Today:
Saturday Reading and Research will focus on exactly that: the history you have been reading this week and the research you've been working on. It's also the prime thread for requesting books on a particular subject. As with all our weekly features, this thread will be lightly moderated.
So, encountered a recent biography of Stalin that revealed all about his addiction to ragtime piano? Delved into a horrendous piece of presentist and sexist psycho-evolutionary mumbo-jumbo and want to tell us about how bad it was? Need help finding the right book to give the historian in your family? Then this is the thread for you!
Could anyone recommend books on the American Revolution? My son (12) is a heavy reader and we've decided to read about it as much as we can over the summer. He's not afraid to delve into something above his reading level, and is a bit tired of the watered down kid-level books. My lack of knowledge is keeping me from just ordering all I can, as my biggest fear is ending up with a pile of books that are unfactual. Thanks in advance!
I'm reading the The Relacion de Michoacan (1539-1541) & the Politics of Representation in Colonial Mexico by Angelica Jimena Afanador-Pujol. It's an in-depth analysis of the imagery found within the Relacion and how indigenous and colonial artistic styles were used to help illustrate the content of the book.
I'm reading Human Exhibitions: Race, Gender and Sexuality in Ethnic Displays by Dr Rikke Andreassen but only on google book previews! Its not yet available so I'm counting down the days until it's available and hopefully I can get a second hand version. About half the book is online as a preview though. It's about 'human zoos'. It's very interesting and readable. For non academic purposes, I was trying to find a book on Cagots and I've found it (The Discovery of France by Graham Robb) so looking forward to that! There's only ten or so pages apparently but it's more than I've found in any other book.
I know of a useful resource on economic history that I would like to share with you: http://www.ggdc.net/maddison/maddison-project/home.htm
It is a database of economic measurements made by Groningen University economist Angus Maddison and his pupils. It's particularly useful for comparative economic history.
The Amazon AI responsible for cultivating my book addiction just recommended a collection of essays published last year called Contested Spaces of Early America.
Has anyone seen/read/enjoyed this book?
I don't need to spend more money, but books are a weakness.
Any recommendations for a book about the history of Istanbul?
A while ago someone on this subreddit was talking about the book 'the cheese and the worms', on the subject of the great man theory. This book seems like a fantastic piece of micro history to me, but sadly it is rather expensive at local bookstores in my country. My question is, do you know of any similar interesting books that focus on historical figures who ended up not being that important? The premise of these kinds of books interests me greatly.