The History Book Thread! looks like I need to set up space for a Nazi shelf

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The History Book Thread! looks like I need to set up space for a Nazi shelf

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Punkin Spunkin: Jan 1, 2010

KomradeX posted:

You get this same feeling from reading Rick Perlstein's trilogy on American Conservatism after getting through Before The Storm his book about Barry Goldwater I got about 100 pages into Nixonland before I had to take a break because of how depressing and aggravating it was reading the exact same racist criticism that were deployed against the Civil Rights Movement being reused on everything after the Ferguson protests.

Hahah, wow, you just reminded me I need to reread/continue Nixonland because basically the exact same thing happened to me. I loved all the stuff on Nixon but the more I read the more pissed and bummed out I was as I realized the roots of the shithole we find ourselves in presently.

Death in the Congo is on my list, and maybe I need to read Before the Storm (since it seems at least you actually managed to finish that one)...I did like Perlstein's writing a lot, and I do want to revisit Nixonland.
Right now I'm just slowly meandering through Stephen Kotkin's first Stalin volume and the first volume of Peter Ackroyd's History of England thing. I'm not sure how this first volume of Stalin shapes up, but I'm starting to think it might be better to leave it aside until there are many more volumes out, I would have been kind of annoyed if I'd started Robert Caro's LBJ series at a point where there were only 1-2 volumes of many planned books out since I like reading that sort of thing as a continuous narrative right after each other. Even then I was kind of bummed out I caught up to The Years of Lyndon Johnson anyway, but Caro does so much "ON THE LAST EPISODE OF LBJ" repeating in each volume (to the point that it's annoying when you're reading them one after another) that I guess it won't matter (plus there's only one volume left).

Punkin Spunkin fucked around with this message at 06:59 on Apr 1, 2015

# ? Apr 1, 2015 06:54

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# ? May 13, 2024 23:34

Paper With Lines: Aug 21, 2013; The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!

I love Rick Perlstein. I'm not sure how well received he is by historians and I don't know how much ya'll will like this response to a negative review but I loved reading it.

# ? Apr 2, 2015 03:41

KomradeX: Oct 29, 2011

TheFallenEvincar posted:

Hahah, wow, you just reminded me I need to reread/continue Nixonland because basically the exact same thing happened to me. I loved all the stuff on Nixon but the more I read the more pissed and bummed out I was as I realized the roots of the shithole we find ourselves in presently.

Death in the Congo is on my list, and maybe I need to read Before the Storm (since it seems at least you actually managed to finish that one)...I did like Perlstein's writing a lot, and I do want to revisit Nixonland.

Yeah his writing is pretty good and it definitely improved between Before The Storm and Nixonland. Getting through Before the Storm was tough one of the small details I learned that was kind of upsetting was that Efrem Zimbalist Jr was a rabid right winger. Finding out that Alfred was probably a bit of a poo poo head was kind of disappointing.

# ? Apr 2, 2015 05:06

Lee Harvey Oswald: Mar 17, 2007; by exmarx

Is Perlstein going to write any more for that series? Would love to see him take on the Reagan administration.

# ? Apr 4, 2015 13:44

Raskolnikov2089: Nov 3, 2006; Schizzy to the matic

Any recommendations for a book about the Five Good Emperors of Rome? i.e. Nerva-Marcus Aurelius?

# ? Apr 4, 2015 17:56

Look Sir Droids: Jan 27, 2015; The tracks go off in this direction.

Raskolnikov2089 posted:

Any recommendations for a book about the Five Good Emperors of Rome? i.e. Nerva-Marcus Aurelius?

You could just read Gibbon until you hit Commodus.

Look Sir Droids fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Apr 4, 2015

# ? Apr 4, 2015 21:11

Crashbee: May 15, 2007; Stupid people are great at winning arguments, because they're too stupid to realize they've lost.

Any recommendations for a biography of Isaac Newton and/or a history of early modern science?

# ? Apr 4, 2015 21:26

KomradeX: Oct 29, 2011

Lee Harvey Oswald posted:

Is Perlstein going to write any more for that series? Would love to see him take on the Reagan administration.

I haven't heard anything about another book yet but considering that The Invisible Bridge covers the late 70s through to the '80 election I wouldn't be surprised if we got a book about the Reagan/ Bush I administrations.

# ? Apr 5, 2015 00:47

Otto Von Jizzmark: Dec 27, 2004

Anything good on Brigham young and the early Mormon church?

# ? Apr 8, 2015 20:38

Coheed and Camembert: Feb 11, 2012

Lee Harvey Oswald posted:

Is Perlstein going to write any more for that series? Would love to see him take on the Reagan administration.

His book on Reagan, The Invisible Bridge, came out last year. I haven't read it yet, been meaning to start Nixonland. He wrote in a Reddit AMA that his fourth one (presumably on HW Bush) would be the last one in the series.

I've been tearing through biographies of LBJ and of 60s politics in general. I really enjoyed Jonathan Darman's Landslide and Mark Kurlansky's 1968. Are there any really essential books on RFK I should read? I have Thurston Clarke's The Last Campaign on my Kindle, ready to go.

# ? Apr 12, 2015 02:49

Punkin Spunkin: Jan 1, 2010

reading DKG's life of Salmon Chase making a nigga tear up :qq:

quote:

If his sister hoped that a warm family life would replace his ambition with love, her hopes were brutally crushed by the fates that brought him to love and lose three young wives.
His first, Catherine �Kitty� Garniss�a warm, outgoing, attractive young woman whom he loved passionately�died in 1835 from complications of childbirth after eighteen months of marriage. She was only twenty-three. Her death was �so overwhelming, so unexpected,� he told his friend Cleveland, that he could barely function.

The child upon whom all his affections then centered, named Catherine in honor of her dead mother, lived only five years. Her death in 1840 during an epidemic of scarlet fever devastated Chase. Losing one�s only child, he told Charles Cleveland, was �one of the heaviest calamities which human experience can know.�

Eventually, Chase fell in love and married again. The young woman, Eliza Ann Smith, had been a good friend of his first wife. Eliza was only twenty when she gave birth to a daughter, Kate, named in memory of both his first wife and his first daughter. For a few short years, Chase found happiness in a warm marriage sustained by a deep religious bond. It would not last, for after the birth and death of a second daughter, Eliza was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which took her life at the age of twenty-five. �I feel as if my heart was broken,� Chase admitted to Cleveland after he placed Eliza�s body in the tomb. �I write weeping. I cannot restrain my tears�. I have no wife, my little Kate has no mother, and we are desolate.�

The following year, Chase married Sarah Belle Ludlow, whose well-to-do father was a leader in Cincinnati society. Belle gave birth to two daughters, Nettie and Zoe. Zoe died at twelve months; two years later, her mother followed her into the grave. Though Chase was only forty-four years old, he would never marry again. �What a vale of misery this world is,� he lamented some years later when his favorite sister, Hannah, suffered a fatal heart attack at the dining room table.

# ? Apr 14, 2015 04:39

butt implants: Oct 16, 2004; i'm gay

Currently reading Rubicon. Any books in the same vein for Imperial Roman history?

# ? Apr 16, 2015 23:39

beergod: Nov 1, 2004; NOBODY WANTS TO SEE PICTURES OF YOUR UGLY FUCKING KIDS YOU DIPSHIT

Read I, Claudius. It is perfect.

# ? Apr 19, 2015 20:02

sbaldrick: Jul 19, 2006; Driven by Hate

Riosan posted:

His book on Reagan, The Invisible Bridge, came out last year. I haven't read it yet, been meaning to start Nixonland. He wrote in a Reddit AMA that his fourth one (presumably on HW Bush) would be the last one in the series.

I just picked this up for a trip next week, the only thing I can say for sure is its a bit shorter then Nixonland and has received less press due to Reagan's status.

I'd say a 4th one would have to be about W. And the rise of the religious right more.

# ? Apr 19, 2015 21:15

Hot Dog Day #82: Jul 5, 2003; Soiled Meat

beergod posted:

Read I, Claudius. It is perfect.

I am going to quote you but this is a question for everyone! Has anyone hear read Robert Grave's Count Belisarius ? Graves is one of my favorite authors and Belisarius is one of my favorite historical figures, so I imagine that book must be in my wheelhouse.

# ? Apr 19, 2015 23:32

Punkin Spunkin: Jan 1, 2010

Hot Dog Day #82 posted:

I am going to quote you but this is a question for everyone! Has anyone hear read Robert Grave's Count Belisarius ? Graves is one of my favorite authors and Belisarius is one of my favorite historical figures, so I imagine that book must be in my wheelhouse.

Indeed I have, and I really quite enjoyed it. Having read both of Grave's Claudius books I immediately tried to hunt down anything else he'd written in the same wheelhouse and found Count Belisarius a fine and enjoyable action-packed read. All of the battles in Italy are pretty badass and exciting and I remember liking all the Justinian-Belisarius-Theodora stuff, though to be fair "Byzantine" history has never been my strongest suit.
Lots of moving and badass moments and some pretty amusing Persian-Byzantine war stuff.

quote:

Belisarius, who had succeeded in getting together an army of 25,000 men (of whom, however, he could not count on more than 3,000 to show hardihood, either in attack or defence) soon heard that a well-trained army of 40,000 men under the command of the Persian generalissimo Firouz was marching against him. Then came a Persian messenger with an arrogant message for Belisarius: 'Firouz of the Golden Fillet spends tomorrow night in the City of Daras. Let a bath be prepared for him.'
To which Belisarius replied with the amiable wit which became his handsome person: ' Belisarius of the Steel Casque assures the Persian Generalissimo that the sweating chamber and the cold douche will both be ready for him.'

After exhausting all I could find of Robert Graves (I mean I couldn't find The Golden Fleece or King Jesus, I wonder if they're any good...) I exhausted Mary Renault (whom I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't gotten into her ancient history/mythology stuff, her Alexander series is extremely excellent and it's the best fictional depiction of the Diadochi stuff) and now I have nothing, noooooothing.

Punkin Spunkin fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Apr 19, 2015

# ? Apr 19, 2015 23:41

Hot Dog Day #82: Jul 5, 2003; Soiled Meat

TheFallenEvincar posted:

Indeed I have, and I really quite enjoyed it. Having read both of Grave's Claudius books I immediately tried to hunt down anything else he'd written in the same wheelhouse and found Count Belisarius a fine and enjoyable action-packed read. All of the battles in Italy are pretty badass and exciting and I remember liking all the Justinian-Belisarius-Theodora stuff, though to be fair "Byzantine" history has never been my strongest suit.
Lots of moving and badass moments and some pretty amusing Persian-Byzantine war stuff.

After exhausting all I could find of Robert Graves (I mean I couldn't find The Golden Fleece or King Jesus, I wonder if they're any good...) I exhausted Mary Renault (whom I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't gotten into her ancient history/mythology stuff, her Alexander series is extremely excellent and it's the best fictional depiction of the Diadochi stuff) and now I have nothing, noooooothing.

Have you read Goodbye to All That? It is Grave's memoir about his service in World War 1 and is really quite good!

# ? Apr 19, 2015 23:54

Schizotek: Nov 8, 2011; I say, hey, listen to me!
Stay sane inside insanity!!!

Hey History nerds. If I wanted to get ahold of something like the The Cambridge History of Iran, is there a way to do it besides shelling out 100-300 dollars a volume? Because that poo poo is pretty loving brutal. I just want to learn, why does it cost so much to learn?

e: well I guess Amazon has the complete set of 8 volumes for $1,263.60. That's only 160 bucks a volume. What a deal :suicide:

e2: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA http://www.amazon.com/Political-Dev...mbridge+history

Schizotek fucked around with this message at 02:13 on Apr 22, 2015

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:09

Stravinsky: May 31, 2011

Schizotek posted:

Hey History nerds. If I wanted to get ahold of something like the The Cambridge History of Iran, is there a way to do it besides shelling out 100-300 dollars a volume? Because that poo poo is pretty loving brutal. I just want to learn, why does it cost so much to learn?

e: well I guess Amazon has the complete set of 8 volumes for $1,263.60. That's only 160 bucks a volume. What a deal
e2: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA http://www.amazon.com/Political-Dev...mbridge+history

I'm guesing your not a student or something that has a library deal or access to cambridges stuff do you?

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:21

Stravinsky: May 31, 2011

I don't have plat but if you really wanted the history of iran one I might be able to help you out if you email me at there was an email here now its gone

Stravinsky fucked around with this message at 03:14 on Apr 22, 2015

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:27

Schizotek: Nov 8, 2011; I say, hey, listen to me!
Stay sane inside insanity!!!

Stravinsky posted:

I'm guesing your not a student or something that has a library deal or access to cambridges stuff do you?

Actually I am a student. Although I have no idea how I would go about accessing that stuff because Florida is terrible and why would they even bother explaining that stuff to students right? Might make them more ~~educated~~ liberal.
Whats the reason for the crazy high price for a personal copy? I mean 2500 dollars a volume is kinda gross.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:30

Stravinsky: May 31, 2011

Schizotek posted:

Actually I am a student. Although I have no idea how I would go about accessing that stuff because Florida is terrible and why would they even bother explaining that stuff to students right?
Whats the reason for the crazy high price for a personal copy? I mean 2500 dollars a volume is kinda gross.

Go to your school library and ask the people working there what databases the school has access to. There is no guarantee that they have cambridge though or even have a physical copy in there circulation (they may be able to do a loan it does not hurt trying).

You have to realize that these things really were not meant for mass consumption and are mainly there to sit in a library until someone needs the information inside. Low print runs meant solely for colleges/libraries/that professor that specializes in that field, plus "prestige" fees, and all of that make them super expensive.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:36

Stravinsky: May 31, 2011

Let me also say that for probably 99% of the people who post in this thread that reading something like The Cambridge History of Iran will probably do zero for them, because it is one hundred percent no joke legit academic history that will bore most people to death. I am talking about soil and mineral makeup of the land that go on for many pages.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 02:45

Vegetable: Oct 22, 2010

For what it's worth, the Cambridge History of Southeast Asia is really baller. It employs a comparative approach in a very systematic way so you really see how nations in Southeast Asia were similar or dissimilar. Not too much soil and mineral stuff, although sections like those can always be skipped anyway.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 03:38

Paper With Lines: Aug 21, 2013; The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!

Stravinsky posted:

Let me also say that for probably 99% of the people who post in this thread that reading something like The Cambridge History of Iran will probably do zero for them, because it is one hundred percent no joke legit academic history that will bore most people to death. I am talking about soil and mineral makeup of the land that go on for many pages.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 03:48

PittTheElder: Feb 13, 2012; Yes, it's like a lava lamp.

Stravinsky posted:

Let me also say that for probably 99% of the people who post in this thread that reading something like The Cambridge History of Iran will probably do zero for them, because it is one hundred percent no joke legit academic history that will bore most people to death. I am talking about soil and mineral makeup of the land that go on for many pages.

It depends on the book though. Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West is straight up an academic textbook, but it's also amazing.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 06:49

Disinterested: Jun 29, 2011; You look like you're still raking it in. Still killing 'em?

The New Cambridge Medieval History can be pretty good too.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 13:00

Cyrano4747: Sep 25, 2006; Yes, I know I'm old, get off my fucking lawn so I can yell at these clouds.

Frankly, if you are a student who wants to learn about Iranian history broadly I wouldn't start with something like a Cambridge History of <country name>. Those things are all inclusive to an absurd degree because they're meant as reference material, a good, vetted volume that can be cited by a historian if they need a footnote for a specific random fact.

In this day and age? Just start reading Wikipedia. From a research standpoint and as something you'd want to cite in a paper it has huge problems, but approached from the much lower bar of "I just want to learn about this subject" it's goddamned wonderful. Read all of the Wikipedia poo poo on Iran you can stomach and then chase down specific books cited in it to get your toes into the actual literature on whatever sub-section of Iranian history you find really interests you.

# ? Apr 22, 2015 15:18

Schizotek: Nov 8, 2011; I say, hey, listen to me!
Stay sane inside insanity!!!

Cyrano4747 posted:

Frankly, if you are a student who wants to learn about Iranian history broadly I wouldn't start with something like a Cambridge History of <country name>. Those things are all inclusive to an absurd degree because they're meant as reference material, a good, vetted volume that can be cited by a historian if they need a footnote for a specific random fact.

In this day and age? Just start reading Wikipedia. From a research standpoint and as something you'd want to cite in a paper it has huge problems, but approached from the much lower bar of "I just want to learn about this subject" it's goddamned wonderful. Read all of the Wikipedia poo poo on Iran you can stomach and then chase down specific books cited in it to get your toes into the actual literature on whatever sub-section of Iranian history you find really interests you.

Well I've already read a ton of Wikipedia and a few smaller histories, so a big gigantic information bukaki is pretty much what I'm after. But I've found a way to get ahold of it without bankrupting myself, so I'll see if it's something I can stomach soon enough. And it looks like the "soil composition volume" is by far the shortest section. A mere 700 pages, compared to the thousands some of the the other volumes reach.

Schizotek fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Apr 23, 2015

# ? Apr 23, 2015 21:49

MonsieurChoc: Oct 12, 2013; Every species can smell its own extinction.

Any good books on the Dalai-Lamas? I'm especially interested in the 13th, the previous one, as he seems like quite an important character. All I know is taken from either Wikipedia of The Bloody White Baron.

# ? Apr 27, 2015 02:12

Grand Fromage: Jan 30, 2006; L-l-look at you bar-bartender, a-a pa-pathetic creature of meat and bone, un-underestimating my l-l-liver's ability to metab-meTABolize t-toxins. How can you p-poison a perfect, immortal alcohOLIC?

Otto Von Jizzmark posted:

Anything good on Brigham young and the early Mormon church?

Under the Banner of Heaven is a lot about modern Mormon fundamentalists, but it also traces the history in some detail and is worth reading.

I'm going to crosspost from the general thread: I'm looking for history books about Japan, but not all the samurai/WW2/anime books that are coming up in my searching. I want something about the post-war transformation, from the 50s through the 70s/80s. I've found a couple for the immediate post-war occupation era but I am interested in something about the changes during the boom times and I am not finding much.

# ? Apr 27, 2015 02:32

dokmo: Aug 27, 2006; man

Grand Fromage posted:

I'm going to crosspost from the general thread: I'm looking for history books about Japan, but not all the samurai/WW2/anime books that are coming up in my searching. I want something about the post-war transformation, from the 50s through the 70s/80s. I've found a couple for the immediate post-war occupation era but I am interested in something about the changes during the boom times and I am not finding much.

I was surprised to see that there really isn't much. The only thing I could see at the library which may be what you're getting at is Japan's Postwar History by Gary Allinson

http://utpjournalsreview.com/index.php/CJOH/article/download/9035/7912 posted:

Chapter One, entitled "Antecedents, 1932-1945," assesses the impact of government policies on social, political, and economic conditions before and during the Pacific War. Allinson states that the history of postwar Japan actually begins in 1932. It was around that time that a policy of increased government spending was adopted which "provoked broad social changes and structured developments in the industrial economy until the 1970s" (p. 6).

Chapter Two, entitled "Revival, 1945-1955," describes conditions inunediately after Japan's surrender: photographs depicting the devastation and the scarcity of material resources effectively reveal the inunensity of the task of rebuilding Japan. It is clear that Allinson does not belong to the camp of writers who hold a more positive interpretation of the Occupation's initial reforms, which were ostensibly geared to promoting Japanese demilitarization and democratization. He emphasizes the punitive nature of the Occupation's initial policies and observes how the emphasis on "reform, revenge, and reparations" impeded economic recovery by prohibiting the rebuilding ofheavy industry and access to international markets (p. 76).

Chapter Three, entitled "Growth, 1955-1974," explains the various historical, contemporary, international, and domestic factors that accounted for Japan's rapid economic rise during the period. For example, the behaviour and motivations of the Japanese people were an important precondition. Memories ofpoverty in the recent past and the absence of a generous system of public welfare resulted in a strong propensity to save. As expanding fIrms relied mostly on bank loans, it was the accumulated wealth ofsmall savers which largely fmanced economic development.

Chapter Four, entitled "Affluence, 1974-1989," outlines the social changes, political problems and economic adjustments that followed Japan's emergence as a major trading power. The oil crisis of the 1970s, the so-called Nixon shocks or monetary difficulties, and the rising protectionist mood in other countries made it clear that Japan had to make some major adjustments in its economy. Its response was to take advantage of trade surpluses and its stronger currency by vigorously expanding its foreign investments.

Chapter Five, entitled "Uncertainty, 1989-1995," explains the factors behind the bursting of the so-called Japanese "bubble" economy of the late .1980s. Allinson provides a good account of the uncertainties of the 1990s and indicates that instability and insecurity, which have long been characteristic of Japan's past, probably will be part of its future. Course instructors can simply

# ? Apr 27, 2015 17:23

Vegetable: Oct 22, 2010

This isn't just post-WWII but I really enjoyed A Modern History of Japan. Very readable.

# ? Apr 27, 2015 18:40

sbaldrick: Jul 19, 2006; Driven by Hate

I finished the Invisible Bridge while as I was on vacation. While it was interesting (not as good as Nixonland or the one on Goldwater) it just didn't cover a long enough time period.

# ? May 6, 2015 19:57

floramarche: Oct 29, 2007

Any recommendations for books on the Burton/Speke expedition?

# ? May 8, 2015 04:49

Punkin Spunkin: Jan 1, 2010

I like how in most of the Lincoln/political histories of the Civil War era fiction and nonfiction (particularly in Team of Rivals), Salmon P. Chase is basically depicted as a super vain, douchey, often clueless egotistical prick. I mean, awesome abolitionism and super tragic love life aside, he comes off as such a touchy and superior dude.
I mean I was often astonished by how TERRIBLE the dude seems at politics, especially in his silly Republican primary process.

# ? May 11, 2015 01:20

mcclay: Jul 8, 2013; Oh dear oh gosh oh darn; Soiled Meat

gently caress, wrong thread. Anyways the Battalion is about the Rangers and is a pretty good loving book.

mcclay fucked around with this message at 17:57 on May 12, 2015

# ? May 12, 2015 17:54

Count Thrashula: Jun 1, 2003; Death is nothing compared to vindication.; Buglord

Any suggestions for books about WW2 North Africa and/or specifically focused on Erwin Rommel?

edit-- with the caveat that it be available on Kindle.

Count Thrashula fucked around with this message at 21:19 on May 12, 2015

# ? May 12, 2015 18:44

Cyrano4747: Sep 25, 2006; Yes, I know I'm old, get off my fucking lawn so I can yell at these clouds.

COOL CORN posted:

edit-- with the caveat that it be available on Kindle.

This is going to limit you pretty severely.

# ? May 13, 2015 02:53

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# ? May 13, 2024 23:34

Tupping Liberty: Mar 17, 2008; Never cross an introvert.

I have recently become really interested in Japanese-American Internment in WWII. I have "Infamy" "Looking Like the Enemy" and "Farewell to Manzanar" on my to-read list, but does anyone have other recommendations?

# ? May 13, 2015 03:19

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The History Book Thread! looks like I need to set up space for a Nazi shelf

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