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

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

Soundtrack To Mary posted:

Anybody know a good Stalin biography?

Context: Last week, I saw a documentary showing of Joseph Stalin's funeral and the memorial services held in the other republics of the U.S.S.R. AFterwards, I thought "well, anyone who received that kind of a sendoff must've done something right," and I started to read a little bit about his life story. Now, I'd like to go a little deeper.

Any suggestions?

Stalin by Edvard Radzinsky was really good. He's a Russian who has written books on Nicholas II, Rasputin, etc. He writes in a way that makes what you're reading very interesting.

This book starts from Stalin's childhood, and goes through every facet of his life. I found it really hard to put down. I highly recommend.

# ¿ Mar 10, 2012 17:49

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# ¿ May 7, 2024 07:06

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

Red Fructidor posted:

I didn't see this, so I have to recommend Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Through school I always thought the industrial/gilded age stuff was way boring and viewed it from a negative standpoint, but picked this up after seeing a few things about Standard Oil. The first parts of the book are about the ruthless business practices of Rockefeller and the rise of Standard while the rest are about his family and later charity work. The author explores the benevolent and machiavellian sides of him in a really interesting way in describing his family life and the importance of religion as his cold reputation grows. Honestly both aspects were mindblowing in their scope, from Standard Oil men literally following competitors to undercut their prices to the point of giving away their own oil, to all the institutions created with Rockefeller money for the benefit of blacks and the post-Civil War South. Just an immensely interesting man with a legacy, good and bad, that affects so many people to this day.

This book sounded good to me, and I got it a few years ago. When it showed up, I was intimidated. It's a big book. How long did it take you? I haven't read it yet, but it's definitely in my queue.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2012 22:05

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

I'm interested in reading about Romania during Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime and then the Romanian revolution. Any recommendations?

# ¿ Oct 13, 2014 19:21

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

Fodder Cannon posted:

Is there a good book on the start of the Pinkertons? Somewhat related I read The Devil in the White City and it was decent but while I',m in the late nineteenth century are there any good books on the Klondike gold rush and maybe more books on the development of Chicago, and also the start of the US marshals?

I recall enjoying Sin in the Second City. It mostly focuses on one brothel, but you get all of the history of Chicago surrounding the same time period.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2015 21:05

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

mariooncrack posted:

I know this is a broad topic but can anyone recommend any books on the Vietnam War?

I really enjoyed Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam. Very interesting stuff I seem to recall the chapter about STDs/prostitutes being pretty awful.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2015 20:26

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

I just watched
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9w5bgtJC8
and it reminded me of how much I used to enjoy reading and learning about the Titanic when I was young.

The main book I recall reading was A Night to Remember by Walter Lord. I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations for good books about the Titanic?

# ¿ Apr 20, 2016 23:39

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# ¿ May 7, 2024 07:06

Juanito: Jan 20, 2004; I wasn't paying attention
to what you just said.

Can you repeat yourself
in a more interesting way?; Hell Gem

Grand Fromage posted:

I am looking for things on the history of computers/hacking. I read The Innovators recently and I have read other books I can't remember the titles of, so suggest away. I'll take anything but I particularly enjoy the wild west 70s to early 90s era. All the stuff that inspired cyberpunk, more or less.

Ghosts in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick was a really fun read.

"Considering the fact that Windows 95 hadn't even been released when federal agents finally caught up with the computer hacker Kevin Mitnick, one might assume his new memoir would be full of stale old tech-and-�techniques that no one in 2011 could possibly care about. But as Mitnick makes clear here, don't jump to conclusions.... Ghost in the Wires reads like a contemporary �ber-geeky thriller....For those interested in computer history, "Ghost in the Wires" is a nostalgia trip to the quaint old days before hacking (and hackers) turned so malicious and financially motivated."

# ¿ Apr 21, 2016 00:03

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