Here are some of the books I have used over the year to plan trips. I like the feel of a paper book, but ended up making the switch to digital several years ago for most books. It is more convenient for travel since an e-reader takes up much less space and also makes it easier to search for key terms or highlights & comments I’ve made as I read. The exception to this would be books that are more of a field guide, with maps or photographs that I need to reference on-site; hard copies are still my favorite for that.
US History
“American Heritage History of Early America: 1492-1776” by Robert G. Ahearn
I only see the Kindle version on Amazon, so not sure if this is in print any more but it’s a really good overview of this time period.
“Almost A Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence” by John Ferling
This is a great book to look at the entire War of Independence from Lexington to Yorktown. Given the hardships the Rebels faced, it’s amazing we were able to hold out long enough for a victory.
I had never heard of this event before coming across this book. To undertake a round-the-world journey today would be massive; to do it as a single female in 1889 is incredible!
“Inferno: All Hell Let Loose – The World at War, 1939-1945” by Max Hastings
I like this book as a good overall view of the Second World War. There are so many incredible stories from WWII that it is understandable that each would get its own volume, but sometimes it helps to step back and look at the whole event.
“City of Scoundrels: The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago” by Gary Krist
There was a blimp accident in Chicago in 1919?! Soon after that accident, a racial incident led to fighting all over the city, there was a massive transit strike, a murder investigation … and what would a book about Chicago be without political shenanigans?
European History
“A History of the English-Speaking Peoples” by Sir Winston Churchill
I tend to re-read Volumes 1 and 2 the most since they cover my favorite periods:
Volume I – “The Birth of Britain”
Volume II – “The New World”
Volume III – “The Age of Revolution”
Volume IV – “The Great Democracies”
“Becoming Charlemagne” by Jeff Sypeck
I thought this book was very informative on Charlemagne’s life. I was surprised to read how close he was to his wife and children and how much emphasis he put on education.
“The White Ship” by Charles Spencer
A great book that gives more detail on the White ship disaster of 1120 that literally dashed the succession of the English crown to pieces against a rock.
“She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth” by Helen Castor
Elizabeth I was a strong ruler and commanding presence, but she wasn’t the first for England. This book gives forgotten women their due: Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou and Lade Jane Grey.
“Eleanor of Aquitane” by Alison Weir
Ooo this is a good one! Eleanor was a Queen of France…she accompanied King Louis on Crusade…and then she divorced Louis and became Queen of England and ruled over her Duchy of Aquitane. She was a much-maligned figure, so it is hard to parse fact from rumor and fiction. I wish the book had more information specifically on Eleanor, but there just aren’t reliable sources to fill in some of the gaps. Weir does her best with what she had!
“Queens of Georgian Britain” by Catherine Curzon
This book was really interesting! I didn’t know much about these Queens at all before reading the book and I felt like it did a great job covering the period and sharing what these women endured.
“Becoming Queen Victoria: The Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch” by Kate Williams
Victoria was the daughter of the the 4th son of England’s King George III, so it is hard to believe how there were NO other legitimate heirs to the throne ahead of her! There was one, King George IV had a daughter Charlotte, but she died in childbirth, sparking a succession crisis. This was a great book covering all the drama that led to Victoria inheriting the crown.
“The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914” by Christopher Clark
The complex alliances and relationships leading up to the First World War are examined in this book, which is no small task to do! He does a nice job going through the turmoil in Serbia that is often designated as the powder keg for the war.
“Inferno: All Hell Let Loose – The World at War, 1939-1945” by Max Hastings
I like this book as a good overall view of the Second World War. There are so many incredible stories from WWII that it is understandable that each would get its own volume, but sometimes it helps to step back and look at the whole event.
I had not heard of the women of the French resistance who were sent to concentration camps during the Nazi occupation of France in WWII. 49 of 220 who went to the camps survived more than 2 years before they were liberated. It can be hard to read what they endured but it was very moving book.
“The Western Front – North (Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield Guides) by Toni & Valmai Holt
This book was very helpful when I planned a WWI battlefield trip. I see newer editions have GPS coordinates – that’s brilliant! The “North” edition covers more than a dozen battles from Nieuwport to just north of The Somme.
“The Western Front – South (Major and Mrs Holt’s Battlefield Guides) by Toni & Valmai Holt
Along with the “North” edition, this series is great for planning visits to the battlefields. The “South” edition covers The Somme and places like Meuse-Argonne and Champagne.
I was prompted to read this after seeing the Broadway musical inspired by the book. I’m not generally a big fan of musicals but I do love “Hamilton”. I was pretty impressed at how much Lin Manuel Miranda kept closer to the history than most dramatized versions do! This is a massive tome, and it was bit tough for me to slog through all the banking segments, but it’s pretty amazing what he accomplished in his short life and what he might have done with more time!
One note on many books listed here: some are historical fiction, where the author writes a fictional character into a true historic event. Others are more of a dramatization of actual events, where the author is filling in gaps that history has not recorded or asking “how might these people have acted or responded” to the events around them? Both can be very entertaining but do mind that historical accuracy is not always preserved if it doesn’t match the story line, so some liberties are taken!
The Plantagenet novels by Sharon Kay Penman
Penman does a good job creating a historical novel from the actual events of the time. Book 1 centers on the struggle for the throne between Matilda, daughter of King Henry I and her cousin, Stephen of Blois, who snatched the throne with Uncle Henry died. The subsequent books in the series are also pretty entertaining – covering the tumultuous times of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and their sons – but when you have the Plantagenets to work with, the drama and intrigue practically writes itself!
Book 1: “When Christ and His Saints Slept: A Novel”
Book 2: “Time and Chance”
Book 3: “Devil’s Brood”
Book 4: “Lionheart”
Book 5: “A King’s Ransom”
“The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War” by Michael Shaara
I later found out this book is the middle in a trilogy Shaara wrote on the Civil war. This book is centered on the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. He really does make you feel like you’re there, watching the battle and engaging with the generals and soldiers. I’ll have to read the other 2 sometime!
Book 1: “Gods and Generals”
Book 3: “The Last Full Measure”
A standard travel guide to the place you’re visiting is a good idea to help cover the basics of transportation, lodging, additional sights and more. Lonely Planet is my usual go-to, but Fodors and Moon guides are good too.
Other Resources:
Websites
Places to Visit
Transportation
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