- Necropolis: London and Its Dead By Catharine Arnold
From Roman burial rites to the horrors of the plague, from the founding of the great Victorian cemeteries to the development of cremation and the current approach of metropolitan society towards death and bereavement — including more recent trends to displays of collective grief and the cult of mourning, such as that surrounding the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. This fascinating blend of archaeology, architecture and anecdote includes such phenomena as the rise of the undertaking trade and the pageantry of state funerals; public executions and bodysnatching. Ghoulishly entertaining and full of fascinating nuggets of information, Necropolis leaves no headstone unturned in its exploration of our changing attitudes to the deceased among us - Warsaw 1920: Lenin’s Failed Conquest of Europe By Adam Zamoyski
The dramatic and little-known story of how, in the summer of 1920, Lenin came within a hair’s breadth of shattering the painstakingly constructed Versailles peace settlement and spreading Bolshevism to western Europe. - Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West By Dee Brown
First published in 1970, this extraordinary book changed the way people thought about the original inhabitants of America. Beginning with the Long Walk of the Navajos in 1860 and ending 30 years later with the massacre of Sioux men, women, and children at Wounded Knee in South Dakota, it tells how the American Indians lost their land and lives to a dynamically expanding white society. It is a truism that “history is written by the victors”; for the first time, this book described the opening of the West from the Indians’ viewpoint. Accustomed to stereotypes of Indians as red savages, many white people were shocked to read the reasoned eloquence of Indian leaders and learn of the bravery with which they and their peoples endured suffering. - A People’s History of the World By Chris Harman
From earliest human society to the Holy Roman Empire, from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, from the Industrial Revolution to the end of the millennium, Chris Harman provides a brilliant and comprehensive history of the planet.Eschewing the standard histories of “Great Men,” of dates and kings, Harman offers a groundbreaking counter-history, a breathtaking sweep across the centuries in the tradition of “history from below.” In a fiery narrative, he shows how ordinary men and women were involved in creating and changing society and how conflict between classes was often at the core of these changes.While many pundits see the victory of capitalism as now safely secured, Harman explains the rise and fall of societies and civilizations throughout the ages and demonstrates that history never ends. - Empires of the Sea: the Final Battle for the Mediterranean, 1521-1580 By Roger Crowley
“Empires of the Sea” shows the Mediterranean as a majestic and bloody theatre of war. Opening with the Ottoman victory in 1453, it is a breathtaking story of military crusading, Barbary pirates, white slavery and the Ottoman Empire - and the larger picture of the struggle between Islam and Christianity. Coupled with dramatic set piece battles, a wealth of riveting first-hand accounts, epic momentum and a terrific denouement at Lepanto, this is a work of history at its broadest and most compelling. - Liberation: The Bitter Road to Freedom, Europe 1944-1945 By William I Hitchcock
The traditional image of Europe in 1945 is of grateful civilians showering soldiers with flowers and dancing in the streets. In reality, liberation was an extraordinarily violent and chaotic process. Using first-hand accounts, Hitchcock describes the catastrophic effects of invasion on Northern France, Belgium and Holland, the huge civilian death tolls from indiscriminate bombing, with towns destroyed and crops burnt. He shows that the motives and behaviour of the Allied forces were far from noble; they frequently abused power and authority, looted homes and sexually assaulted women. Hitchcock also writes about the discovery of the major concentration camps, and the often shocking lack of empathy shown by its liberators. Lucid and compelling, Liberation explores the paradoxes of ‘the good war’, its glories and its horrific human costs. - The Ascent of Money: a Financial History of the World By Niall Ferguson
Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance. - Clean: An Unsanitised History of Washing By Katherine Ashenburg
‘I return to Paris in five days. Stop washing.’ So wrote Napoleon to Josephine in an age when body odour was considered an aphrodisiac. In stark contrast, the Romans used to bath for hours each day. Ashenburg’s investigation of history’s ambivalence towards personal hygiene takes her through plague-ridden streets, hospitals and battlefields. From the bizarre prescriptions of doctors to the eccentricities of famous bathers, she presents us with all the twists and turns that have led us to our own, arbitrary notion of ‘clean’. - Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town By Mary Beard
The ruins of Pompeii destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79 offer the best evidence we have of life in the Roman empire. This book will rise to the challenge of making sense of its remains. - Henry: The Virtuous Prince By David Starkey
The first installment of the highly anticipated biography of Henry VIII, written by one of the UK’s most popular, established and exciting historians. Published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry’s accession to the throne, ‘Henry: Virtuous Prince’ is a radical re-evaluation of the monarchy’s most enduring icon. Henry VIII was Britain’s most powerful monarch, yet he was not born to rule. Thrust into the limelight after the sudden death of his elder brother, Prince Arthur, Henry ascended the throne in 1509, marking the beginning of a reign that altered the course of English history. David Starkey gives a radical and unforgettable portrait of the man behind the icon; the Renaissance prince turned tyrant, who continues to tower over history.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Ten Best History Books
Today’s issue of The Independent lists their selection of the Ten Best History books:
Holy Books of the World
he Analects A collection of Confucius' teachings thought to have been recorded by his students. They are considered the only sayings that can safely be attributed to him.
Bhagavad Gita A Sanskrit poem that is part of the Indian epic known as the Mahabharata . It describes, in a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna, the Hindu path to spiritual wisdom and the unity with God that can be achieved through karma (action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge). The Bhagavad-Gita was probably written sometime between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200.
Five Classics Five works traditionally attributed to Confucius that form the basic texts of Confucianism. They are the Spring and Autumn Annals, a history of Confucius's native district; the I Ching (or Book of Changes ), a system of divining the future; the Book of Rites , which outlines ceremonies and describes the ideal government; the Book of History ; and the Book of Songs , a collection of poetry. Together they promulgate a system of ethics for managing society based on sympathy for others, etiquette, and ritual. Although the dates of these books are uncertain, they were probably written before the third century B.C.
Koran (Arabic, al-Qur'an) The primary holy book of Islam. It is made up of 114 suras, or chapters, which contain impassioned appeals for belief in God, encouragement to lead a moral life, portrayals of damnation and beatitude, stories of Islamic prophets, and rules governing the social and religious life of Muslims. Believers maintain that the Koran contains the verbatim word of God, revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Some of the suras were written during Muhammad's lifetime, but an authoritative text was not produced until c. A.D. 650.
New Testament The second portion of the Christian Bible, which contains 27 books that form the basis of Christian belief. These books include the sayings of Jesus, the story of his life and work, the death and resurrection of Jesus now celebrated as Easter, the teachings and writings of the apostles, and instruction for converting nonbelievers and for performing baptisms, blessings, and other rituals. The New Testament is believed to have been written c. A.D. 100, some 70 to 90 years after the death of Jesus.
Old Testament The Christian name for the Hebrew Bible. It is the sacred scripture of Judaism and the first portion of the Christian Bible. According to Jewish teachings, it is made up of three parts: the Law (also known as the Torah or Pentateuch), comprising the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), which describes the origins of the world, the covenant between the Lord and Israel, the exodus and entry into the promised land, and the various rules governing social and religious behavior; the Prophets , including the former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1-2, Kings 1-2) and the latter prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets), which describes the history of the Israelites, the stories of heroes, kings, judges, and wars, and the choosing of David as leader of the Israelites; and the Writings (including Psalms, Job, Song of Solomon, and Ruth, among others), which describes the reactions of the people to the laws and covenants, as well as prayers and praises of the covenant. Some books of the Old Testament regarded as sacred by the Jews are not accepted as such by Christians; among Christians there are differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants about the inclusion of some books, the order of the books, and the original sources used in translating them. Scholars generally agree that the Old Testament was compiled from c. 1000 B.C. to c. 100 B.C.
Talmud A compilation of Jewish oral law and rabbinical teachings that is separate from the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. It is made up of two parts: the Mishna , which is the oral law itself, and the Gemara , a commentary on the Mishna . The Talmud contains both a legal section (the Halakah ) and a portion devoted to legends and stories (the Aggada ). The authoritative Babylonian Talmud was compiled in the sixth century.
Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power) The basic text of the Chinese philosophy and religion known as Taoism. It is made up of 81 short chapters or poems that describe a way of life marked by quiet effortlessness and freedom from desire. This is thought to be achieved by following the creative, spontaneous life force of the universe, called the Tao. The book is attributed to Lao-tzu, but it was probably a compilation by a number of writers over a long period of time.
Upanishads The basis of Hindu religion and philosophy that form the final portion of the Veda . The 112 Upanishads describe the relationship of the Brahman , or universal soul, to the atman , or individual soul; they also provide information about Vedic sacrifice and yoga. The original texts of the Upanishads come from various sources and were written beginning c. 900 B.C.
Veda The sacred scripture of Hinduism. Four Vedas make up the Samhita , a collection of prayers and hymns that are considered to be revelations of eternal truth written by seer-poets inspired by the gods. The Rig-Veda , the Sama-Veda , and the Yajur-Veda are books of hymns; the Atharva-Veda compiles magic spells. These writings maintain that the Brahman , or Absolute Self, underlies all reality and can be known by invoking gods through the use of hymns or mantes. The Vedic texts were compiled between c. 1000 B.C. and c. 500 B.C., making them the oldest known group of religious writings.
Bhagavad Gita A Sanskrit poem that is part of the Indian epic known as the Mahabharata . It describes, in a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna, the Hindu path to spiritual wisdom and the unity with God that can be achieved through karma (action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge). The Bhagavad-Gita was probably written sometime between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200.
Five Classics Five works traditionally attributed to Confucius that form the basic texts of Confucianism. They are the Spring and Autumn Annals, a history of Confucius's native district; the I Ching (or Book of Changes ), a system of divining the future; the Book of Rites , which outlines ceremonies and describes the ideal government; the Book of History ; and the Book of Songs , a collection of poetry. Together they promulgate a system of ethics for managing society based on sympathy for others, etiquette, and ritual. Although the dates of these books are uncertain, they were probably written before the third century B.C.
Koran (Arabic, al-Qur'an) The primary holy book of Islam. It is made up of 114 suras, or chapters, which contain impassioned appeals for belief in God, encouragement to lead a moral life, portrayals of damnation and beatitude, stories of Islamic prophets, and rules governing the social and religious life of Muslims. Believers maintain that the Koran contains the verbatim word of God, revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Some of the suras were written during Muhammad's lifetime, but an authoritative text was not produced until c. A.D. 650.
New Testament The second portion of the Christian Bible, which contains 27 books that form the basis of Christian belief. These books include the sayings of Jesus, the story of his life and work, the death and resurrection of Jesus now celebrated as Easter, the teachings and writings of the apostles, and instruction for converting nonbelievers and for performing baptisms, blessings, and other rituals. The New Testament is believed to have been written c. A.D. 100, some 70 to 90 years after the death of Jesus.
Old Testament The Christian name for the Hebrew Bible. It is the sacred scripture of Judaism and the first portion of the Christian Bible. According to Jewish teachings, it is made up of three parts: the Law (also known as the Torah or Pentateuch), comprising the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), which describes the origins of the world, the covenant between the Lord and Israel, the exodus and entry into the promised land, and the various rules governing social and religious behavior; the Prophets , including the former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1-2, Kings 1-2) and the latter prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets), which describes the history of the Israelites, the stories of heroes, kings, judges, and wars, and the choosing of David as leader of the Israelites; and the Writings (including Psalms, Job, Song of Solomon, and Ruth, among others), which describes the reactions of the people to the laws and covenants, as well as prayers and praises of the covenant. Some books of the Old Testament regarded as sacred by the Jews are not accepted as such by Christians; among Christians there are differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants about the inclusion of some books, the order of the books, and the original sources used in translating them. Scholars generally agree that the Old Testament was compiled from c. 1000 B.C. to c. 100 B.C.
Talmud A compilation of Jewish oral law and rabbinical teachings that is separate from the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. It is made up of two parts: the Mishna , which is the oral law itself, and the Gemara , a commentary on the Mishna . The Talmud contains both a legal section (the Halakah ) and a portion devoted to legends and stories (the Aggada ). The authoritative Babylonian Talmud was compiled in the sixth century.
Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power) The basic text of the Chinese philosophy and religion known as Taoism. It is made up of 81 short chapters or poems that describe a way of life marked by quiet effortlessness and freedom from desire. This is thought to be achieved by following the creative, spontaneous life force of the universe, called the Tao. The book is attributed to Lao-tzu, but it was probably a compilation by a number of writers over a long period of time.
Upanishads The basis of Hindu religion and philosophy that form the final portion of the Veda . The 112 Upanishads describe the relationship of the Brahman , or universal soul, to the atman , or individual soul; they also provide information about Vedic sacrifice and yoga. The original texts of the Upanishads come from various sources and were written beginning c. 900 B.C.
Veda The sacred scripture of Hinduism. Four Vedas make up the Samhita , a collection of prayers and hymns that are considered to be revelations of eternal truth written by seer-poets inspired by the gods. The Rig-Veda , the Sama-Veda , and the Yajur-Veda are books of hymns; the Atharva-Veda compiles magic spells. These writings maintain that the Brahman , or Absolute Self, underlies all reality and can be known by invoking gods through the use of hymns or mantes. The Vedic texts were compiled between c. 1000 B.C. and c. 500 B.C., making them the oldest known group of religious writings.
the best books
1. ULYSSES James Joyce
2. THE GREAT GATSBY F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN James Joyce
4. LOLITA Vladimir Nabokov
5. BRAVE NEW WORLD Aldous Huxley
6. THE SOUND AND THE FURY William Faulkner
7. CATCH-22 Joseph Heller
8. DARKNESS AT NOON Arthur Koestler
9. SONS AND LOVERS D.H. Lawrence
10. THE GRAPES OF WRATH John Steinbeck
11. THE OUTSIDER Colin Wilson
12. CHOG Quentin Crisp
13. 1984 George Orwell
14. I, CLAUDIUS Robert Graves
15. COSMICOMICS Italo Calvino
16. MY LIFE AND HARD TIMES James Thurber
17. THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER Carson McCullers
18. SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE / BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Kurt Vonnegut
19. THE HOURS Michael Cunningham
20. NATIVE SON Richard Wright
21. HENDERSON THE RAIN KING Saul Bellow
22. APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA John O'Hara
23. U.S.A. (trilogy) John Dos Passos
24. ACKROYD Jules Feiffer
25. A PASSAGE TO INDIA E.M. Forster
26. THE WINGS OF THE DOVE Henry James
27. THE AMBASSADORS Henry James
28. TENDER IS THE NIGHT F. Scott Fitzgerald
29. THE STUDS LONIGAN TRILOGY James T. Farrell
30. THE GOOD SOLDIER Ford Madox Ford
31. ANIMAL FARM George Orwell
32. THE GOLDEN BOWL Henry James
33. SISTER CARRIE Theodore Dreiser
34. A HANDFUL OF DUST Evelyn Waugh
35. AS I LAY DYING William Faulkner
36. ALL THE KING'S MEN Robert Penn Warren
37. THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY Thornton Wilder
38. HOWARDS END E.M. Forster
39. GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN James Baldwin
40. THE HEART OF THE MATTER Graham Greene
41. LORD OF THE FLIES William Golding
42. DELIVERANCE James Dickey
43. A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME (series) Anthony Powell
44. POINT COUNTER POINT Aldous Huxley
45. THE SUN ALSO RISES Ernest Hemingway
46. THE SECRET AGENT Joseph Conrad
47. NOSTROMO Joseph Conrad
48. THE RAINBOW D.H. Lawrence
49. WOMEN IN LOVE D.H. Lawrence
50. TROPIC OF CANCER Henry Miller
51. THE NAKED AND THE DEAD Norman Mailer
52. PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT Philip Roth
53. PALE FIRE Vladimir Nabokov
54. LIGHT IN AUGUST William Faulkner
55. ON THE ROAD Jack Kerouac
56. THE WAPSHOT CHRONICLES John Cheever
57. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE J.D. Salinger
58. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Anthony Burgess
59. OF HUMAN BONDAGE W. Somerset Maugham
60. HEART OF DARKNESS Joseph Conrad
61. MAIN STREET Sinclair Lewis
62. THE HOUSE OF MIRTH Edith Wharton
63. A FAREWELL TO ARMS Ernest Hemingway
64. BABBITT Sinclair Lewis
65. THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE Muriel Spark
66. FINNEGANS WAKE James Joyce
67. A ROOM WITH A VIEW E.M. Forster
68. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED Evelyn Waugh
69. V. Thomas Pynchon
70. LORD JIM Joseph Conrad
71. RAGTIME E.L. Doctorow
72. TOBACCO ROAD Erskine Caldwell
73. IRONWEED William Kennedy
74. THE MAGUS John Fowles
75. WIDE SARGASSO SEA Jean Rhys
76. UNDER THE NET Iris Murdoch
77. SOPHIE'S CHOICE William Styron
78. THE SHELTERING SKY Paul Bowles
78. THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE James M. Cain
79. THE GINGER MAN J.P. Donleavy
80. THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS Booth Tarkington
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