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People ask me about books all the time, and here's a brief, incomplete list of what I consider the most essential (but still accessible to the layperson) works across a range of areas and times:
1) Christopher Clark, "The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914." One of my favorite books because of how effectively it explores the relationship between deep structural forces and accidents of the moment.
2) Richard White, "Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America." Greed, corruption, and the nexus between business and political interests in post-Civil War America.
3) Chris Wickham, "The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000." Nobody has a better grasp on the big picture of the post-Roman world than Wickham, ranging from the Sassanids and the early Islamic states to the wilds of northern Europe.
4) Kyle Harper, "The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire." Nuanced, detailed, and creative examination of the collision between political structures and the upheavals of the natural world.
5) Andrew Pettegree, "Brand Luther." Great look at the relationship between Martin Luther and the new technology of printing, and how Luther made printing profitable while fully realizing its potential as a medium for polemical argument.
These are just a few recent books, but I think they all have a great deal to offer. Check them out!
