History books--they don't have to be dusty...
I love to know the history of the places that I visit. I'm with Rick on this and that's one of the reasons that I enjoyed the tour I took with ETBD. But I don't like to count on guides so I'm always looking for a good popular history book. This weekend I spotted the NY Times review of Peter Ackroyd's Foundation: The History of England from its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors. It looks great and it's only volume one of potential 6 volume set! ; ) I think I'm going to try it. And while I do love a good historical novel for learning history, sometimes I need a real thing.
But what have been your favorite books for picking up the historical narrative of the places that you visit?
I'll start the list with a couple of favorites from the past.
Paul Murray Kendall Louis XI: The Universal Spider
Barbara Tuchman A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
James Hunter A Dance Called America: The Scottish Highlands, the United States and Canada
What can you recommend?
Pam
Pamela
New York City (formerly Madison), NY USA 1/22/13
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Books can be a great primer before a trip. Here are some to get you ready for a trip to Hungary
1. The Forbidden Sky: Inside the Hungarian Revolution by Endre Marton –
Cold War Historical Account - First hand account of a Hungarian employee of a Western news service during the cold war; including his arrest, etc. Facinating read
2. The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the
World by Kati Marton – WWII Historical Account - Written by the daughter of the gentleman above. About some pretty high profile Hungarians who came to America and became famous here
3. Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America by Kati Marton
– Cold War Historical Account - The Daughter of the first author above, is her perspective on her father's life after researching communist records recording his activities during the cold war. Read to gether with the first book its pretty facinating.
4. A History of Hungary by Laszlo Kontler – General History
5. When Angels Fooled the World by Charles Fenyvesi – WWII Historical
Account
6. Revolution 1989: The Fall of the Soviet Empire by Victor Sebestyen
(Hungarian) – Cold War Historical Account
7. Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors by Lonnie Johnson – Cold War
Historical Account
8. The Sword and the Crucible. Count Boldizsar Batthyany and Natural
Philosophy in Sixteenth-century Hungary by Dora Bobory - History
9. Budapest: A Critical Guide by Andras Torok, Andras Egyedi and Andras
Felvideki – General History
10. The Paul (Pal) Street Boys, Ferenc Molnar – Historical Novel
11. The Invisible Bridge, Julie Orringer – WWII Historical Novel
12. Under the Frog by Tibor Fischer – Cold War Historical Novel
13. A Taste of the Past: The Daily Life and Cooking of a Nineteenth-Century Hungarian-Jewish Homemaker by András Koerner – Golden Age Historical Account
14. Nobody Knows The Truffles I've Seen by George Lang – WWII / Cold War
Historical Account
15. The Smell of Humans: A Memoir of the Holocaust in Hungary by Ernö Szép – WWII Historical Account
16. The Budapest Protocol by Adam LeBor – WWII Historical Novel Bridge at
Andau by James A. Michener – Cold War Historical Account
17. Budapest 1900: A Historical Portrait of a City and Its Culture by John Lukacs – Golden Age Historical Account
18. The Envoy: The Epic Rescue of the Last Jews of Europe in the Desperate
Closing Months of World War II by Alex Kershaw – WWII Historic Account
19. Kasztner's Train: The True Story of an Unknown Hero of the Holocaust by Anna Porter – WWII Historic Account
20. Ligeti, Kurtág, and Hungarian Music during the Cold War (Music in the
Twentieth Century) by Rachel Willson – Cold War Historic Account
Tony Judt Postwar
This book provides a comprehensive overview of European political, economic and cultural history, starting with the aftermath of WWII and more or less ending with the adoption of the euro at the turn of the century. To me, the most insightful portions of the book concern the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community and the Benelux Customs Union, and how these organizations morphed into the European Economic Community and eventually, the European Union. The book offers a fascinating contrast to the usual rosy tale we hear about how the establishment EU represents some kind of triumph of peaceful, collectivist idealism (as so often retold by Mr. Steves). Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman (French politican, not the 19th century German composer), Lech Walesa, and Pope John Paul II shine as the biggest heroes of the era.
"Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe" by Norman Davies - the places that used to be countries in their own right but have since either been swallowed up by other countries or have disintegrated into smaller countries. And how that history can still affect attitudes today.
And I think anything written by Niall Ferguson is worth reading - I've just finished his "Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World" but he has written about other countries too.
I've been lucky to have had a career as a university librarian. That luck has allowed me to find the printed word on any intellectual path that I stood before. Having read thousands and thousands of books it is impossible to remember all the good ones, but some stand out.
Tibet has been my longest interest and the work of Evariste Regis Huc, a French monk who lived there is the earliest travel book I have read other than Sir Richard Burton's translation of Marco Polo's travels. Since the fourth grade I have read everything I could find on Tibet up to the 1970s.
The part of western China named Sinkiang-Uighur Autonomous Region or known to some scholars as Eastern Turkistan has been a strong interest. The explorer and amatuer archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein wrote fascinating books about the area. Sven Hedin also wrote of his fascinating journeys in the area. Later, Peter Fleming and Ella Maillart works on China and Asia are interesting as well as Owen Lattimore's narratives.
Peter Hopkirk's books are good too, and the seminal history of Central Asia by Rene Grousset, "The Empire of the Steppes, a History of Central Asia should be read by any one journeying there.
I've read more first person accounts of the mid-twentieth century than I can remember going back to university days in the 1950s &'60s. A few stand out but I can't remember the titles. They mostly had to do with the war years in Europe and Asia.
Theroux does a good job but his approach is different than Speke or Goldie-Taubman. These days there are hundreds of books based on historical epocs and events that are available to the layman, and I have let some of them lead me into unknown jungles, forests, cities, and deserts, down rivers in a canoe, across tundra, and into the hot underbelly of big city nightlife.
Books, they take us where we want to go, and bring us back to where we left from. Use your library today!
I heartily agree with Norman Davies, especially his works on Poland, and N. Ferguson, definitely his "The Pity of War." For history pertaining to Hungary I recommend the British historian C.A. MacCartney.
I just finished Sleeping With the Enemy by Hal Vaughn. It's about how Coco Chanel built her empire in the early 20th century, and why she became a Nazi collaborator when war was inevitable.
Pamela , James speaks of several books by Kati Marton , his advice is good . We are currently reading " The Great Escape " ,it's a winner ! Look at her recent book , " Paris ; A Love Story " . It's about her marriage to U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke which ended with his premature death in 2010 , and her life living in the home in Paris they shared . A true love song to Paris . She spoke last November at The NY Historical Society with Adam Gopnik to a packed house ! Also , have look at David McCullough's recent " The Greater Journey ; Americans in Paris " This is about those Americans who went to learn and absorb in Paris in the nineteenth century ( Oliver Wendell Holmes , Charles McKim , Augustus St. Gaudens , Henry James etc.
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larsen - read it before a visit to Berlin.
The Crusades by Zoe Oldenbourg. This book really enlightened me about the middle ages. In fact, the First Crusade could be considered the first true world war, as it involved an alliance of nations whose soldiers left Europe to go fight in Asia. The split in the eastern and western churches, feudalism, the origins of Middle Eastern conflict are all explained. You'll understand why many Arabs and Turks cringe when they hear the word "crusade."
"Ghosts of Spain" by Giles Tremlett was a great foundation for my trip to Spain. Loved both of Ross King's books "Brunelleschi's Dome" (Florence) and "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" (Rome).
Love James' suggestions for Hungary books those of Kati Marton and her father, Andras Torok, and Tibor Fischer especially. also Postwar, which Tom recommended.
What to add?
The Hare with the Amber Eyes, Edmund de Waal
The Unknown Matisse and Matisse the Master, Hilary Spurling
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer, Sarah Bakewell
Suite Française, Irene Nemirovsky (thinly veiled historical fiction)
The World of Yesterday, Stefan Zweig
The Fall of Paris (on the Commune), Alistair Horne
Courier from Warsaw, Jan Nowak (autobiography)
Granite Island, Dorothy Carrington, fascinating history-travelogue of Corsica
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks (historical fiction Bosnia, Venice, Spain)
The Beginning of Spring, Penelope Fitzgerald (historical fiction set in Moscow in 1913)
The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain, Maria Rosa Menocal
Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade, James Reston
Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alison Weir
Madame de Pompadour, Nancy Mitford
Biographies of Mary Stuart by Antonia Fraser and Stefan Zweig
Honestly the deWaal and the Bakewell are two of the best books I have read in years. The deWaal takes you from 1880s Paris to 1930s Vienna (along with Odessa, Tokyo, and London) and the Bakewell wears its erudition so lightly, but is so wise. Uncommon pleasures, both (especially if you have the illustrated edition of the deWaal).
Also Postwar, as Tom mentioned, is so important because it's one of the few to integrate Western European and Central and East European postwar history -- so many (worthy) works look at only one side or the other, I think it's hugely important.
Ron , The author is the Austrian writer Robert Musil , 1880-1942
Well , I know this is books , but since Kim brought up the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig , one of his stories " Letter from an Unknown Woman " was made into a very fine film in 1948 by director Max Ophuls .It is the kind of story that is not unlike many of the works of another Austrian writer , Arthur Schnitzler . CAUTION ! Do not be tempted to look this film up on the internet . there is a plot summmary there which will spoil the film for you if you decide to watch it . One other book suggesstion , For those readers with a good background in turn of the century Vienna ; it's history , culture and social workings I strongly recommend " Fin-de-Siecle Vienna ; history, politics and culture " by Carl E. Schorske ( 1980 ) . A truly great book of historical and cultural analysis , but it does reqire a reasonable working knowledge of the period to appreciate it .
The history books in the series "Milestones of History", produced by Newsweek Books. Each book is tall and has very many photographs. These book titles are in the chronological order of the books' contents :
ANCIENT EMPIRES. 3000 B.C. - 70 A.D.
THE FIRES OF FAITH. 312 A.D. - 1204 A.D.
DAWN OF A NEW ERA. 1209 A.D. - 1402 A.D.
EXPANDING HORIZONS. 1415 A.D. - 1516 A.D.
REFORM AND REVOLT. 1517 A.D. - 1600 A.D.
THE PEN AND THE SWORD. 1601 A.D. - 1698 A.D.
TWILIGHT OF PRINCES. 1713 A.D. - 1799 A.D.
AGE OF OPTIMISM. 1803 A.D. - 1854 A.D.
NATIONS AND EMPIRES. 1854 A.D. - 1900 A.D.
SUNRISE AND STORM CLOUDS. 1903 A.D. - 1936 A.D.
DECADE OF CRISES. 1938 A.D. - 1949 A.D.
MID - CENTURY WORLD. 1950 A.D. - 1974 A.D.
History books in the series "THE RISE OF MODERN EUROPE". Each book has a clever title. These books are enjoyable to read. I guess these books were in nearly all university Libraries in the United States of America. I think these books have been out of print for very many years.
Anything written by Stephen Ambrose...
Oh yeah, I do like Stephen Ambrose.
Some of my favorite books would be:
"Becoming Charlemagne" by Jeff Sypeck
"How the Jews Became German" by Deborah Hertz
"Destined to Witness" by Hans J. Massaquoi
"London" by Edward Rutherford
All this conversation about books and hitory has stirred up the swamp of nostalgia that I wade through from time to time.
There were a number of literary journalist the did historic reporting from Europe and Asia as the world was getting ready to give itself a bloodbath in the ninteen twenties and thirties. This reporting resulted in accounts of what was going on where, and were often published in weekly periodicals like Life, Colliers, and Saturday Evening Post, as well as in a few large nespapers.
Vincent Sheen's works give a very good account of Europe disintigrating in the 1930s. Edgar Snow, known for his reporting on Mao and other areas of Asia are good foundation material for that part of the world. Theodore H. White is another reporter who's books should be read for their historical value.
Earlier favorites of mine is Lowell Thomas, especially his "With Lawrence In Arabia". T.E. Lawrence himself wrote "Revolt In The Desert" as well as "Seven Pillars Of Wisdom" which help to set the stage for today's conflicts in that area.
My favorite writer on the Arctic is Vilhalmur Stefansson, especially his "Arctic Handbook" Little known fact: He was a farm boy from Wyoming.
All of these authors authored multiple books and a person would have to make use of a library to find them, more than likely a college or university library. Do not, however, forget interlibrary loan at your local library. Some of my reading has included books gotten on IL from Library of Congress.
The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy, Cannon & Griffiths; Oxford Univ. Press
The Oxford Illustrated History of Roman Britain, Peter Salway; Oxford Univ. Press
The Story of Britain, by Rebecca Fraser
The Celtic Realms, Myles Dillon & Nora Chadwick
A World Lit Only By Fire, William Manchester
London: The Biography, by Peter Ackroyd
Foundation: The History of England from Its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors, by Peter Ackroyd
A History of Britain, At The Edge of the World, 3500 B.C. to 1603 A.D., Simon Schama
A History of Britain, Vol. 2, The Wars of the British, 1603 to 1776, Simon Schama
Great Cathedrals by Plantagenet Somerset Fry
By Christopher Hibbert :
London's Churches
London: The Biography of a City
The Story Of England
Cities and Civilizations
Monte, You are fortunate to have worked at the university library. What a dream job! Thousands and thousands of books on every subject around you.
@ Monte , I just read your last post pertaining to some of the writers in the twenties and thirties and their work . Are you familiar with the Dutch-Canadian journalist and foreign correspondent Pierre Van Paassen ? Among his work is his 1938 book , " Days of Our Years " My mother would often say " you should read this some day " and eventually I did . Please look into it . It is available ,though out of print . I think it might be exactly your cup of tea. PM me if you have difficulty , Steve .
Steven, Thanks. I'll write it down and look for it next week. Monte
I am reading Savage Continent by Keith Lowe. It has given me great insight into the devastation that was Europe immediately after WW2. It has also helped me understand the mindset of the European in a way that, as an American, I never contemplated before. Really eye-opening.
More recent history but highly entertaining (for me)
The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr (Carvaggio, Rome, London, Ireland, a scholar adventure)
The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (Venice, the Fenice Opera House fire, the art and tradition of glass blowing, Venice old and new converge in the politics of restoration)
I loved City of Falling Angels and have recommended it to anyone headed to Venice. ; )
Another interesting book is A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities by Aberto Angela. The author walks you through a day in ancient Rome for day break through night fall. I really enjoyed it.
There have been some great suggestions here that will keep me reading for years. ; )
Pam
Oh my how I live to read. Loved 84 Charing Cross Road about book seller in London had a many years correspondence with writer in NYC, true story and shows how much Londoners still suffered from shortages post war. Also just read a short novel, another true story Hanas Suitcase.A very moving story about young girl who died in concentration camp and someone finding her suitcase and contacting her brother, worth a read especially for someone visiting a concentration camp. Really enjoyed The Hiding Place, that is only reason we went to Haarlem and so very thankful we did. Thanks for all the ideas posted.
FOR THE SOUL OF FRANCE : Culture Wars in the Age of Dreyfus. by Frederick Brown. Published by Knopf. (2010). French history and culture in the late 1800s.