The History Thread

[MacReady]

I recently got re-hooked on history.  I've been talking about it in the What Are You Reading About thread in the entertainment forum, but I thought it might get more traction here. 

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Again requesting suggestions.  My plan is outlined below.  Are there any particular books on listed subjects, any recommended biographies, any historical periods I'm missing that you think are poignant or interesting?  I am focusing solely on American History right now, but if there are any books out there on World History that you think might be important context for American History, I'd listen to those suggestions as well. 

As far as what I'm looking for, I prefer all-encompassing books and I don't really like the ones that focus on one portion of things.  As far as biographies, I like the ones that provide context both in what's going on in the country during the time as well as a little context on what happened before.  For example, if I had to pick one Abraham Lincoln biography, I would like one that outlined his path to the Presidency, including his debates with Douglas.  I don't like the ones that focus on just one particular point in their lives (even though obviously I have some of those ones already). 

After Almost A Miracle, I already have and am planning on reading, in order:

1. Paul Revere's Ride (Fischer)
2. Bunker Hill (Philbrick)
3. Signing Their Lives Away (The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed The Declaration of Independence)
4. A Great Improvisation (Schiff)
5. Patriots (Langguth)
6. The Swamp Fox (Oller)
7. Washington (Chernow)
8. John Adams (McCullough)
9. The First American (The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin)
10. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (Meacham)
11. The Constitution of the United States of America and Other Writings of the Founding Fathers
12. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (Ellis)
13. 1812: The War That Forged A Nation (Borneman)

Are there any important American Revolution era books I am forgetting/missing? 

After the American Revolution, I am going to stick predominantly to biographies of each American President (even William Henry Harrison).  Other than the Presidents, I'm planning on getting at least one book on the following:

Texas War for Independence
Civil War (multiple books spent here)
Battle of Little Bighorn
Spanish-American War
WWI (Multiple)
The Great Depression
WWII (multiple)
Multiple books on JFK's era, including the Civil Rights 1964, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, etc)
Watergate Scandal
Iran-Contra

I've changed my mind on biographies of Presidents.  They just don't exist at the rate and cost I had hoped they would.  It's pretty tough to find a biography on James Madison for under 40 dollars. 

I finished Almost A Miracle last week and now I'm onto Paul Revere's ride. 

I'm getting way ahead of myself since I have so many books on the American Revolution to finish, but I have a file on my laptop where I'm gathering and organizing the books I will read all the way up to present day America before I move onto World History. 

So far, between the War of 1812 and the Civil War, the only books I've found that I'm interested in are the following: 

A Wilderness So Immense (about the Louisiana Purchase)
Undaunted Courage (Lewis and Clark)
James Monroe by Gary Hart (Hoping it touches on the time as well as the Monroe Doctrine)
The Alamo and the Texas War for Independence
A Wicked War (on the Mexican-American war)

 

 

 

This isn't just me asking for recommendations though.  I am legitimately addicted to history right now. 

Some of the things that happened in the American Revolution blew my mind.  When Benedict Arnold had planned to capture/kill Washington and had dinner with him while waiting for him to be captured/killed and the plan having failed due to his letter taking too long to reach the proper hands, and then Arnold being ousted by a messenger who shouted to Continentals that he was a British Loyalist for some reason, how Washington reacted to Arnold betraying him... The whole Benedict Arnold thing was one of the most memorable parts, but there were literally dozens of things I found fascinating.  The most memorable quote, and what choked me up a bit while reading (even though I finished reading Almost A Miracle as less a Washington fan than I thought I would be) was his quote during the first Newburgh Address (something I didn't even know had happened). 

Basically, his speech was getting nowhere, so he gave it up and improvised and decided to read a letter, stuttered through it, then did the unthinkable and pulled out spectacles (that was a big thing for the very vain Washington). 

He said,

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Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for, I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in the service of my country.

And basically killed a coup with that one line. 

[Bonanza23]

Shoot I love history!

Speaking of which, can anybody fill me in on the history of Gardetto's?

Having a hard time finding out about its origin. Is it a place?  Or a thing?

I may have other queries. 

[MWil23]

I teach history and political science. It’s great 👍.

[skywindO2]

I'd talk about history(mostly Roman and earlier) but I'm pretty sure @Outpost31 has me blocked.

[MacReady]

1 hour ago, MWil23 said:

I teach history and political science. It’s great 👍.

Are there any books you'd highly recommend? 

 

45 minutes ago, skywindO2 said:

I'd talk about history(mostly Roman and earlier) but I'm pretty sure @Outpost31 has me blocked.

No I don't. 

[MWil23]

7 minutes ago, Outpost31 said:

Are there any books you'd highly recommend? 

I think Lone Survivor and Black Hawk Down are absolute MUSTS. 

If you enjoy certain aspects of the Presidency, I’d recommend the “Killing” books (Killing Kennedy, Killing Lincoln, Killing Raegen, etc.)

[skywindO2]

11 hours ago, Bonanza23 said:

Shoot I love history!

Speaking of which, can anybody fill me in on the history of Gardetto's?

Having a hard time finding out about its origin. Is it a place?  Or a thing?

I may have other queries. 

Following the downfall of Mussolini and a humiliating showing in the latest world rumble, Italians drowned their sorrows with Campari and Aperol cocktails like they still do to this day. Their perpetual drunkenness lead to a mad case of the munchies but snacks were in short supply. A Mr. Roberto Gardetto had the brilliant idea to pool the neighborhood's snacks together and the result was the ultimate snack mix. 

Or according to Wikipedia, some family in Wisconsin came up with it in the 1930s. Given that they were in Wisconsin, I don't think my drunks in need of snacks theory is too far off from the truth.

[MacReady]

Just now, MWil23 said:

I think Lone Survivor and Black Hawk Down are absolute MUSTS. 

If you enjoy certain aspects of the Presidency, I’d recommend the “Killing” books (Killing Kennedy, Killing Lincoln, Killing Raegen, etc.)

I'm not terribly interested in the military aspects truthfully, and I think Lone Survivor and Black Hawk Down are too narrow in scope for what I'm looking for. 

As far as the "Killing" books, I already got Killing Lincoln because I'm so anxious to start the Civil War era and Lincoln, but I'll definitely be getting the other two once I get to those parts of our history. 

[MacReady]

Also, I'm reading Paul Revere's Ride right now, and so far it's probably my favorite just because of how well it goes over the period of time leading up to the Revolution before it gets to the actual ride.  Details on his ride are pretty fascinating as well.  So much myth has overtaken what actually happened, and it's pretty fascinating how the perception of Paul Revere doing this alone and it having been just a simple long ride culminating in, "The British are coming!" is pretty fascinating.  Never even said the British, since people considered themselves British still, and it was very much a civil war itself.