Historical Books
Annette Fazzari
But books that can double as doorstops are not for everyone, and neither is medieval England. Which is fine. The most borrowed historical fiction books in the Libby app are listed here, and one of them is sure to suit even the pickiest reader.
Which sounds awfully cool to me! So, dive into another time with authors Anthony Doerr, Jacqueline Winspear, Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, Marie Benedict, Markus Zusak and more and explore the most borrowed historical fiction of all time in Libby with a mix of titles for all ages.
Find new fascination in history books on thousands of subjects and historical events at Barnes & Noble. History books play an important part in helping us remember and learn from the past. Although plenty of history books have been written, perspectives on history change as we ourselves grow and evolve. Discover the best selection of books about history including nonfiction historical narratives, biographies about historical figures and history textbooks that explore various historical periods.
The copyright records in the historical record books include registrations, renewals, assignments, notices of use of musical compositions, and other related records, including patent records from 1870-1940. Many of the works to which these records pertain are still under copyright protection.
Registrations refer to records of authors and claimants securing claims to copyright in books, periodicals, lectures, musical compositions, photographs, films, pieces of art, or other intellectual property.
To find a specific registration, users will need to find the record book volume with the corresponding class and year. Users will then be able to identify the record book by registration, renewal, or assignment that contains the number they are seeking. More information on the Copyright Record Classification is available here (PDF 66KB). The documents within the historical record books are also indexed in the Copyright Card Catalog, available online in the Virtual Card Catalog, and limited groups are listed in the Catalog of Copyright Entries.
Disclaimer: The display of this collection preview on LOC.gov does not replace or supersede the physical record books available for inspection in Copyright Public Records Reading Room, or existing search practices established by the Copyright Office. Any results obtained during the course of your search on LOC.gov are not reliable for legal matters. For information on searching copyright records, please refer to Circular 22 "How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work" (PDF 419KB).
In making this collection available online, the Copyright Office has taken steps to reduce the possibility of exposing extraneous PII (i.e., PII that is not requested by the Office). Some extraneous PII, however, may still exist in the collection. Requests to remove extraneous PII from registration records can be made to the Copyright Office in writing using the contact information listed in 37 CFR 201.1(c). 37 CFR 201.2(f). For information regarding requests to remove personal information from Copyright Office public records, please refer to Circular 18 "Privacy: Copyright Public Records" (PDF 328KB).
Books on world history, including American, Chinese, French, Russian, German or British history. The big global conflicts of the 20th century remain a key source of fascination, and we have a large number of book recommendations on World War II.
One thing is clear from our hundreds of interviews with historians: there are a lot of books out there that are both highly readable and well researched, revealing the past but also shedding light on the present:
The Wolfson History Prize is the UK's most prestigious history book prize. The judges, all professional historians, pick out books that combine excellence in research with readability. Oxford University historian Sudhir Hazareesingh, one of the Wolfson judges and author of Black Spartacus, talks us through the six terrific books that made the 2023 shortlist, from the Black Death and its critical impact on economic development to the magic of our relationship with books. Read more history book recommendations on Five Books
A magisterial account of the Eastern Front in World War I and a lively graphic history of the Late Bronze Age are among the new books that'll be out in coming weeks. Our running list of new history books, picked out by Five Books editor Sophie Roell.
It's been 100 years since World War I ended, but there is still very little consensus about what caused it, or what its consequences were. Historian Jonathan Boff talks us through the latest books and best modern interpretations of World War I.
In Mexican history, power developed in marginal locations away from the center has often played a major role in critical historical events, says award-winning historian Timo Schaefer. He recommends some of the best books on Mexican history, from a biography of the extraordinary Malintzin (c1500-1529) to a myth-busting history of the drug trade.
In Mexican history, power developed in marginal locations away from the center has often played a major role in critical historical events, says award-winning historian Timo Schaefer. He recommends some of the best books on Mexican history, from a biography of the extraordinary Malintzin (c1500-1529) to a myth-busting history of the drug trade.
Whether we're thinking about democracy versus authoritarianism, corruption versus good governance, or rich versus poor, there is a lot we can learn from India's recent history, says Dinyar Patel, a historian at SPJIMR in Mumbai. He talks us through some good books on the modern history of a country that has long been the world's largest democracy and is now its most populous country.
Whether we're thinking about democracy versus authoritarianism, corruption versus good governance, or rich versus poor, there is a lot we can learn from India's recent history, says Dinyar Patel, a historian at SPJIMR in Mumbai. He talks us through some good books on the modern history of a country that has long been the world's largest democracy and is now its most populous country.
Central Asia's history is rarely a focus for students in the West, but its flourishing cities and great thinkers once made it one of the world's most dynamic and important regions. Frederick Starr, a leading expert on Central Asia and author of a number of books about it, talks us through the highlights of an area that was so much more than just a stopping place on the ancient Silk Roads.
Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, talks us through the books that have had the deepest impact on her thinking about the ancient world and explains why studying Classics is absolutely relevant to modern life.
Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, talks us through the books that have had the deepest impact on her thinking about the ancient world and explains why studying Classics is absolutely relevant to modern life.
Grievously wounded: close to death and clinging to wreckage in the Mediterranean sea. Rescued by French fishermen and deposited in the bedroom of the local alcoholic to recuperate. When he wakes he can remember nothing. The only clue he has is a bank account with $4m dollars in it and a name: Jason Bourne.
This post is my personal reflection on the benefits I get from reading history books. One of my aims in writing it is to clarify my thinking, but also I want to do my bit to encourage others to do more of this enjoyable, rewarding activity!
Exploration is a primeval human urge. Given time travel is not an option if we want to explore the past one of the best ways of doing so is to read a history book. Finding out more about a time or place that you feel a connection to but have very little knowledge of, can be an exciting, even thrilling experience.
It is only by having an idea of the past that we can appreciate why people hold the values they do today and why they behave as they do. For example the Arab-Israeli conflicts are rooted in historical experience and only make sense from that perspective. We can also understand the buildings and landscapes around us better if we know what shaped them. Does it matter? If you want to create connections with different people and places then it matters a lot.
History can be fiercely contested. Even in the best cases it will be influenced by the circumstances of the author, sometimes it can be deliberately highly biased. By reading a range of history books we can become more critical readers, not just accepting what we are told. This is most obvious when we read two different versions of the same thing. History books naturally encourage us to ask questions like: what evidence is there to support the argument? Or: how might the perspective of the author influence his story?
In this blog we aim for fairness and balance so I will now turn to the drawbacks of reading history books. The clearest disadvantage for me is the risk of focussing exclusively on the past and thereby glossing over the present. To illustrate this: I can remember visiting Morocco a while back and being struck by the fact that my guidebook was full of information about historic buildings and old empires but had very little to say about Morocco today. How did people make a living? What did they do in their free time? What did they learn at school? Nothing. The effect was, along with most other tourists, that we mostly ignored the thriving nowadays Morocco and instead inspected the fallen-down ruins of the past.
For history enthusiasts, historical fiction serves as a cornerstone that vividly resurrects the ways of life from bygone eras. The genre, often characterized by its immersive storytelling and attention to detail, has produced some best-selling literary works that span decades. While this genre has historically been dismissed as trite, there is now a surge in its popularity, and whether their storylines explore the World War II era or other important historical epochs, readers have remained intrigued.