Need some history book recommendations - Page 3

BenG · 08-24-2009, 10:26 AM

Another great book is Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary Kinder.
It's about the recovery in 1989 of an estimated $1 billion in gold from the 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America. The story alternates between Tommy Thompson's decade-long search for the wreck and the story of the shipwreck itself recreated from survivor's accounts.

It's available on the Kindle.

lilac_jive · 08-24-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zerospinboson

While it's not entirely accurate, try 1491?

No way Jose. I know what that's about. The archaeologist in me will get crazy if I read that.

blues36 · 08-26-2009, 06:45 PM

Here's a recommendation that I don't have as an ebook, but I am just finishing The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. A vivid fictional recreation of the British struggle with their convoy escorts during WW2.

6charlong · 08-30-2009, 11:38 PM

I'm probably way too late to be of any help, but I can recommend several good history books written in an interesting narrative style.

In Shaggy Muses Maureen Adams relates brief biographies of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf, with special attention to the relationship of the authors with their dogs.

The Demon Under the Microscope, by Thomas Hager, follows the centuries long struggle to find a "magic bullet" to fight disease, culminating at last with the discovery of antibiotics. One fails to realize what a difference those drugs make in our lives by comparison to life before anyone even knew germs existed.

There were several disaster stories suggested above. Here's another: The White Cascade by Gary Krist recounts the story of the worst railroad disaster in US history, when a passenger train was trapped in the Cascade mountains.

ahi · 08-31-2009, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

So I'm kind of on this history tragedy that reads like fiction kick.

Casanova's Memoirs perfectly fit the bill then... except for the tragedy part, based on the first 500 pages of about 5000.

Very enjoyable. Very interesting. Gives a great deal of insight into how people lived back in those days. And is peppered with meetings with famous people. While amorous liaisons are certainly a focus, the edition by PG (on which the versions on mobileread are also based) have no vulgarity at all. Mostly (if not wholly) allusion, really.

6" PDF (with screenshots) or ePub

- Ahi

neilmarr · 08-31-2009, 03:49 AM

Pop into my own wee publishing house's site (www.bewrite.net) and take your pick. If you'd like to drop me an email, I'd be more than happy to send you our ebook versions free of charge in return for the fine company and sound advice here. There's some top-drawer historical fiction there: particular favourites of mine are *The Wolf Has No Pillow*, *Treason* and *The Playmakers*, but there are several other cracking reads set in days of yore. Look forward to hearing from you. Very best. Neil

zerospinboson · 08-31-2009, 06:31 AM

Or the Le Rougon-Macquart series by émile zola?

Xenophon · 08-31-2009, 01:30 PM

You should try the "Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini." It's good reading, although one does tend to get annoyed with Cellini's belief that he's one of the best at nearly everything he does. On the other hand, he has a reasonable excuse for that belief -- he really was one of the best in the world at most things he turned his hand to. Fascinating reading, in any case.

Xenophon

Lycoming · 08-31-2009, 02:33 PM

I haven't had an opportunity to read 'The Age of Wonder' by Richard Holmes; however it is bound to be interesting, as all his books have been fascinating. Unfortunately I cannot find an ebook copy of his book available for the UK market.

This is a link to his catalogue.

http://books.google.com/books?as_aut...ional&resnum=4

Kevin Gerard · 09-05-2009, 10:55 AM

If you can find A People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn, definitely read it. It's not the history you learned in high school!

Ea · 09-05-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lycoming

I haven't had an opportunity to read 'The Age of Wonder' by Richard Holmes; however it is bound to be interesting, as all his books have been fascinating. Unfortunately I cannot find an ebook copy of his book available for the UK market.
...

I just bought it from Fictionwise - with the usual address work-around

**

There's a 100% micropay rebate on it this week - and 10% off everything this weekend with a coupon code: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55646

Glad to see a recommendation, it sounded quite interesting.

** Set your country to USA, and pay with credit card to get the micropay rebate

wayspooled · 09-09-2009, 05:45 AM

National Geographic's Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time

08-24-2009, 10:26 AM	#31
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Another great book is Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary Kinder. It's about the recovery in 1989 of an estimated $1 billion in gold from the 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America. The story alternates between Tommy Thompson's decade-long search for the wreck and the story of the shipwreck itself recreated from survivor's accounts. It's available on the Kindle. Last edited by BenG; 08-24-2009 at 10:30 AM.

08-26-2009, 06:45 PM	#33
blues36 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: PRS-900, Palm Pre	Here's a recommendation that I don't have as an ebook, but I am just finishing The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. A vivid fictional recreation of the British struggle with their convoy escorts during WW2. Last edited by blues36; 08-26-2009 at 06:48 PM.

08-30-2009, 11:38 PM	#34
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	Way Late I'm probably way too late to be of any help, but I can recommend several good history books written in an interesting narrative style. In Shaggy Muses Maureen Adams relates brief biographies of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf, with special attention to the relationship of the authors with their dogs. The Demon Under the Microscope, by Thomas Hager, follows the centuries long struggle to find a "magic bullet" to fight disease, culminating at last with the discovery of antibiotics. One fails to realize what a difference those drugs make in our lives by comparison to life before anyone even knew germs existed. There were several disaster stories suggested above. Here's another: The White Cascade by Gary Krist recounts the story of the worst railroad disaster in US history, when a passenger train was trapped in the Cascade mountains.

09-05-2009, 10:55 AM	#40
Kevin Gerard Kevin Gerard Posts: 30 Karma: 499848 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego Device: none	Zinn If you can find A People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn, definitely read it. It's not the history you learned in high school!

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08-31-2009, 03:49 AM	#36
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Pop into my own wee publishing house's site (www.bewrite.net) and take your pick. If you'd like to drop me an email, I'd be more than happy to send you our ebook versions free of charge in return for the fine company and sound advice here. There's some top-drawer historical fiction there: particular favourites of mine are The Wolf Has No Pillow, Treason and The Playmakers, but there are several other cracking reads set in days of yore. Look forward to hearing from you. Very best. Neil

08-31-2009, 06:31 AM	#37
zerospinboson "Assume a can opener..." Posts: 755 Karma: 1942109 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Local Cluster Device: iLiad v2, DR1000	Or the Le Rougon-Macquart series by émile zola?

08-31-2009, 01:30 PM	#38
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,481 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	You should try the "Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini." It's good reading, although one does tend to get annoyed with Cellini's belief that he's one of the best at nearly everything he does. On the other hand, he has a reasonable excuse for that belief -- he really was one of the best in the world at most things he turned his hand to. Fascinating reading, in any case. Xenophon

08-31-2009, 02:33 PM	#39
Lycoming Capt Chaos II Posts: 483 Karma: 33043007 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cornwall, UK Device: iPad2	I haven't had an opportunity to read 'The Age of Wonder' by Richard Holmes; however it is bound to be interesting, as all his books have been fascinating. Unfortunately I cannot find an ebook copy of his book available for the UK market. This is a link to his catalogue. http://books.google.com/books?as_aut...ional&resnum=4

09-09-2009, 05:45 AM	#42
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	National Geographic's Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time