As someone who principally focused on science in my schooling, I've hardly read up on history. This changed after reading Sapiens, Guns Germs & Steel, and some curiosity driven research in my spare time.
I am very new to this and would love a compelling read on just about anything. War, lifestyle, art, politics, etc. Assume I know very little.
Examples of some interesting things to me: ancient civilizations (Persia, China, Rome, Greeks, Babylon, Inca, Egypt, etc.), medieval times (Holy Roman Empire, Bohemia), religion, and relatively modern events (American history).
I appreciate your time and advice, I know there is a book list out there but I would like guidance on where to start instead of picking a book that might overwhelm me/be too specific :).
A recent release, Eric Foner's The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution (2019) is a great read to understand the context, significance, and era of the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Foner does a great job of providing context in such a way that someone new to history, or wanting a slightly more in-depth look, can appreciate without being completely overwhelmed. He also ties the ramifications of the debates, passage, and later Supreme Court interpretations (which narrowed the scope of the amendments) has on today's SCOTUS decisions and Congressional/political debates. I even sent one of my former professors an email recommending this as part of his required course materials or supplemental reading for some of his courses.
Another good introductory read is Robert V. Remini's The Revolutionary Age of Andrew Jackson (1976). Remini details the context of how a candidate without a political pedigree, in comparison to say Thomas Jefferson or James Madison, became President of the United States. It's a short read, and Remini also ties in some of the key SCOTUS cases/battles which occurred during Jackson's time in office.
One final recommendation, Joseph Ellis' The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution (2015) covers the period from the Articles of Confederation (immediately after the American Revolution) to the creation of the U.S. Constitution (including the key debates in Philadelphia). Ellis examines the unique contributions and attributes of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay and how they coalesced into what America needed at that time to continue as a legitimate nation.
Hopefully others contribute, and happy reading!