What history book are you reading or planning to read?/ The history bookreview thread

[Constantius III]

I've read Goldworthy's books and they're fine but lacking in detail. It just seems sort of shallow so I'll recommend it for amatuers and beginners but probably not for more advanced readers. I'm currently reading R. Malcolm Errington's 'A History of the Hellenistic World', John Julius Norwich's 'Byzantium' and Bryan Ward Perkins' "The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilisation'. All three seem fine but for style Norwich's is definitely the best.

Interesting that you say that Goldsworthy's for "amateurs and beginners" and then state you're reading Norwich and Ward-Perkins.

Treadgold, Haldon and Vasiliev would be the Byzantine texts for a properly hardcore hobby-historian.

[Cyclops]

Norwich is really just a blender, but he does make a nice history-flavoured smoothie. Ruderless his stories veer from gossip to battles to art, academically spineless but a nice treat.

I'm re-reading The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama by Sanjay Subrahmanyam. He offers enough opinion and source criticism as well as narrative and I feel like a grown-up when he pulls back the curtain on juicy knots like the state of trade in the Indian ocean in the 15th century and the politics of monarchy, greater and lesser nobility and the knightly orders in reconquista Iberia.

.. Vasiliev ..the Byzantine ...historian.

Makes me think hard. Good for a flabby mind like mine.

[strategos roma]

I've read Treadgold and Vasiliev and I'd in fact highly recommend the former. I'm just re-reading Norwich for leisure.

Ward-Perkins is indeed a bit shallow but I like his more personal style when compared to older authors like Bury.

Interesting that you say that Goldsworthy's for "amateurs and beginners" and then state you're reading Norwich and Ward-Perkins.

Treadgold, Haldon and Vasiliev would be the Byzantine texts for a properly hardcore hobby-historian.

[geala]

Just have been a week in Scotland and read beneath (again) Kyrou Anabasis the book "Clan Donalds Greatest Defeat: The Battle of Harlaw 1411" by John Sadler. He's not a historian but it is a nice small book for train or plane, gives some insight in Scottish inner politics. Some infos about the weapons and the feeling of battle. Most is correct as far as I can judge, however, some strange statements are also included (e.g. mail is relatively light as armour ... häh??).

PS: Given the fact that it is not so clear who had won the battle at Harlaw the title of the book is a little bit weird.

[Lusitani]

Just finnished Philip De Souza (ed.), The Ancient World at War: A Global History, Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2008. Pp. 320. ISBN 978-0500251386. Great book which i highly recommend.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-At-War.../dp/0712667822

V.

[kdrakak]

Interesting that you say that Goldsworthy's for "amateurs and beginners" and then state you're reading Norwich and Ward-Perkins.

Treadgold, Haldon and Vasiliev would be the Byzantine texts for a properly hardcore hobby-historian.

I would second that. Definetely the best choices and probably by far...