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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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Bananas
Bananas
by Peter Chapman
Not in Your Lifetime
Not in Your Lifetime
by Anthony Summers
365 Days
365 Days
by Ronald J. Glasser
Washington's Immortals
Washington's Immortals
by Patrick K. O'Donnell
The Crate
The Crate
by Deborah Vadas Levison
Dallas '63
Dallas '63
by Peter Dale Scott
Lend Me Your Ears
Lend Me Your Ears
by William Safire
A Death in White Bear Lake
A Death in White Bear Lake
by Barry Siegel
The Last Jews in Berlin
The Last Jews in Berlin
by Leonard Gross
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Charlie Wilson's War
Charlie Wilson's War
by George Crile
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?
by Jimmy Breslin
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Voyagers of the Titanic
Voyagers of the Titanic
by Richard Davenport-Hines
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As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
by Laurie Lee
The Comedians
The Comedians
by Kliph Nesteroff
February House
February House
by Sherill Tippins
Revolutionaries
Revolutionaries
by Jack Rakove
All the Gallant Men
All the Gallant Men
by Donald Stratton, Ken Gire
Miami
Miami
by Joan Didion
The Price of Children
The Price of Children
by Maria Laurino
A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty
A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty
by Mimi Matthews
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
The Great Siege, Malta 1565
by Ernle Bradford
Girls to the Front
Girls to the Front
by Sara Marcus
Of Wolves and Men
Of Wolves and Men
by Barry Lopez
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
by Harlow Giles Unger
Guests of the Ayatollah
Guests of the Ayatollah
by Mark Bowden
Among Schoolchildren
Among Schoolchildren
by Tracy Kidder
Moon Shot
Moon Shot
by Alan Shepard, Deke Slayton, Jay Barbree, Howard Benedict, Neil Armstrong
Leadership
Leadership
by James MacGregor Burns
This Kind of War
This Kind of War
by T. R. Fehrenbach
The Confederacy's Last Hurrah
The Confederacy's Last Hurrah
by Wiley Sword
Song of the Vikings
Song of the Vikings
by Nancy Marie Brown
President Carter
President Carter
by Stuart E. Eizenstat, Madeleine Albright
Taking Hawaii
Taking Hawaii
by Stephen Dando-Collins
An American Requiem
An American Requiem
by James Carroll
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
The Nixon Tapes: 1973
The Nixon Tapes: 1973
by Douglas Brinkley, Luke A. Nichter
Thirteen
Thirteen
by Henry S. F. Cooper Jr.
Papa Hemingway
Papa Hemingway
by A. E. Hotchner
The Reader's Companion to American History
The Reader's Companion to American History
by Eric Foner, John A. Garraty
A Walker in the City
A Walker in the City
by Alfred Kazin
Blood Dazzler
Blood Dazzler
by Patricia Smith
Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
Protest at Selma
Protest at Selma
by David J. Garrow
Shade It Black
Shade It Black
by Jess Goodell, John Hearn
Find Me Unafraid
Find Me Unafraid
by Kennedy Odede, Jessica Posner
They Have Their Exits
They Have Their Exits
by Airey Neave
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This Golden Fleece
This Golden Fleece
by Esther Rutter
Bearing the Cross
Bearing the Cross
by David J. Garrow
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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