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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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Fragments of Isabella
Fragments of Isabella
by Isabella Leitner, Irving A. Leitner
Charlie Wilson's War
Charlie Wilson's War
by George Crile
The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman
by Robert Lindsey
The Good Rat
The Good Rat
by Jimmy Breslin
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The Comedians
The Comedians
by Kliph Nesteroff
Collected Essays
Collected Essays
by Joan Didion
Leadership
Leadership
by James MacGregor Burns
This Kind of War
This Kind of War
by T. R. Fehrenbach
The Harvest Gypsies
The Harvest Gypsies
by John Steinbeck, Charles Wollenberg
Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down
by Mark Bowden
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Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
Beyond Obsession
Beyond Obsession
by Richard Hammer
Mr. Lincoln's Army
Mr. Lincoln's Army
by Bruce Catton
The Hidden White House
The Hidden White House
by Robert Klara
Alive
Alive
by Piers Paul Read
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Incredible Victory
Incredible Victory
by Walter Lord
A Night to Remember
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord
Enemy at the Gates
Enemy at the Gates
by William Craig
Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)
Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940)
by James MacGregor Burns
The Children
The Children
by David Halberstam
Life at the Dakota
Life at the Dakota
by Stephen Birmingham
Arctic Homestead
Arctic Homestead
by Norma Cobb, Charles W. Sasser
A Daily Creativity Journal
A Daily Creativity Journal
by Noah Scalin
The Late Shift
The Late Shift
by Bill Carter
April 1865
April 1865
by Jay Winik
The Price of Children
The Price of Children
by Maria Laurino
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
by Justin Kaplan
The Hotel on Place Vendôme
The Hotel on Place Vendôme
by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Crochet Iconic Women
Crochet Iconic Women
by Carla Mitrani
So You Think You Know Rock and Roll?
So You Think You Know Rock and Roll?
by Peter E. Meltzer
Crown & Sceptre
Crown & Sceptre
by Tracy Borman
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
Hoax
Hoax
by Edward Steers, Joe Nickell
Lend Me Your Ears
Lend Me Your Ears
by William Safire
Guests of the Ayatollah
Guests of the Ayatollah
by Mark Bowden
Blood Dazzler
Blood Dazzler
by Patricia Smith
Among Schoolchildren
Among Schoolchildren
by Tracy Kidder
Girl Sleuth
Girl Sleuth
by Melanie Rehak
Revolutionaries
Revolutionaries
by Jack Rakove
Kennedy and Roosevelt
Kennedy and Roosevelt
by Michael Beschloss, James MacGregor Burns
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Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
by Donald M. Goldstein, Gordon W. Prange, Katherine V. Dillon
Blind Ambition
Blind Ambition
by John W. Dean
Ada Blackjack
Ada Blackjack
by Jennifer Niven
Song of the Vikings
Song of the Vikings
by Nancy Marie Brown
Spectacle
Spectacle
by Pamela Newkirk
President Carter
President Carter
by Madeleine Albright, Stuart E. Eizenstat
Diana of the Dunes
Diana of the Dunes
by Janet Zenke Edwards
Dr. Seuss Goes to War
Dr. Seuss Goes to War
by Art Spiegelman, Richard H. Minear, Theodor Seuss Geisel
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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