Recommended Reading

ancapailldorcha · 06-05-2020 3:21pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Today, I've started Lauren Johnson's Shadow King: The Life and Death of Henry VI. My housemate has been raving about this one and he's quite well read on English history. So far, I'm impressed. Johnson writes a very engaging narrative. So far, I'm still on the introductory material about Henry V but I think I'm going to really enjoy this. The Wars of the Roses is a very complex topic but to read the Yorkist side, I've picked up Thomas Penn's The Brothers York: An English Tragedy, again at the recommendation of my housemate.

This one's a recommendation I think.

I'm going to read Penn's Yorkist book next and his biography of Henry Tudor.

Has anyone here read anything good about Henry VIII? There's a few books focusing on his wives and one by Alison Weir who's not a historian.

10-05-2020 1:32am

I’ve started on “The Boer War” by Thomas Packenham - very much enjoyed the Scramble for Africa which is the last book of his I read so hoping this will be of a similar standard

10-05-2020 1:37am

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Has anyone here read anything good about Henry VIII? There's a few books focusing on his wives and one by Alison Weir who's not a historian.

Tracy Borman has one on Henry VIII himself, might be a good place to start. I believe she also has an upcoming book covering all the Tudors.

Manach · 24-05-2020 8:28pm

For the period of the Old West of the US, "Dreams of El Dorado" by W. Brands was an excellent read.

ancapailldorcha · 24-05-2020 8:31pm

Batrachotox wrote: »

Tracy Borman has one on Henry VIII himself, might be a good place to start. I believe she also has an upcoming book covering all the Tudors.

I bought on specifically about Henry VII Thomas Penn. I prefer to read reign by reign but it might come to that. Most of the Henry VIII books tend to focus on his wives but the Borman book looks like the best option at least until Waterstone's reopens and I might see something on paperback.

ancapailldorcha · 22-07-2020 11:06pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

This one's a recommendation I think.

I'm going to read Penn's Yorkist book next and his biography of Henry Tudor.

Has anyone here read anything good about Henry VIII? There's a few books focusing on his wives and one by Alison Weir who's not a historian.

Both of Penn's books are must reads IMO, especially The Brothers York. Winter King is a much less fluid read as it handles much less compelling subject matter but Henry VII is a unique character among England's monarchs.

Leaning towards Borman's Henry VIII book. Most of them are concerned with the wives which is irritating. I'm just after a solid narrative biography.

Has anyone read anything good about Elizabeth I?

silliussoddius · 20-11-2020 10:15pm

Any recommendations about the crusades?

ancapailldorcha · 20-11-2020 10:20pm

silliussoddius wrote: »

Any recommendations about the crusades?

Yep:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006ZD19TC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

It's masterful. I can't imagine there being a better book available.

Thesiger · 20-11-2020 10:26pm

silliussoddius wrote: »

Any recommendations about the crusades?

I’ve read Christopher Tyerman’s “God’s War” which is excellent but massive and insanely detailed.

ancapailldorcha · 20-11-2020 10:32pm

Dan Jones also has a recent book on the subject:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crusaders-Dan-Jones-ebook/dp/B07K2FX94P/ref=pd_vtp_351_4/261-0500380-6035212?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07K2FX94P&pd_rd_r=8c698db4-30d8-4fc7-b81e-1867fb7a6640&pd_rd_w=XJdXH&pd_rd_wg=rQncu&pf_rd_p=18bc5366-21e6-460e-84bc-9a61ea576c49&pf_rd_r=Z0FNG6G8Y3EQ11XCM7RK&psc=1&refRID=Z0FNG6G8Y3EQ11XCM7RK

The Asbridge book I linked to above really was a phenomenal overview. A friend is reading and enjoying the Jones book but I really do think the Asbridge one is the one to go for.

Tauriel · 20-11-2020 11:00pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Dan Jones also has a recent book on the subject:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crusaders-Dan-Jones-ebook/dp/B07K2FX94P/ref=pd_vtp_351_4/261-0500380-6035212?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07K2FX94P&pd_rd_r=8c698db4-30d8-4fc7-b81e-1867fb7a6640&pd_rd_w=XJdXH&pd_rd_wg=rQncu&pf_rd_p=18bc5366-21e6-460e-84bc-9a61ea576c49&pf_rd_r=Z0FNG6G8Y3EQ11XCM7RK&psc=1&refRID=Z0FNG6G8Y3EQ11XCM7RK

The Asbridge book I linked to above really was a phenomenal overview. A friend is reading and enjoying the Jones book but I really do think the Asbridge one is the one to go for.

I would also look at The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors also by Dan Jones. I read it during the summer and found it very interesting and insightful.

silliussoddius · 20-11-2020 11:01pm

mustang shelly wrote: »

I would also look at The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors also by Dan Jones. I read it during the summer and found it very interesting and insightful.

Thanks, everyone. I've read a couple of Jones' books in the past and found them accesable, I might give his a shot.

ancapailldorcha · 20-11-2020 11:01pm

mustang shelly wrote: »

I would also look at The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors also by Dan Jones. I read it during the summer and found it very interesting and insightful.

It's on my list. If you enjoyed it I might bump it up as they feature in the Crusades but their end isn't something I know a great deal about.

Thesiger · 20-11-2020 11:23pm

The classic work on the Crusades is Steven Runciman’s 3 volume history. Haven’t read it but it is said to be a great work of literature, but a bit outdated in terms of scholarship on the topic.

Apart from those mentioned above, look for works by Jonathan Riley-Smith and Jonathan Philips.

Also Amin Maalouf’s “The Crusades Through Arab Eyes.”

bobbyss · 11-03-2021 1:29am

Has anybody read Anne Chambers' Grace O'Malley book?
I tried but just could not get past the first few pages with unrecognizable and unpronucable names. I thought the writer should be aware of how off putting this might be. Surely there's a story to be told? I just wonder if anyone has read this book and their thoughts. Any orher books on her?

dubhthach · 11-03-2021 5:45pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Has anybody read Anne Chambers' Grace O'Malley book?
I tried but just could not get past the first few pages with unrecognizable and unpronucable names. I thought the writer should be aware of how off putting this might be. Surely there's a story to be told? I just wonder if anyone has read this book and their thoughts. Any orher books on her?

Having names in the Irish language are off-putting and unpronounceable? jaysuz someone needs to park their colonial mentality. Good luck reading anything on medieval Irish history with that attitude.

bobbyss · 11-03-2021 8:52pm

dubhthach wrote:

Having names in the Irish language are off-putting and unpronounceable? jaysuz someone needs to park their colonial mentality. Good luck reading anything on medieval Irish history with that attitude.

I just want feedback on what people thought of the book.
If you read the book, what did you think of it?

ancapailldorcha · 11-03-2021 9:26pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Both of Penn's books are must reads IMO, especially The Brothers York. Winter King is a much less fluid read as it handles much less compelling subject matter but Henry VII is a unique character among England's monarchs.

Leaning towards Borman's Henry VIII book. Most of them are concerned with the wives which is irritating. I'm just after a solid narrative biography.

Has anyone read anything good about Elizabeth I?

The Borman book is excellent. Highly recommended.

Mick Tator · 19-03-2021 12:01pm

bobbyss wrote: »

I just want feedback on what people thought of the book.
If you read the book, what did you think of it?

I've read it - ages ago. I recall enjoying it and subsequently being disappointed to learn that some scholars took issue with several of her claims (I think about the meeting with QE1 ??). I've not followed up on that. I've no recollection of the Irish names being an issue and I'm by no means fluent. Chambers' book on the Countess of Desmond is also a good read.

bobbyss · 31-03-2021 10:13am

Mick Tator wrote:

I've read it - ages ago. I recall enjoying it and subsequently being disappointed to learn that some scholars took issue with several of her claims (I think about the meeting with QE1 ??). I've not followed up on that. I've no recollection of the Irish names being an issue and I'm by no means fluent. Chambers' book on the Countess of Desmond is also a good read.

Great stuff. It's good to get feedback. Will give her another go on that one. Currently reading life of George 111 by Janice Hadlow.

Mick Tator · 31-03-2021 11:29am

bobbyss wrote: »

Great stuff. It's good to get feedback. Will give her another go on that one. Currently reading life of George 111 by Janice Hadlow.

A very good read, highly recommended, is 'Dublin under the Georges' by Constantia Maxwell. It flows very well and is interlaced with interesting 'obscure' details. She was the first female lecturer in TCD.

Rmulvany · 05-05-2021 12:06pm

I'm looking to do some reading into Dál Riata / Dalriada.
If anyone can recommend any decent books I can add to my list that would be great

dubhthach · 05-05-2021 5:52pm

Rmulvany wrote: »

I'm looking to do some reading into Dál Riata / Dalriada.
If anyone can recommend any decent books I can add to my list that would be great

Alot of the issues with regards reading about Dál Riata/Riada is that their Irish territories basically got swamped by expansion of the Dál nAraidi -- as a result by the 7th century onwards it's mostly restricted to Western Scotland.

As a result most books are gonna be context of Scottish history. "Early Christian Ireland" by TM Charles-Edwards (University of Cambridge press) has a section on the wider North-East that can be read on Google Books:

https://books.google.ie/books?id=g6yq2sKLlFkC&lpg=PP1&dq=early%20christian%20ireland&pg=PA54#v=onepage&q&f=false

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Early-Christian-Ireland-T-Charles-Edwards/dp/0521037166/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Early+Christian+Ireland&qid=1620233548&s=books&sr=1-1

Manach · 27-05-2021 12:22pm

For those who enjoy Classical history, I'd recommend the following recent reads/listens:

Philip and Alexander by Adrian Goldsworthy
The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus (on audiobook)

ancapailldorcha · 27-05-2021 12:25pm

Manach wrote: »

For those who enjoy Classical history, I'd recommend the following recent reads/listens:

Philip and Alexander by Adrian Goldsworthy
The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus (on audiobook)

I impulsively bought the Goldsworthy book as a bit of an impulse. Glad to see someone else approves of it.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 8:34pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Has anybody read Anne Chambers' Grace O'Malley book?
I tried but just could not get past the first few pages with unrecognizable and unpronucable names. I thought the writer should be aware of how off putting this might be. Surely there's a story to be told? I just wonder if anyone has read this book and their thoughts. Any orher books on her?

I have read it and thought it was excellent. Would recommend it for sure. I also read her The Geraldine Conspiracy which I though was very good as well.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 8:47pm

Amtmann wrote: »

On general European history:

Norman Davies, Europe: A History.

***

On witch hunts:

B.P. Levack, The witch-hunt in early modern Europe; Kramer and Sprenger, Malleus Maleficarum.

****

On the Black Death, see Ziegler's book of that title; for the BD in Ireland, see the book by Maria Kelly.

***

On the emergence of twentieth-century forms of scientific racism - and I'm talking primary sources here - see

Gobineau, Essay on the inequality of the human races (1853);
HS Chamberlain, Foundations of the nineteenth-century 2 vols (1899);
M. Grant, The Passing of the Great Race, or, the racial basis of European History (1916);
Stoddard, The Rising Tide of Color against White World Supremacy;
Hitler, Mein Kampf; see also

Coon, The Races of Europe (1939);
Ripley, The Races of Europe (1899);
Deniker, The Races of Man (1899).

***

Biographies

Bainton, Here I stand: a life of Martin Luther;
Guy, My Heart is my own: Mary Queen of Scots;
Jenkins, Churchill.

***

Irish interest

For medieval-early modern, see anything by:

Hiram Morgan;
David Edwards;
Brendan Bradshaw;
J. Ohlmeyer;
N. Canny;
K. Nicholls;
Simms;
Ellis;
D. O'Corrain.

Of course, for modern Irish, see Roy Foster's Modern Ireland 1600-1972.

***

I could go on...!

I liked Norman Davies History of Europe very well done as was the History of Wales by John Davies.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 9:25pm

edolan wrote: »

Rebels by Peter De Rosa is the best novel i've read about the 1916 rising.

I enjoyed that. You should try Morgan Llewelyn's Irish century series as well which includes the rising they are excellent as well if you like historical ficition. The books in that series go: 1916, 1921, 1949 and 1972. All very good.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 9:35pm

GRMA wrote: »

The famine plot by Tim pat coogan. Terrific.

Although it will haunt you.

Great read but I know what you mean.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 9:36pm

Thomas_I wrote: »

How was that book in regards to its chapters? I mean what is the main topic he´s concentrating by each decade. I´m considering to evtl. buy that book some time, but still I don´t know whether it is not just merely a repeating of most events also to find in T.P. Coogans book about Ireland in the 20th Century.

I have both books and they are both well worth the read IMHO. I enjoyed both very much. I am especially an avid Tim Pat Coogan reader.

eire4 · 01-06-2021 9:51pm

BalcombeSt4 wrote: »

Peter Taylors book on the IRA, "Provos: Behind The Mask" - I thinks that's the best book written on the Provisional IRA. Peter Taylor unlike a lot of other authors really understands the the Republican movement & it's culture, and he has a great insight into it.

"Big boys Rules: The SAS and the Secret Struggle against the IRA" by Mark Urban is briliant. Again I love the little details he goes into, for example like explaining the IRA's digger bomb attack on The Birches, from planning stages, right up until the IRA Volunteers got back to safety, explaining how man men were used & how they were used, that a small bomb attack on Pomperoy barracks wa just a diversion, how the IRA vols escaped into Belfast b boat through Lough Neagh which is only about a mile from the Birches. Details like that in it were great.

Anne CadWallader's books "Lethal Allies: Britih Collusion in Ireland" is a great book on the activities of the Glenanne Gang from 1972 - 1978.

And both Don Mullan's & Joe Tiernan's books on the Dublin & Monaghan bombings are both very good.

I thought Anne Cadwallader's book Lethal Allies was stunning and a great read. If you liked that you should look up Sean McPhiley's The Committee overlaps to an extent with Lethal Allies.

thway14 · 30-06-2021 10:43am

If you want something more controversial try anything by Niall Ferguson. I found his book on the British Empire very good, albeit flawed.

ancapailldorcha · 02-07-2021 3:59pm

thway14 wrote: »

If you want something more controversial try anything by Niall Ferguson. I found his book on the British Empire very good, albeit flawed.

John Darwin seems to be the go-to man on the British Empire. He has two books I've seen, Unfinished Empire and The Empire Project. I've the former but not read it yet. He seems to be well regarded as an author on the subject.

Manach · 18-07-2021 10:54am

Two books I'd qualified recommend:

The Berlin-Baghdad Express: The Ottoman Empire and Germany's Bid for World Power, 1898-1918 by Sean McMeekin. It gives a good background into the Ottoman's entry in WW1 as well as other events such as the Armenian Massacres and Gallipoli.

The Great Betrayal: The Great Siege of Constantinople by Ernie Bradford. The author takes a somewhat jaundiced viewpoint and is not in line with latter historical research, but still the quality of the writing is excellent.

BalcombeSt4 · 09-09-2021 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117324667#Comment_117324667

Yea, I have the Sean McPhiley book as well, another very interesting look at RUC/Loyalist collusion and state controlled "terrorism" in the west.

silliussoddius · 02-01-2022 8:03pm

Any recommendations on the British/Chinese Opium wars?

growleaves · 24-02-2022 4:57pm

Is there an obvious best book on the Greek Civil War 1946-49? I want to read about it but not really sure where to start.

Manach · 08-03-2022 12:47am

For those interested in the current Ukrainian War and a historical background:

1 - Red Famine by Applebaum. This provides context on why some Ukrainian Nationists are against Russia due to Soviet times.

2 - War in 140 Characters by Patrikarakos. How modern war is full specturm, fought as much on social media as on the battlefield. One of the chapters deals with Ukraine.

3 Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder : An excellent book but rather grim.

Stephen_Maturin · 04-10-2022 5:34pm

Has anyone got any recommendations for good quality historical reading on Rhodesia and the Bush War?

Had my interest in the topic piqued after reading about the historical context of the country in Thomas Packenham’s excellent “Scramble for Africa”

ancapailldorcha · 06-06-2024 2:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/115365353#Comment_115365353

It's quite good. The Templars aren't quite worthy of a whole book but the story of how they became what was essentially the world's first multinational corporation and private army is one worth reading.

Manach · 08-06-2024 6:54pm

For anyone with an Audible subscription, this new book is an excellent listen on their plus library:

D-Day Revisited: The Invasion of Normandy by John McManus, Great Courses.

Recommended Reading

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