Okay. I am a product of the American public school system. This means that my knowledge of history goes fairly in-depth for the American revolution, the American civil war, and feeling bad about being a White Oppressor, and has very, very little else. I’m tired of it. It’s time to learn a little history.
I do not generally have much patience for nonfiction, but I’m willing to make an effort for this. For some reason, reading biographies sounds like the most palatable approach, to me–there are figures central to every important historical event, and such figures tend to be important in more than one historical event, and… yada yada yada. I just bored myself.
Bottom line: give me a list of the six best biographies (meaning well-researched, famous, respected, entertaining, and available) to teach me:
British history
American history
If I ever get through them, I’ll come back and ask for more.
I am not a big biography reader, so I can’t help you there. However, you may want to consider some well-researched historical fiction. It’s fiction, so the main character is often fictitious, but I find it generally gives a good idea of the times as well as what was going on. For example, The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara focuses solely on Gettysburg, but discusses important figures such as General Lee.
I’ve read a whopping total of two biographies, but I recommend them both: Yeager: An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager John Adams by David McCullough (any other McCullough book, too)
Dreadnought by Robert K. Massie reads like a collection of biographies.
For a wide-ranging (if not terribly deep) insight into Far East military and political matters at the opening of World War II, you might check out Rage for Fame, the story of Clare Boothe Luce’s early years. Also very informative as to the many notable personages Clare fucked.
If you liked that, a better one is Bob Hoover’s autobiography. He was Yeager’s backup on the X-1 flights. His book (and life, I gather) was much more fun and not filled with spitefulness.
Truly a flying legend, and a real gentleman. My uncle worked with Hoover at North American and reports that all the good things you hear about him are true.