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What books should I get?
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Kevin View Drop Down
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Posts: 767 		  Quote Kevin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: What books should I get?
    Posted: 22-Oct-2007 at 19:44
I recently got my pay check from my part time job and I was wondering if there was anything of any era of history that could be recommended to me that is scholarly and all around good?
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Posts: 2091 		  Quote Akolouthos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2007 at 20:17
John Julius Norwich's three volume Byzantium. It is scholarly--though, as he admits, not formally academic--and an extremely interesting read. He traces the history of the Roman Empire from the time immediately prior to Constantine through the Byzantine era, culminating in the fall of Constantinople. In addition to this, it is always kind of neat to have a multi-volume set dealing with a specific topic.
 
If you are interested in theology/Christian history, I could recommend a thing or two, if you wish; as for history, I really can't recommend anything as highly as Norwich.
 
-Akolouthos
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Posts: 1943 		  Quote Reginmund Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2007 at 22:39
Yeah, I agree with Akolouthos, it's a great read. If three volumes sound like too much Byzantine history you can always go with the single volume abridged edition, "A Short History of Byzantium". If you want the trilogy, the titles are:

Byzantium Vol. 1: The Early Centuries
Byzantium Vol. 2: The Apogee
Byzantium Vol. 3: The Decline and Fall
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Posts: 767 		  Quote Kevin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-Oct-2007 at 23:22
Thanks I will look into those, Also is there anything else you could recommend. 
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Posts: 1399 		  Quote Justinian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23-Oct-2007 at 03:11
I just recently read, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: First century a.d. to the third by Edward Luttwak.  It is just excellent.  I have yet to find another book like this; its title is self-explanatory, the author discussed the strategy of the romans from augustus down to diocletian, the strategy is broken down into three phases.  I don't want to get too detailed so I will just leave it at that.  Highly, highly recommended, also it shouldn't be too expensive, ~10-20 dollars new.
"War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace."--Thomas Mann

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Posts: 482 		  Quote kilroy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-Oct-2007 at 21:51
Anything by Nathaniel Philbrick is very good if your into early American/naval history.  He is one of my favorites authors right now (i wrote a book review on one of his books In the Heart of the Sea). 

Six Frigates by Ian Toll is very good and covers the little known history of the beginnings of the U.S. navy.  Very interesting.

Rubicon by Tom Holland is a very good read if your getting into the Late Roman Republic. 
Kilroy was here.
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Posts: 1914 		  Quote Kapikulu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-Oct-2007 at 00:36
If you want to learn about the Ottoman Empire, one great book internationally available and credible is;
 
Prof. Dr. Halil Inalcik, Ottoman Classical Age(1300-1600)
We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;

A Strange Orhan Veli
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Posts: 1929 		  Quote Aster Thrax Eupator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01-Dec-2007 at 19:43
...Or the more recent and acclaimed Osman's dream by Caroline Finkel. To be read in small chunks, I must add!
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Kevin View Drop Down
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Posts: 767 		  Quote Kevin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Dec-2007 at 13:02
Originally posted by Aster Thrax Eupator

...Or the more recent and acclaimed Osman's dream by Caroline Finkel. To be read in small chunks, I must add!


I have it already, and it is a VERY good book indeed, It it's been fairly engaging for me all around.

Thanks though!


Edited by Kevin - 06-Dec-2007 at 13:10
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