I love history. For the last few years I have been studying the History of North American. Because I get bored easily I prefer books that not only have great information but their writers are good storytellers. Here is a list of my 4 favorite history books and why I like them.
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Albions Seed by David hackett Fischer. Ever wonder why your Grandma is the way she is? Well this book might help. This book covers 4 british cultural types and explains their customs, clothing, relationships, religion and what societies they created when they became Americans. This is a big thick book, but I wish is was bigger because I was intrigued by all the information.
This book is a treat. Brutal Journey: The Epic Story of the First Crossing of North America, by Paul Schneider. This book is about the first Europeans that crossed the North American continent by land. This book is bizarrely comical and painful to read. Schneider’s humanistic writing style makes the events in this book even more real.
Confederates in the Attic by Tony Hormitz. This book was a real eye opener. Apparently, the Civil War is not quite done. Especially in the minds of some of the inhabitants living in the deep South. Hormitz’s journey through the South is filled with humor, contradictions, and unfinished business which makes for extraodinary story telling.
Ada Blackjack, A Tru Story of Survival in the Arctic, by Jennifer Niven. What could possibly go wrong with a totally unprepared trip to the Artic North? This is the saddest of the 4 books I have listed. After reading it I just had to ask, “Why?” It’s also cool that out of everyone involved in this exploration that little, tiny Ada was the one that survived
Ohhhh! I love love love micro histories! Thanks for posting these, I’m always looking for more!
You would also probably like: Women’s Work: The First 20000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times: Elizabeth Wayland Barber (It’s amazing)
and Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82: Elizabeth Anne Fenn.
(Explore the American Revolution through smallpox! George Washington had small pox! It’s awesome!)
i’m normally a english history geek and SO NOT into north american history. but the first book sounds like the perfect gateway drug.
i’ve added it to my amazon and can’t wait to read it. thank you for the suggestion.
Oh, I really like history but due to my illness I cannot concentrate enough to read whole books. I solved it with subscribing to 2 swedish history-magazines instead. Bite-size! Mm…
Hello,
I found you over @ etsy, love your art and then found your blog. Great posts and love your art style
me, too! and story-telling…I think it’s why I was drawn to costume design. I am going to search out ‘Albion’s Seed’ at the library this week. You had me at ‘customs and clothing’.
I love history, too, and think I’ll check out some of these!