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History was one of my least favorite subjects in school, the concept of memorizing boring facts about boring white people seemed unappealing. Turns out theres more to history than that! Most of my reading has been focused on American history but I'm working on branching out into international history - recommendations are appreciated as always!

How to Hide an Empire, by Daniel Immerwahr

This is one of the best history books I've ever read, and opened my eyes to see how complicated and interesting history can be. The author emphasizes how the "greater" United States is often forgotten and overlooked, both now and throughout history. Often the reason for this was due to who lives there (ie white or not), and how this affected the fates of these places (ie Hawaii vs the Philippines). The book also points out how WWII was a turning point for imperialistic empires, and the US became an empire in its own right but not in the same way that prior countries had done it. For example, you'll learn more about standardization of screw threads (and have a great time learning about it). I don't want to spoil the book too much (it's impossible to encapsulate in a review), you'll have to read it yourself!

The People's History of The United States, Howard Zinn

Whether you feel Zinn is overboard or doesn't push hard enough (or his views are just right), you should give this a read at least once. This book is the replacement to every high school textbook, taking a hard look at the truth of American history, as a place of racism, misogyny, and class warfare. Although this was not the first book I've read about the history of racism and persecution in America, I was most impressed by the role of class that gets glossed over during many history lessons. It's unfortunate to realize that the same struggles occurring today between most citizens and the elites have been going on before America's founding. One of the other highlights of the book is the emphasis on personal accounts and primary sources, which is where it receives the title of "People's History." It's a long read but well worth it.

Stamped from the Beginning, by Ibram X. Kendi

I expected this book to be a history of racism in America, but was pleasantly surprised that it was not. Instead, as the cover points out, this is a history of "racist ideas" in America. The central theme of the book is that racism vs antiracism is not as simplistic as it seems. One of the main points is how segregationists and assimilationists are often at odds, but the idea of assimilating with the "mainstream" and losing a group's identity is just as inherently racist as remaining separate and unequal. Attempts to move past racism are constantly met with challenges but in different and constantly evolving ways. For those who like biographies, the book is told with a focus on five different historical figures at different timepoints in history.

America for Americans, by Erika Lee

An extremely well-written book about the history of xenophobia throughout America's history. The book explains how some groups have been begrudgingly incorporated into America (aka white America), partially to maintain exclusion of other groups (aka non-white America). Some of the ways this country has treated foreigners is truly sickening and needs to be acknowledged. Learn about how the US sent Mexican Americans back across the border during the Great Depression, or how South American countries shipped their Japanese citizens to the US for internment during WWII and wouldn't take them back after the war. The book also points out how our current understanding of (illegal) immigration is not as immutable as we might think, and the repercussions of many historical and political decisions and the effects on the country today. The book was written right before COVID, but the paperback copy has an extra chapter looking at the anti-Asian experience since the pandemic started.

The Gulf, by Jack Davis

Similar to Immerwahr's book (see above), this is one of those books that seems mildly interesting on the bookshelf, so you buy it not realizing what an unbelievably good read you're in for. Davis sets the stage, pointing out how important the Gulf of Mexico is to American history and gets so little coverage compared to the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. The book covers so many topics, noting the links between human development/exploitation and loss of environmental resources. He discusses hurricanes, oil drilling, sportfishing, the plumage industry, and housing developments. One of the best parts is learning about the people who worked in the public eye and behind the scenes to defend the Gulf's nature for future generations to enjoy.

Africa: A Biography of the Continent, by John Reader

One book can't comprehensively cover everything about Africa but this may be as close as it comes. The book truly captures the breadth of African history, starting with the formation of the continent itself and how this plays a role in the development of societies and cultures down the road. The book is dense, but I enjoyed many of the tangential threads (such as the importance of camel physiology or cowrie shell economics) as the author tries to capture the nuances of Africa as a place that was often glossed over in history class. Although the book is obviously not comprehensive, it's a great starting point for further reading.

The Fate of Africa, Martin Meredith

This book focuses specifically on the history of Africa from independence onwards. It is obviously not comprehensive and focuses mostly on the infamous leaders of Africa who promised so much and delivered so little. Meredith discusses racism and apartheid in South Africa, the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan, and the dictators of Ethiopia, Zaire, and elsewhere. The book also delves into the persistent attempts by European nations to maintain a sphere of influence over the continent and the destruction and death that it leads to. A long and at times difficult read, it was nonetheless important to learn about Africa's history that is often glossed over by history classes.