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I like Bauer's other work, though I haven't read that particular one yet. The global history she's working on of everything from the dawn of literacy in each culture as it occurs across the globe is still ongoing, but up to the mid-Middle Ages now and I'm finding it a great quick "grab and read a chapter" or "look up this particular event/year/happening" resource.
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May 6, 2014 06:01
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Any recommendations for something on the planning/logistics/development of the interstate highway system in the US ?
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May 6, 2014 13:58
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head58 posted:Any recommendations for something on the planning/logistics/development of the interstate highway system in the US ? The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighway is basically precisely that. And surprisingly readable for a book mostly about engineering and politics. I enjoyed it and doubt there's a better single volume out there that covers this topic.
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May 8, 2014 15:51
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I would also add to that, that you might want to get some books on the Pennslyvania Turnpike, the New Jersey Turnpike and the New York City metropolitan area Parkways as important context on the development of the first high speed automobile roads in the country; which produced experience in highway design that was vital to the later Interstate system. Among other things, the design standards for the PA and NJ turnpikes for curves, elevation changes and sightlines were adapted practically verbatim into Interstate design standards. Unfortunately I don't have any particularly good books to name for them.
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May 8, 2014 16:10
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head58 posted:Any recommendations for something on the planning/logistics/development of the interstate highway system in the US ? Might be tangential to your question, but Robert Caro (later famous for his ongoing multi-volume biography of LBJ) wrote a 1300 pg biography of Robert Moses, the man behind billions of dollars worth of city planning projects and highway development in New York (city and upstate). If you're interested in 'planning/logistics' in the sense of politicking, rather than engineering, it's what you're looking for.
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May 8, 2014 16:48
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WoG posted:('sup, fellow Roderickian?) Yup. Nailed it. This week's ep gave just enough info (and possibly misinfo) to get me curious. Thanks everyone. My library has The Big Roads so I'm grabbing that today.
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May 8, 2014 17:34
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Can anyone recommend a good book about Pizarro's conquest of the Incas?
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May 10, 2014 18:41
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Sam. posted:Can anyone recommend a good book about Pizarro's conquest of the Incas? Funny you should mention that, as I just started the book The Last Days of The Incas by Kim McQuarrie which so far is very engaging and well-written. Ezzum fucked around with this message at 01:09 on May 11, 2014 |
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May 11, 2014 01:05
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Has anyone read Lost White Tribes: The End of Privilege and the Last Colonials in Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Brazil, Haiti, Namibia, and Guadeloupe? Is it any good, reviews I've seen are pretty mixed but then again they are amazon reviews. Also does it avoid the obvious pitfalls its subject matter invites?
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May 12, 2014 22:07
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What are some good books about the american "wild west"? I'm in australia so most of my exposure to that kind of thing has been through popular media, so I don't fully understand it and it's significance. I'd like to know more about the catalyst for the expansion and discovery as well as what life was actually like out there and how communities were built and sustained throughout that period
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May 14, 2014 12:37
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screaden posted:What are some good books about the american "wild west"? I'm in australia so most of my exposure to that kind of thing has been through popular media, so I don't fully understand it and it's significance. I'd like to know more about the catalyst for the expansion and discovery as well as what life was actually like out there and how communities were built and sustained throughout that period Author Dee Brown has many good nonfiction books on the American West, the closest to what you'd want is probably Wondrous Times on the Frontier, or maybe The American West (haven't read that one) for a general history, but his most important work is Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee about the destruction of American Indian tribes from their point of view, from extensive research by primary source materials such as transcripts from meetings between tribal leaders and government officials. There's a lot of romanticism about the American West and this book really shows a sad and disturbing look at the tragedy of it from those who paid the price of westward expansion, from a viewpoint you don't often get elsewhere. It's not a distant and objective history book, you won't read much about violence on settlers or between tribes, but it's important to read to get a more complete picture of the history of the American West. A few months ago I read Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. It covers about a 100-year history of the Comanches from the 1800s, focusing on Quanah Parker and his mother Cynthia Ann Parker, whose life the book/film The Searchers was loosely based on. It can get very graphic with the violence between the Comanches and settlers, but it's an interesting history from around the beginning of recorded contact with the tribe to their displacement to a reservation. One complaint was that the focus on Quanah and Cynthia Ann sometimes feels like you aren't getting the bigger picture, but that limitation is probably from a limitation of source material from the era.
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May 14, 2014 19:32
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Another good one is Comanche Empire by Pekka Hamalainen, which covers the tribe from the early 1700s up until the late 1800s when they were forced onto the reservation (which the book argues didn't happen from military defeat as much as environmental factors like drought and overhunting of buffalo).
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May 14, 2014 20:22
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Any recommendations for a detailed look on everyday life, war and religion during the reformation years in northern Europe? I'm mainly researching for the years around 1500-1550's and in the german, dutch and scandinavian area. Ships, weapons, food, art, anything can be of interest.
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May 15, 2014 12:57
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Enter sadman
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PlushCow posted:Author Dee Brown has many good nonfiction books on the American West, the closest to what you'd want is probably Wondrous Times on the Frontier, or maybe The American West (haven't read that one) for a general history, but his most important work is Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee about the destruction of American Indian tribes from their point of view, from extensive research by primary source materials such as transcripts from meetings between tribal leaders and government officials. There's a lot of romanticism about the American West and this book really shows a sad and disturbing look at the tragedy of it from those who paid the price of westward expansion, from a viewpoint you don't often get elsewhere. It's not a distant and objective history book, you won't read much about violence on settlers or between tribes, but it's important to read to get a more complete picture of the history of the American West. Seconding Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. It's one of the books that got me into seriously studying history, and I think it's a masterpiece.
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May 15, 2014 13:09
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PlushCow posted:Author Dee Brown has many good nonfiction books on the American West, the closest to what you'd want is probably Wondrous Times on the Frontier, or maybe The American West (haven't read that one) for a general history, but his most important work is Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee about the destruction of American Indian tribes from their point of view, from extensive research by primary source materials such as transcripts from meetings between tribal leaders and government officials. There's a lot of romanticism about the American West and this book really shows a sad and disturbing look at the tragedy of it from those who paid the price of westward expansion, from a viewpoint you don't often get elsewhere. It's not a distant and objective history book, you won't read much about violence on settlers or between tribes, but it's important to read to get a more complete picture of the history of the American West. Forgot I posted in here, thanks for the suggestions, I think I actually have a copy of bury my heart at wounded knee somewhere already, either way it's already on the list, in the small amount of google searching I did, every list had that on the top
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May 20, 2014 11:46
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Does anyone have any suggestions for books that clearly outline military strategies? I ask because I'm tired of reading war history books and being  when they explain things like encirclement and flanking the rear, etc.
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May 20, 2014 16:03
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Anyone have any good recommendations on the history of Sicily? Also looking for some about the history of Venice/Italian merchant republics in general. Edit: To be more specific, the history of Sicily from about 1400-1800. V Thanks, I'll check those out! Trujillo fucked around with this message at 17:55 on May 22, 2014 |
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May 22, 2014 17:51
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Trujillo posted:Anyone have any good recommendations on the history of Sicily? Also looking for some about the history of Venice/Italian merchant republics in general.
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May 22, 2014 17:53
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Trujillo posted:Anyone have any good recommendations on the history of Sicily? Also looking for some about the history of Venice/Italian merchant republics in general. I recommended Roger Crowley's City of Fortune last time someone asked for a history of Venice, and apparently the person bought it and really enjoyed it, so there you go.
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May 22, 2014 17:54
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Trujillo posted:Anyone have any good recommendations on the history of Sicily? Also looking for some about the history of Venice/Italian merchant republics in general. "Venice: A Maritime Republic" by Frederic Lane is a good reference.
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May 22, 2014 18:12
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vyelkin posted:I recommended Roger Crowley's City of Fortune last time someone asked for a history of Venice, and apparently the person bought it and really enjoyed it, so there you go. I bought it and I really liked it, I recommend it as well.
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May 22, 2014 18:17
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My library didn't have City of Fortune but I picked up Norwich's History of Venice and the closest thing I could find about Sicilian history, "The Lady Queen, the Notorious Reign of Joanna I," anyone familiar with that one? Seems alright so far.
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May 22, 2014 21:14
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I need a recommendation on US history post-Civil War. I'm mostly interested in Reconstruction, but anything covering, say, 1865-1900 would be great. I want to read American Colossus, which focuses on major industrialists in the late 19th century. But first I'd like to read about Reconstruction and the history preceding Carnegie and Rockefeller.
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May 23, 2014 12:11
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Bagheera posted:I need a recommendation on US history post-Civil War. I'm mostly interested in Reconstruction, but anything covering, say, 1865-1900 would be great. I want to read American Colossus, which focuses on major industrialists in the late 19th century. But first I'd like to read about Reconstruction and the history preceding Carnegie and Rockefeller. Well Foner's Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution is always the first recommendation I think.
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May 23, 2014 17:58
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Antwan3K posted:Well Foner's Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution is always the first recommendation I think. Purchased, thanks. I imagine this will be a very depressing read.
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May 24, 2014 16:33
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Any recommendations on a good overall history of the Byzantine Empire or an overview of Byzantine culture that's available in Kindle format?
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May 28, 2014 00:12
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Bagheera posted:Purchased, thanks. I imagine this will be a very depressing read. Foner's Reconstruction is basically THE seminal work on the period, and yes, it will depress you. For an extra dose of gloom, try Stephen Budiansky's The Bloody Shirt and David Blight's Race and Reunion.
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May 28, 2014 01:24
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Pinball posted:Any recommendations on a good overall history of the Byzantine Empire or an overview of Byzantine culture that's available in Kindle format? I don't think there is a kindle version, but Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire by Judith Herrin was pretty good. A beginners book, it covers culture, religion, military, court intricacies over the several centuries history of the empire. It does nothing great, but it was a swell overview for me.
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May 28, 2014 02:54
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Pinball posted:Any recommendations on a good overall history of the Byzantine Empire or an overview of Byzantine culture that's available in Kindle format? I really like Lost to the West by Lars Brownworth he did the 12 Byzantine Rulers podcast and its a nice overview of Byzantium.
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May 28, 2014 04:01
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Anyone know of a good biography of Edward Seaga? Or any other Jamaican politicians, for that matter.
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May 29, 2014 17:54
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What are some good books on the experiences of neutral and non-belligerent countries in World War I and World War II? Preferably not including countries that declared neutrality and later ended up conquered in the same conflict.
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May 30, 2014 01:02
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Not sure if this one has been posted yet in the thread, I can't find any search results and can't be bothered to scour all 23 pages. I would like to post the following history book. It was fascinating. Lincoln by David Herbert Donald quote:A masterful work by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Herbert Donald, Lincoln is a stunning portrait of Abraham Lincoln's life and presidency. Donald brilliantly depicts Lincoln' gradual ascent from humble beginnings in rural Kentucky to the ever-expanding political circles in Illinois, and finally to the presidency of a country divided by civil war. Donald goes beyond biography, illuminating the gradual development of Lincoln's character, chronicling his tremendous capacity for evolution and growth, thus illustrating what made it possible for a man so inexperienced and so unprepared for the presidency to become a great moral leader. In the most troubled of times, here was a man who led the country out of slavery and preserved a shattered Union; in short, one of the greatest presidents this country has ever seen https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/106590.Lincoln
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Jun 1, 2014 01:46
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The Last Days of the Incas was recommended earlier and I'm really enjoying that despite some repetitiveness in spots. Any other recommendations for good books touching on the Spanish and/or Portuguese in the New World?
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Jun 3, 2014 00:26
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TheFallenEvincar posted:The Last Days of the Incas was recommended earlier and I'm really enjoying that despite some repetitiveness in spots. Any other recommendations for good books touching on the Spanish and/or Portuguese in the New World? Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico by Hugh Thomas is a great read.
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Jun 3, 2014 01:53
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Just about to finish Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang and really enjoying it. It touches on a lot of topics - the development of China's industry, its relationship with the West and Japan, the Boxer Wars as well as her personal relationships. I'm about to go on a Chinese history binge and have Wild Swans and Mao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe lined up. I'd love a good broad history of China too - any recommendations? I'm thinking either John Keay's or Harold Tanner's (two volume) China: a History?
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Jun 4, 2014 11:20
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Mao's China and After by Maurice Meisner is essential imo.
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Jun 5, 2014 06:23
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Seams posted:Mao's China and After by Maurice Meisner is essential imo. Cool thanks, I'll check it out!
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Jun 5, 2014 11:18
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Would mythology be broadly considered history? Because I'm trying to find a decent primer of sorts for slavic mythology, Svarog, Veles, that sort of thing and the only thing I've been able to find thus far is some kindle book that's about 100 pages long and was literally written in the 1910's. Anyone know of anything good that covers slavic mythology? Also I guess while I'm here I should give my own recommendation of something I finished recently: By The Sword by Richard Cohen. It's a (mostly) complete history of swordsmanship and dueling/fencing in particular, mostly focusing on the western world but occasionally covering the east, written by a retired olympic fencer. For a guy who as far as I know didn't really have much writing experience when he first wrote it the book is extremely readable and never even approaches any sort of dry, overly academic tone. It's obvious that Cohen is hugely passionate about the subject matter and that's really reflected in the writing. Reading it kind of felt like sitting down in front of an old expert to listen to them tell you all they know, if that makes any sense. If you're looking for an entertaining and educational look at sword fighting I highly recommend it. Lee Harvey Oswald posted:Does anyone have any suggestions for books that clearly outline military strategies? I ask because I'm tired of reading war history books and being
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Jun 5, 2014 16:00
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clarion ravenwood posted:. I'd love a good broad history of China too - any recommendations? Cambridge History of China if you have some disposable income
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Jun 6, 2014 13:35
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Seeing as there is a lot of discussion about China already, I'm looking for a book that focuses on the Chinese Warring States period and the Qin's wars of unification; I've some alternative media that is really fun to experience but I'd rather have a solid background of the actual history.
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Jun 6, 2014 17:10
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