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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
Crazy '08
Crazy '08
by Cait N. Murphy, Robert W. Creamer
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April 1865
April 1865
by Jay Winik
Life in a Medieval Castle
Life in a Medieval Castle
by Joseph Gies, Frances Gies
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
by Philip Freeman
America's Secret Aristocracy
America's Secret Aristocracy
by Stephen Birmingham
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Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
by Justin Kaplan
Death Sentence
Death Sentence
by Jerry Bledsoe
Love Lies
Love Lies
by Amanda Lamb
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 Westies
The Westies
by T. J. English
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
Guests of the Ayatollah
Guests of the Ayatollah
by Mark Bowden
World of Our Fathers
World of Our Fathers
by Irving Howe, Morris Dickstein
The Fall of Japan
The Fall of Japan
by William J. Craig
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We Few
We Few
by Nick Brokhausen
The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman
by Robert Lindsey
The Night Lives On
The Night Lives On
by Walter Lord
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The Fifties
The Fifties
by David Halberstam
Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down
by Mark Bowden
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Day of Infamy
Day of Infamy
by Walter Lord
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
by Joan Didion
12, 20 & 5
12, 20 & 5
by John A. Parrish
Mr. Lincoln's Army
Mr. Lincoln's Army
by Bruce Catton
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
West with the Night
West with the Night
by Beryl Markham
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
by William J. Craig
Lonely Vigil
Lonely Vigil
by Walter Lord
Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream
Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Harvest Gypsies
The Harvest Gypsies
by John Steinbeck, Charles Wollenberg
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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The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
The Chrysanthemum and the Sword
by Ruth Benedict, Ian Buruma
Tell Me How It Ends
Tell Me How It Ends
by Valeria Luiselli
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
by Ernle Bradford
Fragments of Isabella
Fragments of Isabella
by Isabella Leitner, Irving A. Leitner
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
by Jimmy Breslin
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Collected Essays
Collected Essays
by Joan Didion
Marine!
Marine!
by Burke Davis
The Indestructible Jews
The Indestructible Jews
by Max I. Dimont
Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
Beyond Obsession
Beyond Obsession
by Richard Hammer
Alive
Alive
by Piers Paul Read
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This Golden Fleece
This Golden Fleece
by Esther Rutter
Taking Hawaii
Taking Hawaii
by Stephen Dando-Collins
Ninja
Ninja
by Stephen Turnbull
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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