History Books That Should Be Written

[Rodgers01]

What historical topics would you like to read a book about that have not already been written about extensively? Maybe a military campaign, or a social movement, or a time period, or some undersung revolutionary or president who hasn't gotten the full literary treatment he/she deserves. Thoughts?

[Odesio]

Homosexuality amongst the armed forces of the Union and Confederates during the American Civil War.

[fruitbat]

There are a number of topics where I have been disappointed by the books I did read on the subject. The most memorable was the great flu epidemic of 1919 that killed millions. I have forgotten the title, but the author focused on the search for a cure rather than the stories of the afflicted and the plague like atmosphere that must have permeated the worst affected cities.

I would also like to see a really good biography written about William Wilberforce, but the couple I have read were dense, meandering messes. Wilberforce, for those unfamiliar, was primarily responsible for outlawing the British slave trade, starting the SPCA and writing the hymn "Amazing Grace". Maybe he was just a very dull guy, but somehow I doubt it and I would love an examination by a top flight biographer.

[bobthebuilder]

nitpick: um didnt John Newton write amazing grace? And that was Willberforce's pastor?

[chacoguy]

September 11, 2001: the complete oral history.

[Little Nemo]

Homosexuality amongst the armed forces of the Union and Confederates during the American Civil War.Not exclusively about homosexuality, but Thomas Lowry wrote The Story the Soldiers Wouldn't Tell: Sex in the Civil War and Sexual Misbehavior in the Civil War and both books have chapters of the subject.

[Spoke]

I've mentioned this in GQ, but I think there is a book to be written on the role of debt in the decision of the United States to declare independence. I know that a lot of Virginia's planters were deeply in debt to British lenders, and I wonder if they hoped a successful revolution would free them from their obligations.

[Little Nemo]

I'd like to see a good objective history of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

[Martini Enfield]

I'd like to see an Antony Beevor-style overview of the the Chinese Civil War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War)- it's a fascinating period of history and I've been able to find bugger all information about it besides what's on Wikipedia and a few scant references to the fact it happened in some of my other Military History books.

Beevor did an excellent book on the Spanish Civil War which really helped me understand what the hell that was all about (Something about Guernica, International Brigades involving everyone who was later in WWII, and Franco winning summed up my prior knowledge of the subject), so if he could turn his attention to the Chinese Civil War (and, by necessity, the Sino-Japanese War), I'd be first in line to buy a copy.

[hawthorne]

An economic and culinary history of the decline of the long pepper (Piper longum) industry due to the spread of the chili pepper.

How long did the chili take to get to Thailand or Korea or China's Hunan province (all notable chili eaters)? Was it well received? What happened to P. longum producers? Did they lose on taste or on price? Did they plead for protection? Did the chile replace the pepper in recipes or were there new dishes? Where are the remnant producers and in what dishes has the chili failed to supplant the long pepper?

[willthekittensurvive?]

I've mentioned this in GQ, but I think there is a book to be written on the role of debt in the decision of the United States to declare independence. I know that a lot of Virginia's planters were deeply in debt to British lenders, and I wonder if they hoped a successful revolution would free them from their obligations.

anyone know what happened to the debt after Independence? or should I open a ticket in GQ?

[Tamerlane]

I'd like to see an Antony Beevor-style overview of the the Chinese Civil War (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War)- it's a fascinating period of history and I've been able to find bugger all information about it besides what's on Wikipedia and a few scant references to the fact it happened in some of my other Military History books.

You could try Edward L. Dreyer's China at War, 1901-1949 ( 1995, Longman Group Limited ). It's broader than what you are looking for ( the Chinese Civil War is covered in the final chapter ), but I found it a useful introduction to the topic. A lengthy review (http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55/118.html).

[A Dodgy Dude]

You know what book I would buy in an instant?

A book that gives the results of each policy decision by the White House and Congress since the end of WW II. Don't drown us in details, just tell us how we benefited and how we were hurt by the actions of Washington.

For example, how many jobs were created or destroyed by NAFTA? How much did tax revenues increase or decrease because of the Reagan tax cuts? What happened to reading and math scores in the public schools as a result of reducing class size?

I don't want to hear the arguments for and against each issue, just give me the bottom line results. In fact, that could be the title of the book: The Bottom Line Results

[FriarTed]

The Life and Legacy of Adam Weishaupt. I actually want to see a thoroughly researched examination of Adam Weishaupt, his motivations, the actual goals and activities of the Illuminati, and what happened to him and his fellow Illuminists after the 1785 suppression. It would be really great if it included his comments on the Abbe Barruel and John Robison exposes' of 1797.

[Paul in Qatar]

Things Have Changed; an Informal History of the united States, 2000-2010.

[Sage Rat]

Perhaps such a book has been written, but I would like one which focussed on showing how we got to the modern day. Specifically, outlining:

The formation of the scientific method and spread thereof
The formation of modern banking and capitalism
The spread of cheap paper and the printing press
The formation of natural rights and democratic republics

(In a single book, that is, and ideally tying them together, for I believe they are linked)

[Sonnenstrahl]

God, I wish I could think of one. Then I could write it, and it would be my bloody thesis.

[Student Driver]

A serious, objective, exhaustive history book on the video and computer games industry. Leonard Herman's book Phoenix meets the first two criteria, but focuses on the early US home market, leaving out the coin-op and foreign markets. A lot of selective reporting and bias permeates other books in the genre, most focus on very narrow pieces of the story, and many have an irreverent tone.

I'd also love to see an in-depth history of discount retailing from dime stores to discount stores to supercenters. Why was 1962 *the* year for discount chains to be founded? What happened to the early chains? Etc. I find retail history utterly fascinating for some reason. I think a history of grocery chains would be similarly fascinating.

[Annie-Xmas]

A good, well written biography on Cary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Stayner) & Steven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Stayner) Stayner.

[zamboniracer]

anyone know what happened to the debt after Independence? or should I open a ticket in GQ?

According to the Treaty_of_Paris_(1783) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)) creditors on both sides of the war remained responsible for their own debts. How many paid them off in full is another question.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

I'm currently reading a book called "The Treason Trials of Aaron Burr". It leaves me wishing that someone would write a decent book on the treason trials of Aaron Burr.

[BrainGlutton]

I'd like to see a good objective history of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Here ya go. (http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0118.asp)

[BrainGlutton]

I'd like to see a history of the Pythagorean religion, covering any influence it may have had on later belief-systems. There's just something kewl about a religion that worships math.

[Spoke]

According to the Treaty_of_Paris_(1783) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)) creditors on both sides of the war remained responsible for their own debts. How many paid them off in full is another question.

That provision was widely flaunted after the war, and was a continuing source of friction. (Imagine the sort of reception a British creditor would receive in American courts after the war. Imagine the standard of proof to which he might be held even if his claims were heard.)

[Freddy the Pig]

anyone know what happened to the debt after Independence? or should I open a ticket in GQ?This (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=475850) is the thread of which spoke- spoke, in which we discuss the matter at some length.

I'd like to see a general history of Europe's descent into authoritarianism in the 1920's and 1930's--much has been written about Germany, Italy, and Spain, but these weren't isolated cases; virtually every country in southern and eastern Europe descended into dictatorship within a few years.

[Little Nemo]

I'd like to see an Antony Beevor-style overview of the the Chinese Civil WarIf we're doing author requests, I'd like to see Gerald Posner do a book on Sacco and Vanzetti.

[Erdosain]

I'd like to see a good objective history of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Little Nemo, have you checked out D. Michael Quinn's Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power and Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power? Those are both on my to-read list, and while not perfect, have received a lot of praise. It's probably a bit more information than I really want, though.

[chacoguy]

Here ya go. (http://www.chick.com/catalog/comics/0118.asp)

To some LDS, that's just the illustrated version of Under the Banner of Heaven

[Martini Enfield]

You could try Edward L. Dreyer's China at War, 1901-1949 ( 1995, Longman Group Limited ). It's broader than what you are looking for ( the Chinese Civil War is covered in the final chapter ), but I found it a useful introduction to the topic. A lengthy review (http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55/118.html).

It's also $63.50, which is way more than I wanted to spend, but thank you very much for the suggestion- that's pretty much exactly what I'm after (I'm interested in the entire Chinese Civil War, starting in the 1920s)!

[Tuckerfan]

Perhaps such a book has been written, but I would like one which focussed on showing how we got to the modern day. Specifically, outlining:

The formation of the scientific method and spread thereof
The formation of modern banking and capitalism
The spread of cheap paper and the printing press
The formation of natural rights and democratic republics

(In a single book, that is, and ideally tying them together, for I believe they are linked)

Connections by James Burke touches on those subjects.

[Steve MB]

That provision was widely flaunted after the war, and was a continuing source of friction. (Imagine the sort of reception a British creditor would receive in American courts after the war. Imagine the standard of proof to which he might be held even if his claims were heard.)

I'm sure that the provision was widely flaunted by the creditors. I take it that it was widely flouted by the American courts.

[WarmNPrickly]

The History of Gold. You can trace it from ancient civilizations to use in electronics and now as an oxidation catalyst. How is it mined? How was it mined? It would be a huge book.

[Derleth]

A history of the computer companies from roughly 1960 to about 1977, from the birth of the minicomputer to the advent of microcomputer companies as a viable business model. It should include IBM, DEC, Data General, Control Data, Amdahl, Honeywell, and other corporations that influenced each other and helped decide what post-mainframe computing would look like.

Honestly, the widely-written-about history of computing is too heavily slanted towards home computing and, therefore, begins in the late 1970s if you're lucky. If you read uncritically and don't have a grounding otherwise, you might be lead to believe Microsoft and Apple actually invented things! There's a lot of history about what went on in corporations and universities that simply isn't being written about in books and is only findable by combing through the archives of Usenet groups like alt.folklore.computers (heavy IBM and DEC bias) and other, more specialized fora.

Jason Scott is doing a wonderful job documenting the modem-based low-end personal computer networks generally referred to as BBSes. Someone ought to do a similar job documenting the networks strung within and between larger organizations, like BITNET for IBM shops and UUCP for early Unix systems. The path from ARPANET to the current Internet was not straightforward and it involved computer systems nearly forgotten now (such as the PDP-10s that were the first Internet computers, and the IMPs that held it all together in the early days).

I could probably go on like this for a long while. I think programming languages, operating systems, computer hardware, and user interface designs are all under-explored by historians, and the historians that do try are either not qualified to do the topic justice or are aiming at a very nontechnical audience that they assume doesn't care about systems not sitting on their desk right now. I guess I really want a prolific author who seriously cross-trains in both computer geekery and history book authorship.

[Spoke]

I'm sure that the provision was widely flaunted by the creditors. I take it that it was widely flouted by the American courts.

I thought that didn't look right; I did look it up to confirm my usage before posting; Merriam-Webster backed me up (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaunt):

Main Entry: flaunt
Function: verb
Etymology: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse flana to rush around
Date: 1566

intransitive verb
1 : to display or obtrude oneself to public notice <a great flaunting crowd — Charles Dickens>
2 : to wave or flutter showily <the flag flaunts in the breeze>
transitive verb
1 : to display ostentatiously or impudently : parade <flaunting his superiority>
2 : to treat contemptuously <flaunted the rules — Louis Untermeyer>

After your post, I went back and read Merriam-Webster's fine print. "Flaunted" has apparently become acceptable interchangeably with "flouted" in this context:

Although transitive sense 2 of flaunt undoubtedly arose from confusion with flout, the contexts in which it appears cannot be called substandard <meting out punishment to the occasional mavericks who operate rigged games, tolerate rowdyism, or otherwise flaunt the law — Oscar Lewis> <observed with horror the flaunting of their authority in the suburbs, where men…put up buildings that had no place at all in a Christian commonwealth — Marchette Chute> <in our profession…very rarely do we publicly chastise a colleague who has flaunted our most basic principles — R. T. Blackburn, AAUP Bulletin>. If you use it, however, you should be aware that many people will consider it a mistake. Use of flout in the sense of flaunt 1 is found occasionally <“The proper pronunciation,” the blonde said, flouting her refined upbringing, “is pree feeks” — Mike Royko>.

So even though I stand by "flaunted" as being correct usage, I agree with you that "flouted" would have been a better choice.

[Little Nemo]

Perhaps such a book has been written, but I would like one which focussed on showing how we got to the modern day. Specifically, outlining:

The formation of the scientific method and spread thereof
The formation of modern banking and capitalism
The spread of cheap paper and the printing press
The formation of natural rights and democratic republics

(In a single book, that is, and ideally tying them together, for I believe they are linked)You might check out The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin. Its two semi-sequels The Creators and The Seekers are also very good.

[Sage Rat]

Connections by James Burke touches on those subjects.
Doesn't look bad, but looking through the descriptions it looks like not quite what I would be hoping for.

[Tuckerfan]

Doesn't look bad, but looking through the descriptions it looks like not quite what I would be hoping for.

He treats the subjects you listed seperately, but one can well see how tied together they are, even if he doesn't make it completely explicit in the text.

[Sage Rat]

You might check out The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin. Its two semi-sequels The Creators and The Seekers are also very good.

Also doesn't quite seem like what I'm envisioning.

[Rodgers01]

A good, well written biography on Cary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary_Stayner) & Steven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Stayner) Stayner.
Huh, I forgot about that case. You're right -- that could make for a fantastic double biography.

[chorpler]

I'd like to see a good objective history of the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Of course, what constitutes an "objective" history will vary depending on whether the reader is a believing Mormon or not. Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame) recommended Richard Abanes's One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church (http://www.amazon.com/One-Nation-Under-Gods-History/dp/1568582838/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232453561&sr=1-1) in one of his Dilbert Newsletters. I checked it out. Abanes is a bit of a nutjob, but he does a pretty good job of sourcing his work and it's written in a pretty easy-to-read manner. Quinn's books, recommended earlier, are also pretty detailed and well-sourced but I found them much more dense and scholarly.

[Rocketeer]

Homosexuality amongst the armed forces of the Union and Confederates during the American Civil War.

The Story the Soldiers Wouldn't Tell

http://www.amazon.com/Story-Soldiers-Wouldnt-Tell-Civil/dp/0811715159/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232461905&sr=8-1

...has some information. Good book, well written.

[An Gadaí]

A Social History Of The Computer From A Non-American Perspective

[Annie-Xmas]

Huh, I forgot about that case. You're right -- that could make for a fantastic double biography.

True crime writer Ann Rule once mentioned she'd like to do it, though she tends to shy aware from high profile cases. I think she could do a good job. The psychological interplay between Steven's abduction and Cary being a serial killer would be fascinating if the writer could figure it out.