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Historical non-fiction reading list
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flyingswoosh Offline
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Post: #1
Historical non-fiction reading list
Didn't know whether or not to add this to that book thread I had started on spin room, but as I only read this genre these days I thought it best to put it here. Move it if you want.

Currently about halfway through The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. My dad's had it for years and I've always wanted to read it. Finally committed to it. Of all the history books I've read this is probably my favorite. Odd because I usually prefer nothing more modern than 18th century, but it really is quite good. Obviously 95% of what's in this book isn't taught in schools and it's a real shame.

Also (sort of) currently reading the Iron Kingdom: the rise and fall of Prussia. The first half to 3/4 was riveting but oddly it got boring as we got to Bismarck (or at least just past him). I'm almost finished, but it's on hold for now.

Also tried to read Colbert and a century of French mercantilism, but couldn't make it through the first volume (of two). It was certainly interesting but it mostly reads like a textbook and can certainly be tedious.

Next on the list is Democracy in America by Alexander de Tocqueville and Ataturk: the founder of Modern Turkey.

Would love to know what historical non-fiction y'all are reading
01-30-2015 11:12 AM
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Native Georgian Online
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Post: #2
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
"Leak: Why Mark Felt Became Deep Throat" by Max Holland. Published 2012 by Kansas University Press.
01-31-2015 10:25 AM
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flyingswoosh Offline
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
alright, we got one. Would anyone else like to share?
01-31-2015 05:20 PM
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OrangeXtreme Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Anything by James D. Hornfischer:

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors ... An unprecedented account of the U.S. Navy’s impossible victory: the Battle off Samar, October 25, 1944

Ship of Ghosts ... The story of the USS Houston, FDR’s legendary lost cruiser, and the epic saga of her survivors

Neptune's Inferno ... The untold story of the U.S. Navy’s bloodiest fight of World War II: the epic struggle for Guadalcanal
(This post was last modified: 01-31-2015 10:20 PM by OrangeXtreme.)
01-31-2015 10:20 PM
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49RFootballNow Online
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(01-31-2015 10:20 PM)OrangeXtreme Wrote:  Anything by James D. Hornfischer:

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors ... An unprecedented account of the U.S. Navy’s impossible victory: the Battle off Samar, October 25, 1944

A bunch of destroyers and destroyer escorts scared away the greatest battleship ever built. It's an amazing story.
01-31-2015 10:23 PM
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Native Georgian Online
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
"The Nixon Defense" by John W. Dean, III.

Published July 2014 by Viking.

It should be called "The Dean Defense", but still worth reading closely.
02-04-2015 11:15 PM
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UofM_Tiger Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Currently reading The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

Next up is The Great Bridge by David McCullough - construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Also highly recommend another of his, A Path Between the Seas, about the construction of the Panama Canal.
02-05-2015 05:28 PM
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DefCONNOne Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Just finished reading Blaze of Glory by Jeff Shaara. It's a novel about the Battle of Shiloh, and is written as if you're right there in the thick of battle. It's told from the perspective of the 2 commanding generals (U.S. Grant and A.S. Johnston), William T. Sherman, Nathan Bedford Forrest (and a Lt. in his cavalry brigade), P.G.T. Beauregard and a Private in the Union ranks. It's a very good read, IMO.
02-07-2015 12:41 AM
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Native Georgian Online
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-05-2015 05:28 PM)UofM_Tiger Wrote:  Currently reading The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

Next up is The Great Bridge by David McCullough - construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Also highly recommend another of his, A Path Between the Seas, about the construction of the Panama Canal.

I've read Path Between the Seas. Tremendous book -- even if you think the construction of the Canal sounds like a boring topic from 100+ years ago with no relevance to today… Think again. Vivid descriptions of the personalities involved, simple explanations of the equipment used, stark reminders of how lethal/dangerous the whole thing was… Well worth a person's time.
02-10-2015 12:58 AM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Not strictly history, but Biography of the 2nd Amendment. Talks a lot about the discussions around the proposed constitutions, so far. I'm still reading it.
02-10-2015 05:39 PM
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UofM_Tiger Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-10-2015 12:58 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(02-05-2015 05:28 PM)UofM_Tiger Wrote:  Currently reading The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.

Next up is The Great Bridge by David McCullough - construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Also highly recommend another of his, A Path Between the Seas, about the construction of the Panama Canal.

I've read Path Between the Seas. Tremendous book -- even if you think the construction of the Canal sounds like a boring topic from 100+ years ago with no relevance to today… Think again. Vivid descriptions of the personalities involved, simple explanations of the equipment used, stark reminders of how lethal/dangerous the whole thing was… Well worth a person's time.

Arguably the greatest civil engineering accomplishment in history.
02-10-2015 05:55 PM
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Native Georgian Online
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-10-2015 05:55 PM)UofM_Tiger Wrote:  Arguably the greatest civil engineering accomplishment in history.
The terrain was more difficult than Suez, although Suez was earlier in time…
02-10-2015 07:03 PM
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UofM_Tiger Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-10-2015 07:03 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(02-10-2015 05:55 PM)UofM_Tiger Wrote:  Arguably the greatest civil engineering accomplishment in history.
The terrain was more difficult than Suez, although Suez was earlier in time…

Not just the terrain. Practically everything down there was working against them. Malaria, yellow fever, torrential rains, sweltering heat, wild fluctuations in the Chagres River, extremely poor soil conditions...the list goes on and on.
02-12-2015 04:28 PM
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Smaug Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Some good ones I've read:

1776, by David McCollough. The Revolution was not a fait accompli

A Storm in Flanders by Winston Groom (yes, THAT Winston Groom), World War I

The Politics of Rage, by Dan T. Carter, about George Wallace
02-13-2015 12:02 AM
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Memphis Blazer Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Currently reading
Mark Twain, A Life by Ron Powers
and
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
02-13-2015 12:11 AM
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UofM_Tiger Offline
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Post: #16
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
I've read The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman several times. Very good read.
02-13-2015 02:47 PM
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bitcruncher Offline
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Post: #17
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Black Elk Speaks, as told through John G. Neihardt is a good read if you want to understand a Native American view. Black Elk took part in the Battle at Little Big Horn at age 13, and survived the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890).
02-13-2015 03:20 PM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #18
RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
Stalin: Profiles in Power by Hiroaki Kuromiya. Not sure why I'm reading yet another book on Stalin, but I find him oddly fascinating, and it's only a couple hundred pages.
02-16-2015 12:51 PM
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Native Georgian Online
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-16-2015 12:51 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Stalin: Profiles in Power by Hiroaki Kuromiya. Not sure why I'm reading yet another book on Stalin, but I find him oddly fascinating, and it's only a couple hundred pages.
I've heard of that and have some interest to read it, but I haven't actually seen a copy of it anywhere.

If you're into Stalin biographies I highly recommend "Stalin: Breaker of Nations" by Robert Conquest. First published in 1991, so I don't know how much access the author had to the then-newly-opened Soviet archives while writing it.
(This post was last modified: 02-17-2015 01:28 AM by Native Georgian.)
02-17-2015 01:28 AM
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NIU007 Offline
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RE: Historical non-fiction reading list
(02-17-2015 01:28 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(02-16-2015 12:51 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Stalin: Profiles in Power by Hiroaki Kuromiya. Not sure why I'm reading yet another book on Stalin, but I find him oddly fascinating, and it's only a couple hundred pages.
I've heard of that and have some interest to read it, but I haven't actually seen a copy of it anywhere.

If you're into Stalin biographies I highly recommend "Stalin: Breaker of Nations" by Robert Conquest. First published in 1991, so I don't know how much access the author had to the then-newly-opened Soviet archives while writing it.

I found this one at a used book store. I did listen to the audio book version of Robert Conquest's book, quite a long time ago though.
02-17-2015 10:06 AM
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