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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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The Words We Live By
The Words We Live By
by Linda R. Monk
Camilla
Camilla
by Angela Levin
Good Hunting
Good Hunting
by Jack Devine, Vernon Loeb
1973: Rock at the Crossroads
1973: Rock at the Crossroads
by Andrew Grant Jackson
A Cat's Tale
A Cat's Tale
by Baba the Cat, Paul Koudounaris
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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
by William L. Shirer
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Case Closed
Case Closed
by Gerald Posner
A Warrior of the People
A Warrior of the People
by Joe Starita
Song of the Vikings
Song of the Vikings
by Nancy Marie Brown
A Wing and a Prayer
A Wing and a Prayer
by Harry H. Crosby
President Carter
President Carter
by Stuart E. Eizenstat, Madeleine Albright
The Souls of Black Folk
The Souls of Black Folk
by W. E. B. Du Bois
April 1865
April 1865
by Jay Winik
The Way of the Gladiator
The Way of the Gladiator
by Daniel P. Mannix, Michael Stephenson
Life in a Medieval Castle
Life in a Medieval Castle
by Joseph Gies, Frances Gies
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
by Philip Freeman
Miracle at Midway
Miracle at Midway
by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, Katherine V. Dillon
"Our Crowd"
"Our Crowd"
by Stephen Birmingham
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Shakespeare's Wife
Shakespeare's Wife
by Germaine Greer
New York in the '50s
New York in the '50s
by Dan Wakefield
Letters on Ethics
Letters on Ethics
by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Margaret Graver, A. A. Long
Dr. Seuss Goes to War
Dr. Seuss Goes to War
by Richard H. Minear, Theodor Seuss Geisel, Art Spiegelman
Taking Hawaii
Taking Hawaii
by Stephen Dando-Collins
The Invention of Religion in Japan
The Invention of Religion in Japan
by Jason Ananda Josephson
The Hotel on Place Vendome
The Hotel on Place Vendome
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Global Crisis
Global Crisis
by Geoffrey Parker
Remembering America
Remembering America
by Richard N. Goodwin
Crochet Iconic Women
Crochet Iconic Women
by Carla Mitrani
The Book of Awesome Black Americans
The Book of Awesome Black Americans
by Monique Jones
10 Things You Might Not Know About Nearly Everything
10 Things You Might Not Know About Nearly Everything
by Mark Jacob, Stephan Benzkofer, Chicago Tribune
Slavery and Public History
Slavery and Public History
by James Oliver Horton, Lois E. Horton, Ira Berlin, David W. Blight, Gary B. Nash
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
by Ruth Benedict, Ian Buruma
An American Heroine in the French Resistance
An American Heroine in the French Resistance
by Virginia D'Albert-Lake
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Crown & Sceptre
Crown & Sceptre
by Tracy Borman
Tell Me How It Ends
Tell Me How It Ends
by Valeria Luiselli
The Collapse of the Third Republic
The Collapse of the Third Republic
by William L. Shirer
Bananas
Bananas
by Peter Chapman
Rites of Spring
Rites of Spring
by Modris Eksteins
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
by Ernle Bradford
The Battle for Afghanistan
The Battle for Afghanistan
by Mohammad Yousaf, Mark Adkin
Brandywine
Brandywine
by Michael C. Harris
The Westies
The Westies
by T. J. English
12, 20 & 5
12, 20 & 5
by John A. Parrish
Twelve Years a Slave
Twelve Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup
Of Wolves and Men
Of Wolves and Men
by Barry Lopez
Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)
Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)
by James MacGregor Burns
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway
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Votescam
Votescam
by James M. Collier, Kenneth F. Collier
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Guests of the Ayatollah
Guests of the Ayatollah
by Mark Bowden
Showing 1-50 of 204 results

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