World History

soryang

(3,308 posts)

7. Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

Thu Dec 19, 2019, 07:47 PM

Dec 2019

The compelling analysis of the most terrifying trend in modern European History during the 20th Century and its origins.

Others:

Bernard Fall, The Two Vietnams, a Political and Military Analysis
I.F. Stone, The Hidden History of the Korean War 1950-51
Adam Tooze, Wages of Destruction (an economic History of Nazi Germany)
Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel
Charles C. Mann, 1491
James Bradley, The China Mirage
Stephen Kinzer, The True Flag (T. Roosevelt, Mark Twain and the Birth of the American Empire)

Some may argue that one or more of these are not really "history" books, but I considered all them representative of useful methods or tools for a historian. This is in contrast to the scores of historical works that I have read and forgotten over a lifetime.

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Do you have a fave book that shaped understanding of history? [View all] Bucky Dec 2019 OP

A Peoples History of the United States. guillaumeb Dec 2019 #1

When I taught US history class, I loved Zinn's primary sources book Bucky Dec 2019 #2

The Killer Angels , by Michael Shaara SWBTATTReg Dec 2019 #3

Agree 100 Bucky Dec 2019 #4

American history or world history? virgogal Dec 2019 #5

Whatever works. American history is world history Bucky Dec 2019 #8

I'll second the Howard Zinn recommendation, and add a few of my own: RockRaven Dec 2019 #6

Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism soryang Dec 2019 #7

Yes, and ironically enough, it is a work of fiction. jcmaine72 Dec 2019 #9