When I first started reading about and enjoying history, i was a small book on the RMS Titanic from my schools library. The interest in ships started my interest in history, as I'd scuttle the room for any books involving ships. Luckily for me, one day the image of men on a landing craft caught my attention, and I'd soon find myself reading graphic novels based entirely around WW2. After that I was soon picking up any and all books on the subject, and began to actively study it (the 6th grade equivelent of just actually reading a large book and managing not to yawn). That is until puberty hit, and I began to find comfort in videogames and shit (and still do).
Now I'm in my Junior year of highschool, I know now I'd love to teach History, and much of my values and understanding in life comes from history, hell my political ideology (that i could care less about that I make it sound) was formed off observations from the past, and not the dumb "statics" thing so many subscribe to today (look at me, all high and mighty, ohhhh, I watched a 20 minute YouTube video on WW2, ooohhh~). I'm also in On Ramps U.S history, where we are less taught the subject, and more form opinions and ideas based off primary sources (secondary as well) given too us, as well as articles such as The American YAWP and readings from Howard Zinn.
I've even made a friend in the country I wish to move too and study in, and hopefully some day even teach in who's going into the same field of teaching as me, who makes me feel dumb because she has a room chalked full of books, and I only have like 3 books next to my bed in the living room.
So that's my oragin story, why I quit, and why I'm back here today asking for advice on the subject.
I have a wide array of intrests. Everything from World War Two to the fall of Rome. European history from the beginning of time, to very specific stuff like Prohbition America. My favorite period of world history being 1850 (and events before that lead up) and to the 1950's (and how the events in that time effect us today)
Even stuff like politics, and how we can look to the past for advice and understanding today. I enjoy some over others, but all I know is I have two objectives. Two goals to start learning history, if I did all my goals, I'd have 20. Get a job as a history teacher, learn to tell the entire history of Prohbition without looking at a book, understand the politics behind world war one, know why the crimean war happened, list twelve historical figures not in U.S history books, so on. But two goals to start learning history.
Goal 1) Stop relying on little shit like Small YouTube videos and memes for information. I'm out of that quirky history phase using what little I know and joking about it.
Goal 2) Make sure when I move to a house, get an actual room to myself, I want to be able to fill one book shelf, 6 feet tall minimum, nearly reaching my roof maximum, of history books around the eras I love and know.
That's all I know. So I ask this. Any advice for a novice historian? Any stories of what you did? I'm not asking for direct answers, this is a very open ended post, just experience, or what to look at.
Any response is great! And thank you in advance, even if you just read this :)
What aspect of the Second World War interests you? I first began reading about my primary area of study (the operational conduct of American ground forces during the war, or, in other words, who was doing what, why were they doing it, how were they doing it, why were they doing it that way, what did it accomplish, did they do it effectively, and what was the experience like for those involved) at a similar age. Depending on your interests I may be able to offer some reading recommendations and further advice.