:material-history:{ .anim-heart } History
Chronicles of the past, from ancient republics to modern global conflicts.
Rubicon, by Tom Holland (2026)#
An excellent history of the end of the Roman Republic. The glory, the politics, and the utter savagery behind the veneer of civilization.
The Wager, by David Grann (2025)#
An excellently pieced together account of a ship and its tumultuous journey. Survivors are pushed to extremes. Recommended.
Fear and Loathing in La Liga, by Sid Lowe (2025)#
An excellent peek into the history of Barca and Madrid, starting from the Spanish Civil War. Recommended!
Funny Because It’s True, by Christine Wenc (2025)#
A history of The Onion, from its early college days to its zenith in the pre-internet era.
The Dictionary People, by Sarah Ogilvie (2025)#
A history of the OED primarily from the perspective of the people who contributed to it.
World War II & History of the Second World War (2025)#
Concise and monumental summaries of the war, including Liddell Hart’s military perspective.
Impossible Journeys, by Mathew Lyons (2024)#
A lovely collection of true stories from a time when most of the world was still unexplored.
The Illustrated Longitude, by Dava Sobel and William J.H. Andrews (2024)#
An already excellent book elevated to greatness by lavish illustrations.
Shock Doctrine, by Naomi Klein (2024)#
A depressing look at how crises are used by the military-industrial complex to amass wealth.
Coromandel, by Charles Allen (2024)#
An excellent history of South India. Highly recommended.
The Outlaw Ocean, by Ian Urbina (2023)#
A fascinating look into the wild, lawless life in the oceans. From illegal fishing to slavery and piracy.
All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire, by Jonathan Abrams (2023)#
The greatest show made in TV history, these interviews are quite fascinating.
Masters of Doom, by David Kushner (2023)#
An inside look at the early days of id software and how Doom was built.
Prisoners of Geography, by Tim Marshall (2023)#
An excellent guide to how geography shapes history and civilizations.
The Incredible History of India’s Geography, by Sanjeev Sanyal (2019)#
A concise information dump of India’s Geography and how it shaped its History.
Hate, Inc., by Matt Taibbi (2019)#
Civilization, by Niall Ferguson (2021)#
Found the tendency to pigeon-hole history into fixed theories too forced.
Anabasis, by Xenophon (2021)#
It’s nice to finally read something that has such a rich cultural history and see all the influences it has had.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, by E. M. Berens (2021)#
A more classic take on these myths. Highly recommended.
Debt: The First 5000 Years, by David Graeber (2022)#
A thoroughly enjoyable look at debt from its early history up to the current generation. All kinds of interesting tidbits from different cultures.
The Immortal Game, by David Shenk (2024)#
A history of chess, written by an enthusiast. It stops at the Deep Blue / Kasparov generation.
Pirateology, by Dugald A Steer (2023)#
A very short read but beautifully made, with a lovely art style.
Out of their Minds, by Dennis E. Shasha (2024)#
A brief but interesting summary of titans of Computer Science like John McCarthy and Alan Kay.