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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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Ms. Gloria Steinem
Ms. Gloria Steinem
by Winifred Conkling
Royal Trivia
Royal Trivia
by Roberta Fiorito, Rachel Bowie
1973: Rock at the Crossroads
1973: Rock at the Crossroads
by Andrew Grant Jackson
Lies My Teacher Told Me
Lies My Teacher Told Me
by James W. Loewen
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Life in a Medieval Castle
Life in a Medieval Castle
by Joseph Gies, Frances Gies
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
by Philip Freeman
The Grandes Dames
The Grandes Dames
by Stephen Birmingham
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Death Sentence
Death Sentence
by Jerry Bledsoe
Love Lies
Love Lies
by Amanda Lamb
A Woman on the Edge of Time
A Woman on the Edge of Time
by Jeremy Gavron
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The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
by William L. Shirer
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
by Ernle Bradford
Letters of a Woman Homesteader
Letters of a Woman Homesteader
by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
In the Wake of Madness
In the Wake of Madness
by Joan Druett
The Westies
The Westies
by T. J. English
The Land of Little Rain
The Land of Little Rain
by Mary Austin
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass
The Fall of Japan
The Fall of Japan
by William Craig
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We Few
We Few
by Nick Brokhausen
The Good Rat
The Good Rat
by Jimmy Breslin
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The Night Lives On
The Night Lives On
by Walter Lord
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Among Schoolchildren
Among Schoolchildren
by Tracy Kidder
The Last Madam
The Last Madam
by Chris Wiltz
Grant Takes Command
Grant Takes Command
by Bruce Catton
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 Powers That Be
The Powers That Be
by David Halberstam
Grierson's Raid
Grierson's Raid
by Dee Brown
Alive
Alive
by Piers Paul Read
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A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord
Incredible Victory
Incredible Victory
by Walter Lord
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
by Dee Brown
The Harvest Gypsies
The Harvest Gypsies
by John Steinbeck, Charles Wollenberg
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
by William Craig
A People's History of Sports in the United States
A People's History of Sports in the United States
by David Zirin
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The Master of Disguise
The Master of Disguise
by Antonio J. Mendez, Malcolm McConnell
Fiber Craft Heritage
Fiber Craft Heritage
by Doris Fischer
Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom
Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom
by Charles Beauclerk
This Golden Fleece
This Golden Fleece
by Esther Rutter
Letters on Ethics
Letters on Ethics
by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Margaret Graver, A. A. Long
The Cult of the Saints
The Cult of the Saints
by Peter Brown
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Ninja
Ninja
by Stephen Turnbull
The Secret History of the World
The Secret History of the World
by Mark Booth
High, Wide and Lonesome
High, Wide and Lonesome
by Hal Borland
Crown & Sceptre
Crown & Sceptre
by Tracy Borman
Women's Lives and Clothes in WW2
Women's Lives and Clothes in WW2
by Lucy Adlington
How We Get Free
How We Get Free
by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
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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
Showing 1-50 of 219 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