Thursday Reading and Recommendations is intended as bookish free-for-all, for the discussion and recommendation of all books historical, or tangentially so. Suggested topics include, but are by no means limited to:
Asking for book recommendations on specific topics or periods of history
Newly published books and articles you're dying to read
Recent book releases, old book reviews, reading recommendations, or just talking about what you're reading now
Historiographical discussions, debates, and disputes
...And so on!
Regular participants in the Thursday threads should just keep doing what they've been doing; newcomers should take notice that this thread is meant for open discussion of history and books, not just anything you like -- we'll have a thread on Friday for that, as usual.
An entomologist friend lent me a copy of Richard Fortey's Dry Storeroom No.1. It's a memoir of his long time with the Natural History Museum in London and the various others who have worked there with him or before, and ruled or mis-ruled it. Fortey is an expert on trilobites. If you had a notion that taxonomists are a dull bunch and taxonomy dryasdust, this dispels it.
It's been a few years since I read Ronald Symes 'The Roman Revolution' for a book review at university, and I'm planning on reading it again to cover a slow period at work. Its clearly an excellent work, probably the most intricate and engaging book on Rome I've ever read, although I (at the time) couldn't agree with some of his thoughts on Augustus.
The book is now obviously dated, being over 80 years old, and I'm curious as to how the work is viewed currently, in light of recent research. I'd love to go into my new read with a more current understanding of it!
Recently I have read some great history books (mostly recommended on Reddit) by more journalist authors. Erik Larson, Adam Hochschild ('Leopold's Ghost' was enthralling), and Kim MacQuarrie's 'Last Days of the Incas'.
I have Lawrence Bergreen's book on Magellan in the post, but I would love any recommendations for the casual/amateur history lover for books that read almost like thrillers. I have a particular interest in the age of discovery/adventure/empires so anything on those topics are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I am looking for some recommendations on books to read that give an overall and very broad look into the history of the world. Books that give you a bit of a taste of any topic, whether military/daily life/politics/etc. that then if I find interest in the events or period, I can look for books that will delve deeper into the topics.
Any recommend bio on Otto von Bismark? (English language)
Can anyone suggest any good books on audible that go into the ancient history? Id prefer books written by professors if possible. Indian history would be a huge plus, but I know audiobook selection is a much smaller pool.
Can anyone recommend books on American imperialism?
I have a friend that points out the US doesn’t overthrow governments, so I wanted to get clarity on that. How frequently and why?
I have a general sense we’ve interfered and that Iran Contra was along those lines.
What is there on the precolonial Philippines? I know about the Laguna copperplate inscription so there's some about it but I don't really know where to look for a broader perspective.