History books are written works that explore, analyze, and interpret past events, societies, and cultures. They aim to provide a detailed and factual account of historical developments, often focusing on specific periods, regions, or themes. History books can range from broad surveys that cover extensive time periods and geographical areas to more focused studies on particular events, individuals, or social phenomena. They utilize primary sources such as documents, artifacts, and eyewitness accounts, as well as secondary sources like scholarly articles and previous historical writings, to construct a coherent and informed narrative. History books serve to educate readers about the past, offering insights into how it has shaped the present and can influence the future. Here are our books on history.

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Drunk in China by Derek Sandhaus

Drunk in China | Baijiu and the World’s Oldest Drinking Culture by Derek Sandhaus follows the author’s journey to discover the history and culture of Baijiu drinking. China is one of the world’s leading producers and consumers of liquor. Yet to the outside world, China’s most famous spirit, baijiu, remains a mystery.

Presidential Misconduct by James M. Banner, Jr.

Presidential Misconduct | From George Washington to Today by James M. Banner, Jr. adds the accounts of misconduct by contemporary American Presidents to the original report. Led by Banner, a group of presidential historians come together to bring the 1974 account up to date through Barack Obama’s presidency.

The Making of a Justice by John Paul Stevens

The Making of a Justice | Reflections on My First 94 Years by John Paul Stevens explores the author’s impactful life as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. In his memoir, the Justice recounts his extraordinary life, offering an intimate and illuminating account of his service on the nation’s highest court.

A Time of Scandal by Rosemary Stevens

A Time of Scandal | Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau by Rosemary Stevens re-examines the scandal-plagues Harding administration during the creation of the Veterans Bureau. She explores how Forbes’s rise and fall in Washington illuminates President Harding’s efforts to bring business efficiency to government.

Harry and Arthur by Lawrence J. Haas

Harry and Arthur | Truman, Vandenberg, and the Partnership That Created the Free World by Lawrence J. Haas explains how Vice President Harry Truman and Senator Arthur Vandenberg, the Republican leader on foreign policy, inherited a world in turmoil after Franklin Roosevelt’s death in April of 1945. With Europe flattened and the Soviets emerging as America’s new adversary, President Truman and Senator Vandenberg built a tight, bipartisan partnership at a bitterly partisan time to craft a dramatic new foreign policy through which the United States stepped boldly onto the world stage to protect its friends, confront its enemies, and promote freedom.

The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn by Robert P. Watson

The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn | An Untold Story of the American Revolution by Robert P. Watson visits the experience and impact of a British prison ship during the American Revolution. The book follows the lives and ordeals of the ship’s few survivors to tell the astonishing story of the cursed ship that killed thousands of Americans and yet helped secure victory in the fight for independence.

Notes On A Century by Bernard Lewis

Notes on a Century | Reflections of a Middle East Historian by Bernard Lewis and Buntzie Ellis Churchill tell Lewis’ life as a preeminent historian in the Middle East and around the world. In this witty memoir he reflects on the events that have transformed the region since World War II, up through the Arab Spring. Like America’s other great historian-statesmen Arthur Schlesinger and Henry Kissinger, Lewis is a figure of towering intellect and a world-class raconteur, which makes Notes on a Century essential reading for anyone who cares about the fate of the Middle East.

America Against the World by Andrew Kohut

The rise of anti-Americanism is the most pressing challenge facing us. In America Against the World, Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut and Bruce Stokes consider the surprising findings of Pew’s unprecedented survey of world opinion to understand why the world has turned against America: where once we were considered the champion of democracy, we are now seen as a militant hyperpower.