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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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Find Me Unafraid
Find Me Unafraid
by Kennedy Odede, Jessica Posner
Spectacle
Spectacle
by Pamela Newkirk
Thank You for Voting
Thank You for Voting
by Erin Geiger Smith
Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom
Shakespeare's Lost Kingdom
by Charles Beauclerk
New York in the '50s
New York in the '50s
by Dan Wakefield
The View from the Ground
The View from the Ground
by Martha Gellhorn
From a Taller Tower
From a Taller Tower
by Seamus McGraw
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No Way, They Were Gay?
No Way, They Were Gay?
by Lee Wind
Royal Family Life
Royal Family Life
by Ruth Binney
Books Are Made Out of Books
Books Are Made Out of Books
by Michael Lynn Crews
The Nixon Tapes: 1973
The Nixon Tapes: 1973
by Douglas Brinkley, Luke A. Nichter
The Crate
The Crate
by Deborah Vadas Levison
Anything Goes
Anything Goes
by Lucy Moore
The Lords of Creation
The Lords of Creation
by Gretchen Morgenson, Mark Crispin Miller, Frederick Lewis Allen
Great Second Acts
Great Second Acts
by Marlene Wagman-Geller
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9 Empowering Books for Women
Up from Slavery
Up from Slavery
by Booker T. Washington
The Soong Sisters
The Soong Sisters
by Emily Hahn
Lend Me Your Ears
Lend Me Your Ears
by William Safire
Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes
by Elizabeth Keckley
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
by Ulysses S. Grant
Twelve Years a Slave
Twelve Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
by Laurie Lee
Challenger: An American Tragedy
Challenger: An American Tragedy
by Hugh Harris
Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie
by Laurie Lee
Jack and Rochelle
Jack and Rochelle
by Rochelle Sutin, Lawrence Sutin, Jack Sutin
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A Different Kind of Love Story
10 Women Who Changed Science and the World
10 Women Who Changed Science and the World
by Catherine Whitlock, Rhodri Evans
Jane Austen's Best Friend
Jane Austen's Best Friend
by Zoe Wheddon
Dear Santa
Dear Santa
by Chronicle Books
Act Natural
Act Natural
by Jennifer Traig
Medea
Medea
by Euripides
Not Free, Not for All
Not Free, Not for All
by Cheryl Knott
The Lady and Her Monsters
The Lady and Her Monsters
by Roseanne Montillo
Flying Couch
Flying Couch
by Amy Kurzweil
Diana of the Dunes
Diana of the Dunes
by Janet Zenke Edwards
Evita, First Lady
Evita, First Lady
by John Barnes
How UFOs Conquered the World
How UFOs Conquered the World
by David Clarke
The Hollywood Scandal Almanac
The Hollywood Scandal Almanac
by Jerry Roberts
Spectacular Bid
Spectacular Bid
by Peter Lee
North Korea's Hidden Revolution
North Korea's Hidden Revolution
by Jieun Baek
A Kentucky Christmas
A Kentucky Christmas
by George Ella Lyon
The Great Detective
The Great Detective
by Zach Dundas
Lost Restaurant of Chicago
Lost Restaurant of Chicago
by Doug Sohn, Greg Borzo
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5 Cookbooks for Fans of The Bear
The Game They Played
The Game They Played
by Stanley Cohen
Hidden History of Memphis
Hidden History of Memphis
by G. Wayne Dowdy
A Question of Choice
A Question of Choice
by Cecile Richards, Sarah Weddington
The Burden of the Past
The Burden of the Past
by Malgorzata Glowacka-Grajper, Anna Wylegala
Airman's Odyssey
Airman's Odyssey
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Lewis Galantiere, Stuart Gilbert
Before the Rain
Before the Rain
by Luisita Lopez Torregrosa
Houdini
Houdini
by Tom Lalicki
Dish
Dish
by Jeannette Walls
Showing 151-200 of 220 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.