with germs!). It is not the easiest history book to read which you can choose from our list, but it is far away from academic writing, also, so do not worry!
Norman Davies goes through the complete history of Europe, starting with the Ice Age all the way to the events of the 20th century. Despite its size, or because of it, it is a great read whether you have an extensive knowledge of the history of Europe or not. It will be perfect for advanced high school students, European history majors, or simply anyone wanting to expand their intellectual horizons.
Peter Frankopan wrote a book that recounts world history mostly from the perspective of Asia instead of Europe or North America. It covers the history of the countries belonging to the Silk Road area, a story that spans more than two millennia, from the times it was first used to the 20th century.
October: The Story of the Russian Revolution was written for all those who are interested in history, politics, Russia, or simply curious about our world. It tells a story of nine months in 1917 that became a turning point in the history of Russia. It starts from February, when the Russian Empire was still a monarchy, and it culminates in October, with Russia becoming a socialist state.
Afropean: Notes from Black Europe is not purely a history book, per se, but rather a compilation of history, memoirs, and travelogue entries, which makes it very personal and human. It tells honest stories of different people of African descent all around Europe, from the UK to Russia.
Read this book if you are searching for something more than a dry history textbook, as Johny Pitts has penned an incredible read which shows how important acceptance and kindness are, as well, of course, as the ever-shifting struggle for African descendants to create modern identities while maintaining ties with their past.
If you are looking for a book that will help you refresh (or learn for the first time) your knowledge of important events from ancient history, The History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer will be your best companion! The author does not go into deep detail on each period, but rather gives exactly enough information to provide a necessary foundation to help you navigate these parts of history much easier in the future.
In this book, Charles C. Mann mostly focuses on just one thing: the Columbian exchange. However, by doing so, the book reveals how the whole future of humanity was forever changed and shaped after Columbus made his 1492 voyage, and how it influenced the economy, trade, agriculture, and even the landscape of our planet still today.
If you prefer to learn history through the lens of short stories and biographies of remarkable people, you must reach for this book! Written with much more simplicity than most other books you can find on our list, it features short biographies of 52 brilliant female scientists, women who were behind some of the greatest scientific discoveries in history.
Headstrong is definitely not what you expect your ordinary history book to be, but from it you can learn plenty of fascinating facts about the history of science and the often-overlooked or underrepresented stories of the inspiring women behind it.
Another rightful Pulitzer winner which made its way to our list of best history books is The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. This book recounts the events which led to World War I, explaining why they happened and how it could have been prevented. This book also covers the first month of the war and compellingly illustrates the transition from the 19th to the 20th century.
In his book, Steven Johnson takes his readers to Victorian London, telling a story of the worst cholera outbreak in history, its causes, and the course of events. The Ghost Map is one of the most relevant history books in our days during and after our own coronavirus crisis, as it shows a pandemic outbreak but also presents a history and account of the impact of urbanization, formation of cities, and the way they all have shaped our modern life.
Here, Mary Beard has written one of the best Roman history books, dedicating all six hundred pages to the history, culture, and society of the Roman Empire. You should definitely add this book to your reading list if you want to learn more about world history or the development of our modern society, as, in many ways, Romans influenced the outlook of the world as we know it today.
E.H. Gombrich wrote a comprehensive guide which has become one of the best art history books you can find, perfect for anyone who wants to learn about art and its evolution throughout the ages. Starting with early cave paintings, The Story of Art takes you on a lengthy historical journey through a prism of spectacular art from all around the world. And, this book is written in simple language, so even art newbies need not worry!
Having just been published in 2020, it is a much-needed book, especially today. It has the potential to become one of the best African American history books of all time, and it is a powerful testament to the spirit of Black women all across the country.
This book is a classic among other Latin America history books, so if you want to learn more about the history of this region, Open Veins of Latin America is a great place to start! Concentrating on Latin American history, Eduardo Galeano also covers many other topics, such as economy, culture, politics, and sociology, all in order to provide a comprehensive view on Latin America throughout the centuries.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is another timeless book offering a look into the events which created and sustained Nazi Germany. It does not lose its relevance almost sixty years after it was first published, and, in fact, may be even more necessary in current years where nationalism and prejudice have increased once again. William L. Shirer goes into immense detail, reporting the full story of the formation, heyday, and demise of the Third Reich.
Despite the brutal and horrid topic this book is devoted to, it is considered to be one of the best history books of all time. Why? Especially in these times we live in, so that we would know about these tragic events, understand what went wrong, and never repeat our mistakes again.
This book is one of the best Native American history books you can possibly find. It tells the complicated history of massacres and battles as they were seen by Native American tribes. This book by Dee Brown also gives us a better understanding of the horrifying sacrifices Native Americans had to make, from wars to forced relocations and beyond.
Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee is not an easy read, and it will leave you heartbroken and devastated, mostly because it is so candid and truthful. Still, though, it is most certainly one of the most important books about history you could possibly consume.
The Gay Revolution unfolds from the early 1950s, recounting the story of the ongoing fight, including tragic defeats and important victories, for LGBTQ rights. Even though it is a massive book, it is very easy to read and full of both fascinating and heartbreaking stories. It should be read by anyone who wants to learn and better understand what it took, and what it still takes, for the LGBTQ community to receive and retain the civil rights and freedoms they deserve.
If you are a lover of Asian history, you should immediately check out Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan by Herbert P. Bix. This biography of the emperor Hirohito covers Japanese history during the 20th century, disclosing details of the China War and Asia-Pacific War. This book can help you broaden your world views and allow you to gain a new perspective on some important major events of the 20th century.
I absolutely loved reading these books! They provided me with a great understanding of history and the world around me. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to learn more about the world around them.
I've been pretty content thus far to rely on the internet, and I do think there's a wealth of information available these days. Seems to me a numismatic library isn't necessary like it used to be. But, I imagine it's still valuable to have extra resources handy, and probably a bit "nicer" to browse a book-in-hand
The books by Sear. Roman coins and their values. I can recommend those. Not as complete as RIC, though, and the value estimates are pretty useless. It has nice pictures, and interesting back ground info.
Books seem to still contain more info then the internet. or perhaps im horrible at searching. There are other interesting books, about the history behind coins, for example. Eg the book by clive foss.
ff7609af8f