Hello, my daughter is interested in learning about different political philosophies and systems of government and I'd like to go on this journey with her. Can anyone suggest a good book that introduces the basics? We're coming at this from the perspective of Americans so I'll be teaching her a little bit more about US history/government as well, but I'd love to be able to give her some perspective and the ability to discuss the differences (for example) between communism and socialism, etc.

She's a very well read twelve year old and she's very enthusiastic about learning so I don't mind pushing her a little bit, conceptually but hopefully her age gives some context into what she may have already learned.

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, I've recently picked up E.J. Hobsbawm's Age of Revolution after reading some of his work in a political science course, and I was wondering how he is regarded in the broader historigraphical community. Essentially I'm trying to avoid falling into the trap I did after reading Howard Zinn's People's History, which I found very affecting and influential to my worldview, only to find out that his ideology gets in the way of an accurate reading of history. I'm very interested in a Marxist reading of history and Hobsbawm seemed like a good place to start, but basically I don't wanna get got again.

We Could Perceive No Sign of Them: Failed Colonies in North America, 1526-1689 by David MacDonald and Raine Waters came out late this year, October I believe, and I finally had the chance to dive in this weekend.

The Good

The book is organized into a series of vignettes about each failed colony in question, starting with Spanish and French colonies in the Southeast, then moving to French Canada, before ending with English colonial attempts at Roanoke, Maine, and an Arctic mining endeavor. The result is a great introduction to the planning, settlement, abandonment, and aftermath of each attempt. I really appreciated how each chapter ended with a discussion of primary sources for further reading about that specific colony.

While there isn't much in the way of novel insight, the great utility of this book is compiling a record of colonial failures in one convenient, and readable, volume. So often I see misconceptions about European colonialism that assumes they were universally successful, when in reality most early colonial attempts failed miserably. It is great to have these stories brought together. I foresee pointing people to this book for an introduction into how disastrous most settlements really were, with famine, disease, and violence leading to their heartbreaking abandonment.

The Bad

Here I betray my bias, but this is very much a history book focused on the colonial paper trail, and the people who wrote those documents. Archaeology, when discussed, is tacked on to the end of the chapter as an interesting aside instead of another valuable tool for understanding these early colonies. I get it, we all feel more comfortable in our own discipline, but when the reality on the ground is shrouded by written attempts to save face, to recoup losses, or even lost to time, archaeology provides another way to examine the data, and complement, or confront, the written record.

The Ugly

Here I really betray my bias. You are warned.

One man's colony is another's home. The focus on colonial attempts from a European perspective provides less than half the story for why they failed, or succeeded. The French, or Spanish, or English weren't plopping a town down on vacant land. Someone lived there. Someone, by allowing the settlement to persist, gave their permission for the colony to be there. And, given the piss poor planning for all these sites, neighboring Native American nations saved lives by trading/giving food, and knowledge about the physical and human terrain of the region. MacDonald and Waters do mention Native American reactions but it is very much in the context of a response to Europeans, not often discussed as active agents working for their own goals in their own timeframe.

The worst manifestation of this bias came with the discussion of the English Arctic mining settlement called Meta Incognita, established in 1576 near modern day Baffin Island. The colony was a disaster. Dedicated to mining what was ultimately discovered to be useless mica, it was quickly abandoned in 1578, so quickly in fact, that five sailors and minors who out gathering resources were simply left behind when the last ship departed. The authors discuss a how an 1859 search to find the lost Franklin Expedition brought explorers near the original settlement. There they interviewed Inuit guides who told the 1859 expedition about white men who came to the area long ago, and about the five white men who lived in their community after they were abandoned. The authors seemed almost incredulous that Inuit oral history could bridge the almost three hundred year history and provide another perspective on English settlement. Oral history is a vital, rich, and accurate source of information about the past, and we lose so much insight by dismissing Native histories.

I will stand on my soapbox and shout all day that the only way we can hope to fully understand the early colonial period is through interdisciplinary research that combines history, archaeology, biological anthropology, and ethnohistory. My wailing complete, I do recommend this book as an introduction to a fascinating time period. Just realize there is more to the story. ;)

Hello everyone - I'm looking for books in English on Japanese modern history, particularly attitudes to revolution (so I guess from the lead up to the Meiji Restoration and beyond to the present day). Particularly useful will be those that focus on working class perspectives.

Good afternoon everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had a good book on the history of agriculture, farming or gardening that they would recommend.

Hi folks! My favorite genre is historical fiction but naturally it can be hard to find that combo of solid history and good storytelling. I enjoyed Steven Pressfield’s ancient warfare titles, like ‘Alexander’ and ‘Gates of Fire,’ but learned here that historians take a dim view of his interpretation of the sources. I also read the posthumous William Golding novel ‘The Double Tongue,’ which I hope was more realistic.

Any recommendations for great fiction on Ancient Greece or Rome that is respected by historians?

I’d love some accurate depictions of Irish fishing villages in the early 1800s. Currently reading “The Islandman,” it’s great, I’d just like more!

Yo r/AskHistorians I wondered if there were any decent books on old English theology... with regards to pre-Norman views on self-governance and society as a whole?

Looking for recommendations for books, articles, documentaries, etc. that focus on what life was like during the crusades, especially anything that focuses on what the everyday life of a Muslim woman living in the area would be like, what opportunities were available to them and what restrictions were they under, and how much and what kind of interaction people of different faiths and cultures would have had.

Hey! I'm looking for suggestions on research articles, chapters or books that deal with recordkeeping during the late Roman empire. As always, I am particularly interested in military perspectives, but I would appreciate any and all tips. I have tons of material on this topic for earlier periods of Roman history, but it seems much less has been written about this in regards to the later empire.

Hi everyone! I'm not sure how to phrase this exactly, but I'm looking for readings of any kind on the history of mixed-race/multiethnic people and identities. I'm mixed myself and I'm looking to put that in context. I'm particularly interested in those identities outside the context of the US, but I'm not really picky.

Also, any recommendations about cool women in history would be greatly appreciated! Thanks all!

Good Afternoon to everyone

As the holidays approach, could anyone recommend any books on the Age of Sail or anything about the Colonial Caribbean.

I would recommend "Empire on Blue Waters," by no means a comprehensive book on the subject of Henry Morgan's life it provides a riveting tale from his landing at Jamaica to the earthquake that destroyed Port Royal.

Has anyone got a good place to start with reading about organisational history. I'm interested in the day to admin and culture and ethos of big organisations drive history. And how to do that. Especially within systems were organisations compete for funding etc.

Accessible books on Greek and Roman empires for beginners with no prior knowledge?