I'm no historian but I loved reading "Guns, germs and steel" by Jared Diamond. It leaves some wiggle room for historical figures to make an impact in the history of the region but it has a very deterministic view of history.
I have seen comments disregarding historical determinism as bad practice. Why? Does this book qualify as historical determinism?
This question is common and has its own category in the FAQ:
Historians' view of Guns Germs and Steel
The question also has an answer from /u/Gonefishing__ in the VeryFAQ:
Why is Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel Not Good?
I cannot add anything new to those excellent answers, so I refer you to the links above