Category: History

March 3, 2026

Dinner with King Tut by Sam Kean *** (of 4)

In his introduction, Sam Kean makes clear how little regard he has for the classical approach to archaeology with its tedious unearthing of potsherds with...

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February 9, 2026

The Book of Revolutions by Edward Feld *** (of 4)

Interesting for those curious about the interplay of the Hebrew Bible and historicity. Feld does not take a stance on which is more accurate, archaeology...

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February 3, 2026

The Beast in the Clouds by Nathalie Holt *** (of 4)

The year is 1929. America’s large museums are filling out their exhibits with mysterious animals delivered from the remotest parts of the world. There are...

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December 7, 2025

1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin *** (of 4)

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Andrew Ross Sorkin’s approach to the Great Depression is to follow some great men, day by day in the year leading up to the crash....

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October 6, 2025

When the Sea Came Alive by Garrett M. Graff *** (of 4)

Graft brings to life one day in a very long war. On June 6th, 1944, Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France and...

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August 20, 2025

Melting Pot by Rachel Cockerell *** (of 4)

Really three distinct books in one cover. Each book covers the biographies of relatives of the author. The first, and longest of the three, describes...

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July 30, 2025

Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities by Bettany Hughes *** (of 4)

Istanbul, the city, sits at the junction of Europe and Asia, literally and metaphorically. Istanbul, the book, moved my perception of history eastward, away from...

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June 17, 2025

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys **** (of 4)

There is no shortage of books describing the horrors of war, which makes this novel of World War II refugees so remarkable for its riveting...

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June 2, 2025

A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid (***) of 4

Jamaica Kincaid's second book (1988) expands the vision of a theoretical tourist vacationing in Antigua. The tourist soaks up deliciously sunny skies, gazes at unbelievably...

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June 2, 2025

Red Scare by Clay Risen *** (of 4)

Clay Risen's thorough recounting of the Red Scare, which began well before Joseph McCarthy's rise to infamy, makes clear that right wing opposition to progressive...

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