Which historical books would you reccomend me to read?

Question

I am interested in the history of Roman empire, the dinasty of Julies-Claudius. I have already read a book, called "I, Claudius". What else can I read?

Answer 1

gunsgerms and steel was a good one. for the american revolution i'd suggest 1776.

Answer 2

world history connections of today

Answer 3

Send me an email and I will reply with a full list of book titles with ISBN etc.

I, Claudius, is a novel.... Not a history book...An excellent read.. Suetonius is the biased account of one man, so should be read with caution. By email, I will send you 'The Writers of History' detailing how writers of the past tried to pull the wool over their eyes of their masters by writing biased and sometimes fictitious histories. Know the truth and be aware and knowledgeable

These books are for the academic, not for the lay folk, but at least they are available and will illuminate your curiosity in the correct, unabridged manner.

School or library books do not give an over-all truth, and unfortunately are tainted with a political or religious bias. Beware.

Kind regards

Dr Antony (historian)

Answer 4

The decline and fall of the roman empire by edward gibbon

Answer 5

Guns, Germs, and Steel. Jared Diamond

Answer 6

Discovery of india by jawahar lala nehru

Answer 7

History of the 12 Caesars by Suetonius.  It's a cracking read :)

Answer 8

The Judaean Wars - Flavius Josephus

Answer 9

'history of the 7 Caesars'  

Answer 10

I agree with the person who recommended Suetonius 'The Twelve Caesars' is a really entertaining book.

'The Ides of March' by Thornton Wilder is a novel about Julius Caesar told in the form of letters between Caesar and various other characters like Cleopatra, Mark Antony etc.  It is quite entertaining.

If you enjoy historical whodunnits you might enjoy the 'Falco' novels by Lindsey Davis.  The first one is called The Silver Pigs.  They are set in a slightly later period, the reign of the Emperor Vespasian, but they are quite entertaining.

'Pagan Holiday'(previously published as Route 66 AD) by Tony Perrottet is a really entertaining book in which he and his wife made a journey tracing the footsteps that would have been taken by travelling Romans going on the grand tour, travelling from Rome to Naples to Greece to Egypt.  It is full of interesting information about Roman history.

'Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Women in classical Antiquity' by Sarah B. Pomeroy, is about Greek women as well as Roman women, but it is really interesting with lots of information about how women of different kinds lived.