Sign in with Facebook
Readers' Top Histories & Biographies of the Past 10 Years
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
This famous quote from American author William Faulkner is a reminder: History matters, and we can learn from it. Or not.
It’s a notion that feels more relevant than ever these days. Today’s collection of books zeroes in on histories and biographies, probably the busiest shelves in the nonfiction aisles. We got curious: What are the most popular books of this type on Goodreads over the past decade? So we crunched the numbers by way of ratings, reviews, and Goodreads members’ Read and Want to Read shelves. The list below suggests the range of people and topics that have most resonated with Goodreads regulars over the past 10 years.
A few things to note: Readers tend to be loyal to a kind of inner circle of rock-star historians and biographers—names like David Grann, Erik Larson, Patrick Radden Keefe, and Walter Isaacson. Several books in this collection have been subsequently made into major films, including Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures.
Some authors delivered insights so powerful that their books broke through into the American national conversation: Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste, for instance, or Nikole Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project. Biographies include in-depth profiles of historical figures like Ulysses S. Grant, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Romanov sisters.
Otherwise, this collection is fun to browse just to appreciate the vast array of historical topics: the power of maps, the history of the Silk Roads, the tragedy of Chernobyl. Click on the book cover images for more information about each title. If you find anything you particularly like, add the books to your Want to Read shelf.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your turn! Have a great history or biography to share with your fellow readers? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Comments Showing 1-30 of 30 (30 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Milena
(new)
May 07, 2024 12:53PM
everything USA related only....
reply
|
flag
Milena wrote: "everything USA related only...."Uh, no? at least half of these books are international.
Books on this list that do not focus on the United States:
Leonardo De Vinci -- Walter Isaacson (Renaissance Italy)
The Splendid and the Vile -- Erik Larson (Britain against Nazi Germany)
The Wager -- David Grann (Brazil/Spain/Britain)
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome -- Mary Beard (Rome)
The Five -- Hallie Rubenhold (Britain/Wales/Sweden)
The Silk Roads -- Peter Frankopan (throughout Afroeurasia)
Midnight in Chernobyl -- Adam Higgenbotham (Ukraine/Russia/Soviet Union)
The Romanov Sisters -- Helen Rappaport (Russia)
The Anarchy -- William Dalrymple (India/Britain)
Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?
Law wrote: "Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"The Radium Girls and The Wager are both supposed to be very good.
Just note: I haven't read anything from this list, but the Wager is on my list.
I watched and enjoyed Hidden Figures. I wonder what the book is like. I might read that in the future.
Law wrote: "Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"So many good books on this list!
Killers of the Flower Moon
Radium Girls
The Five
Hidden Figures
Midnight in Chernobyl
Anything by Erik Larson
Also, your asking why any book makes or doesn't make these lists day after day is just redundant at this point. If you would please read the blurb at the top of the page, they always tell you how the books were selected.
"What are the most popular books of this type on Goodreads over the past decade? So we crunched the numbers by way of ratings, reviews, and Goodreads members’ Read and Want to Read shelves. The list below suggests the range of people and topics that have most resonated with Goodreads regulars over the past 10 years."
Killers of the Flower Moon is very good. The Wright Brothers is also a good read. Hidden Figures is good, but the writing is dry at times and matter of fact. The movie is better than the book in this case.
Strongly recommend The Splendid and the vile, Dead Wake, Caste, Empire of Pain, Vanderbilt, The Wager, Say Nothing. Caste changed my life. Every American should be required to read it. Dead Wake is totally engaging, as are all books by Erik Larson.
Caste is a must-read; same for Empire of Pain. The Only Plane in the Sky was also good, and I’ll read anything by Erik Larson. Many of these are on my Want to Read list.
Shannon wrote: "Law wrote: "Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"So many good books on this list!
Killers of the Flower..."
But hey, I don't care if these books aren't new. I'm fine with that. The list never said they were new.
I've read and enjoyed Hidden Figures, Code Girls, The Light of Days The Library Book and A Woman of No Importance.
I guess whoever wrote this list is an Elon Musk fan
Shannon wrote: "Law wrote: "Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"So many good books on this list!
Killers of the Flower..."
Thank you!! The constant “why was/wasn’t this specific book included” comments are so annoying. Read the blurbs, people! They always clearly state how the lists were selected.
Law wrote: "Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"Midnight in Chernobyl would be my suggestion! However, I would also highly recommend "Voices from Chernobyl" by Svetlana Alexievich
I'd recommend any of the ones I've read. Killers of the Flower Moon, The Radium Girls, The Splendid and the Vile, The Empire of Pain, The Library Book, Dead Wake, The Wright Brothers, SPQR, The Silk Road, The Romanov Sisters, The Bomber Mafia, The Only Plane in the Sky and Barracoon. I need to read Grant.
I guess I need to add these too :))))))
Out of these books I have read the Killing of the Flower Moon (5 stars), The Wright Brothers (5 Stars) Dead Wake (5 Stars), and Splendid of the Vile (4 Stars).Other top notch history or Biographies within the last 10 years:
In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides
Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw
The Other Side of Infamy by Jim Downing
On Desperate Ground by Hampton Sides
The First Wave by Alex Kershaw
Spearhead by Adam Makos
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
By Honor Bound by Tom Norris
Every Man a Hero by Ray Lambert
River of the Gods by Candice Millard (her other works are awesome)
11 years
The Bedford boys by Alex Kershaw
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
Voices of the Pacific by Adam Makos
Empire of Pain is brilliant and Idk what Elon Mask bios are doing here, only as a nod to all white cis straight men who only read 2-3 books in their lifetime and that is one of them.
Dark Academia wrote: "and Idk what Elon Mask bios are doing here, only as a nod to all white cis straight men who only read 2-3 books in their lifetime and that is one of them."Imagine only reading books about people you deem worthy. Couldn't be me.
Please don't gatekeep reading.
Two books about Elon Musk? No, thank you.
Law wrote: "Why are there two biographies on Elon Musk here? I don't know where to start. Could you recommend a book to read from this list?"Walter Isaacson's is more recent so I think it should be more enjoyable
How the Word is Passed is an incredible book. Beautifully written and compelling.
Amanda wrote: "Caste is a must-read; same for Empire of Pain. The Only Plane in the Sky was also good, and I’ll read anything by Erik Larson. Many of these are on my Want to Read list."Great companion piece to the book, “Caste”, is the Ava DuVernay documentary on Wilkerson’s process of writing “Caste”. Film called, “Origin”. I got so much more from the book from having seen the movie (and being lucky enough to hear DuVernay speak about the process).
I’ve read a lot of these books. Loved Killer of the Flower moon and the Splendid and the Vile, and Silk Roads was pretty awesome as well.
I have read 8 books on the list. Killers of the Flower Moon
The Splendid and the Vile
Dead Wake
The Wager
Say Nothing
Midnight in Chernobyl
Grant
How to Hide an Empire
I would highly recommend any book written by David Grann, Erik Larson, or Hampton Sides.
Dark Academia wrote: "Empire of Pain is brilliant and Idk what Elon Mask bios are doing here, only as a nod to all white cis straight men who only read 2-3 books in their lifetime and that is one of them."I'd get banned if I changed the word white to anything else here.
Highly recommend following biographies for future readers:Open by Andrew Agassi
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Surrender by Bono (complete with author illustrations)!
Reckoning by Magda Szubanski
Flesh Wounds by Richard Glover
George Smith: The Biography by Rupert Guinness
Bullwinkel: The Vivian Bullwinkel story by Norman G. Manners
My favorites of 8 that I read: Killers Of The Flower Moon and Fever In The Heartland. American tragedies but compelling reading. Also enjoyed: Leonardo Da Vinci and The Library Book and The Color of Law.
