Hello, I'm a second year student and I'm looking for a good read for the last bit of summer. There are so many books out there but I'm after something that's well written and enjoyable. I took a historiography class last fall and the teacher spoke about popular history books that resonated with a broader audience. We read The Return Of Martian Guerre as an example and I loved it, it felt like a novel or a narrative. I'm looking for something like that. Our professor discussed some of the problems and criticisms of the authors research, and that made the read Imo even more immersive. I read mostly political science stuff and am interested in labor history and more broadly 20th century European history, especially the Russian revolution and the Spanish Civil War. This might sound stupid but, of course I've read "stuff" but certain things really stick out, while other stuff is a bit more dry. Some examples Orwells Hommage to Catalonia was amazing, i really enjoyed Reza Alan's Zealot, and am currently reading Stephen Kotkins Biography of Stalin which is very comprehensive and well written. Im hoping for recommendations related to some of the topics I've mentioned but I'm open to anything primary or secondary (but obviously the emphasis is on secondary), book or article, and lastly any book on a any topic that is an amazing read and deserves recognition. Thanks.
I apologize in advance if this is against the rules.
I read mostly political science stuff and am interested in labor history
Good choice!
You should take a look at our own curated booklist; a lot of the books selected by our resident experts in there are chosen because they are helpful surveys of a topic. Whilst some areas are more developed than others, you will hopefully find some interesting reads. Most books have Amazon links, too.
I'm a bit late to this party, but if you're after more literary approaches to the Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls is an obvious companion to Orwell - it's fiction, but draws very heavily on Hemingway's own experiences and those of his wide circle of acquaintances among foreigners in Spain. I've also recently had The Man who Loved Dogs by Leonardo Padura recommended to me - not yet read it myself but seems to be the kind of thing you're after.