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World History Books That Illuminate History Around You

Our past can tell us so much about the present and the future. World history books help us to understand our world by providing context to how we arrived where we are today.

The best world history books are accessible and comprehensive, guiding readers through important events of the past and drawing connections to causes and effects throughout history.

Take a journey along the Silk Road, walk the streets of colonial America, or fight in the Wars of the Roses. History books give us the opportunity to experience another time and place through the power of reading. 

No matter what era or area you’re interested in, we’ve put together this collection of world history books to satisfy your curiosity and wanderlust. 

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Battle of Brothers
Battle of Brothers
by Robert Lacey
Gertrude Bell
Gertrude Bell
by Georgina Howell
The Late Shift
The Late Shift
by Bill Carter
Crazy '08
Crazy '08
by Cait N. Murphy, Robert W. Creamer
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Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
by Harriet Jacobs
Life in a Medieval Castle
Life in a Medieval Castle
by Joseph Gies, Frances Gies
Tibetan Peach Pie
Tibetan Peach Pie
by Tom Robbins
Death Sentence
Death Sentence
by Jerry Bledsoe
Mrs. Astor Regrets
Mrs. Astor Regrets
by Meryl Gordon
The Hotel on Place Vendome
The Hotel on Place Vendome
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History
The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History
by Gary W. Gallagher, Alan T. Nolan
Tell Me How It Ends
Tell Me How It Ends
by Valeria Luiselli
The Westies
The Westies
by T. J. English
Harlem
Harlem
by Jonathan Gill
Guests of the Ayatollah
Guests of the Ayatollah
by Mark Bowden
World of Our Fathers
World of Our Fathers
by Irving Howe, Morris Dickstein
We Few
We Few
by Nick Brokhausen
Lonely Vigil
Lonely Vigil
by Walter Lord
April 1865
April 1865
by Jay Winik
America's Secret Aristocracy
America's Secret Aristocracy
by Stephen Birmingham
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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
by William L. Shirer
Dancing in the Mosque
Dancing in the Mosque
by Homeira Qaderi, Zaman S. Stanizai
The Gift of Black Folk
The Gift of Black Folk
by W. E. B. Du Bois
The Last Founding Father
The Last Founding Father
by Harlow Giles Unger
The Fall of Japan
The Fall of Japan
by William J. Craig
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The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman
by Robert Lindsey
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
by Jimmy Breslin
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The Night Lives On
The Night Lives On
by Walter Lord
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Collected Essays
Collected Essays
by Joan Didion
Thirteen
Thirteen
by Henry S. F. Cooper Jr.
The Fifties
The Fifties
by David Halberstam
Day of Infamy
Day of Infamy
by Walter Lord
Marine!
Marine!
by Burke Davis
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
by Joan Didion
12, 20 & 5
12, 20 & 5
by John A. Parrish
The Indestructible Jews
The Indestructible Jews
by Max I. Dimont
Mr. Lincoln's Army
Mr. Lincoln's Army
by Bruce Catton
Alive
Alive
by Piers Paul Read
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A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
by Dee Brown
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
by William J. Craig
The Harvest Gypsies
The Harvest Gypsies
by John Steinbeck, Charles Wollenberg
Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down
by Mark Bowden
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Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream
Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Case Closed
Case Closed
by Gerald Posner
The Will To Live On
The Will To Live On
by Herman Wouk
This Golden Fleece
This Golden Fleece
by Esther Rutter
Ninja
Ninja
by Stephen Turnbull
Dirt
Dirt
by Terence McLaughlin
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
by Ruth Benedict, Ian Buruma
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The best world history books are both informative and interesting, they tell stories from history using factual information as well as intriguing writing and world building. Some examples of great and captivating world history books include Marilyn French’s From Eve to Dawn: A History of Women in the World and Terence McLaughlin’s Dirt

Which history books are considered “must-read” is completely dependent on your interests! If you’ve always found yourself interested in English history and monarchs, you must read Phil Carradice’s Bloody Mary or Rebellion Against Henry VII. If you’re fascinated by countercultural and secretive movements then you simply must read Mark Booth’s The Secret History of the World