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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 Late Shift
The Late Shift
by Bill Carter
River of Darkness
River of Darkness
by Buddy Levy
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Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
by Harriet Jacobs
Song of the Vikings
Song of the Vikings
by Nancy Marie Brown
President Carter
President Carter
by Stuart E. Eizenstat, Madeleine Albright
April 1865
April 1865
by Jay Winik
The Way of the Gladiator
The Way of the Gladiator
by Daniel P. Mannix, Michael Stephenson
The Price of Children
The Price of Children
by Maria Laurino
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
by Helen Castor
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
by Philip Freeman
America's Secret Aristocracy
America's Secret Aristocracy
by Stephen Birmingham
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Letters on Ethics
Letters on Ethics
by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Margaret Graver, A. A. Long
The Pocket Stoic
The Pocket Stoic
by John Sellars
Death Sentence
Death Sentence
by Jerry Bledsoe
Taking Hawaii
Taking Hawaii
by Stephen Dando-Collins
How to Live Japanese
How to Live Japanese
by Yutaka Yazawa
Love Lies
Love Lies
by Amanda Lamb
The Secret History of the World
The Secret History of the World
by Mark Booth
A Thousand Days
A Thousand Days
by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
by William L. Shirer
Nam Sense
Nam Sense
by Arthur Wiknik Jr.
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Tell Me How It Ends
Tell Me How It Ends
by Valeria Luiselli
Not in Your Lifetime
Not in Your Lifetime
by Anthony Summers
Dancing in the Mosque
Dancing in the Mosque
by Homeira Qaderi, Zaman S. Stanizai
Letters of a Woman Homesteader
Letters of a Woman Homesteader
by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
The Westies
The Westies
by T. J. English
The Crate
The Crate
by Deborah Vadas Levison
Hitler's Last Secretary
Hitler's Last Secretary
by Traudl Junge, Melissa Muller
The Land of Little Rain
The Land of Little Rain
by Mary Austin
Up from Slavery
Up from Slavery
by Booker T. Washington
Lend Me Your Ears
Lend Me Your Ears
by William Safire
Answers to Questions You've Never Asked
Answers to Questions You've Never Asked
by Joseph Pisenti
The Fall of Japan
The Fall of Japan
by William J. Craig
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Serpentine
Serpentine
by Thomas Thompson
We Few
We Few
by Nick Brokhausen
The Night Lives On
The Night Lives On
by Walter Lord
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The Last Madam
The Last Madam
by Chris Wiltz
Kennedy and Roosevelt
Kennedy and Roosevelt
by James MacGregor Burns, Michael Beschloss
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Grant Takes Command
Grant Takes Command
by Bruce Catton
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
by Joan Didion
12, 20 & 5
12, 20 & 5
by John A. Parrish
Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
Mr. Lincoln's Army
Mr. Lincoln's Army
by Bruce Catton
The Hidden White House
The Hidden White House
by Robert Klara
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
by Dee Brown
West with the Night
West with the Night
by Beryl Markham
Miracle at Midway
Miracle at Midway
by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein, Katherine V. Dillon
The Complete Papers and Writings of Abraham Lincoln
The Complete Papers and Writings of Abraham Lincoln
by Abraham Lincoln
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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