Howdy! I'm looking for a good book recommendation. I've read all of Ayn Rand's books, the Killing series books, and David McCullough's best books. Do you have any other favorites I should read! TIA!

I like Bill O'Reilly's books personally

The storm before the storm
By Mike Duncan

"Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" by Hunter Thompson. Great writing, very entertaining, and some of the shrewdest political insights you'll ever read.

I'd highly recommend all of Robert Caro's LBJ books.

Try Bernard Lewis' History of the Middle East.

If you really want to understand history and politics, read what the founding fathers wrote...which will also have you reading a similar book list to what every major historical political figure in the west would have read as well.

Herodotus' Histories
Aristotle's Politics
Plutarch's Lives
Plato's Republic
Julius Caesar's Campaigns
Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander
Xenophon's Anabasis

Also..

The Prince by Machiavelli
Discourses Concerning Government by Algernon Sydney
Locke's Second Treatise

Then...(these are not on the founding fathers list, but are necessary to understand the 20th century)
The Road to Serfdom by FA Hayek
The History of Money and Credit by von Mises

As well as..
The Bible
Pilgrim's Progress



If you make your way through that list you will have a functional understanding of history, politics, economics, the west, and human nature in a way that very few do.

The Great Decision by Cliff Sloan and David McKean. Good storytelling about the Marbury v. Madison (1803) decision.

William Manchester's The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History (of the US) 1932-1972.
You may not agree with the author's interpretations (he is a greatest generation Ivy Leaguer) but his recounting of the events in a very readable style make this worthwhile.

If you really want to understand our Constitution, you might consider reading The Federalist Papers and the counter to them, the Anti-Federalist Papers. It is amazing when reading through both sets how the core, basic issues haven't changed that much.

Undaunted Courage is fantastic.

I know it's not a book (nor is this the entertainment channel), but the Presidential miniseries on Amazon Prime Video are absolutely wonderful. The Washington, Lincoln, Grant, and Roosevelt (and I heard there's a Jefferson one, too) are so well done.

The Lincoln one is by far my favorite so far and the Grant one has done a superb job of reshaping my understanding, as well as my knowledge and appreciation, of Grant. I would recommend a watch and I'm looking forward to grabbing the books these miniseries pull from, especially the Grant one.

Last Stands: Why Men Fight On When All Hope Is Lost by Michael Walsh

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

The Frozen Hours (recommend the audio version, it is well-voiced) by Jeff Shaara

Aggie_Journalist said:

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I'd highly recommend all of Robert Caro's LBJ books.

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Master of the Senate - Great recommendation.

Just finished this

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217245552

KingofHazor said:

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If you really want to understand our Constitution, you might consider reading The Federalist Papers and the counter to them, the Anti-Federalist Papers. It is amazing when reading through both sets how the core, basic issues haven't changed that much.

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It turns out the Anti-Federalists were right. We have the government they feared, and the Federalists said couldn't happen. To be fair to the Federalists, it took amendments for the income tax and the direct election of senators to get it.

and this is great if u haven't already read it

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7375

Zobel said:

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If you really want to understand history and politics, read what the founding fathers wrote...which will also have you reading a similar book list to what every major historical political figure in the west would have read as well.

Herodotus' Histories
Aristotle's Politics
Plutarch's Lives
Plato's Republic
Julius Caesar's Campaigns
Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander
Xenophon's Anabasis

Also..

The Prince by Machiavelli
Discourses Concerning Government by Algernon Sydney
Locke's Second Treatise

Then...(these are not on the founding fathers list, but are necessary to understand the 20th century)
The Road to Serfdom by FA Hayek
The History of Money and Credit by von Mises

As well as..
The Bible
Pilgrim's Progress



If you make your way through that list you will have a functional understanding of history, politics, economics, the west, and human nature in a way that very few do.

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I prefer this approach. I'd throw in Thucydides and consider you very well read (well, even without Thucydides you'd be very well read!)
There is one contemporary book (well, dated 1986) Thinking in Time by Neustadt and May. It's sole focus is on how to use history in decision making. One key part of it is how "analogies" are bungled...meaning, using "analogies" that really aren't and using that as the basis for (bad) decisions. It should be required reading for anyone in politics and gov't.

*The Clash of Civilizations by Huntington
*The Wealth and Poverty of Nations by Landes
*1491 by Mann

Big picture histories/theories that give you a broad scope view of why the world is the way it is.

Zobel said:

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If you really want to understand history and politics, read what the founding fathers wrote...which will also have you reading a similar book list to what every major historical political figure in the west would have read as well.

Herodotus' Histories
Aristotle's Politics
Plutarch's Lives
Plato's Republic
Julius Caesar's Campaigns
Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander
Xenophon's Anabasis

Also..

The Prince by Machiavelli
Discourses Concerning Government by Algernon Sydney
Locke's Second Treatise

Then...(these are not on the founding fathers list, but are necessary to understand the 20th century)
The Road to Serfdom by FA Hayek
The History of Money and Credit by von Mises

As well as..
The Bible
Pilgrim's Progress



If you make your way through that list you will have a functional understanding of history, politics, economics, the west, and human nature in a way that very few do.

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The older I get the more I appreciate classic literature. It's something that people have less and less grounding in, and I think it's to our detriment.

Zobel said:

---

If you really want to understand history and politics, read what the founding fathers wrote...which will also have you reading a similar book list to what every major historical political figure in the west would have read as well.

Herodotus' Histories
Aristotle's Politics
Plutarch's Lives
Plato's Republic
Julius Caesar's Campaigns
Arrian's Campaigns of Alexander
Xenophon's Anabasis

Also..

The Prince by Machiavelli
Discourses Concerning Government by Algernon Sydney
Locke's Second Treatise

Then...(these are not on the founding fathers list, but are necessary to understand the 20th century)
The Road to Serfdom by FA Hayek
The History of Money and Credit by von Mises

As well as..
The Bible
Pilgrim's Progress



If you make your way through that list you will have a functional understanding of history, politics, economics, the west, and human nature in a way that very few do.

---

Holy F.

Are you me? Lol.

Confronting the Presidents by Bill O'Reilly

Empire of the Summer Moon by SC Gwynne

A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan

Challenger by Adam Higginbotham

American Massacre by Sally Denton

Black Hawk Down and Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden

George, Nicolas, and Wilhelm by Miranda Carter

Grant by Rob Chernow

Manhunt by James Swanson

A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo

Storm of the Century by Al Roker

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers by Thomas Fleming

Everyone of the old texts should have free translated versions.

My favorite is The Law by Fredric Bastiat:
http://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html

If you want a simple book on geopolitics then

The Grand Chessboard by Brezenski
https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Chessboard-American-Geostrategic-Imperatives/dp/0465027261

If you want to understand race relations in America over the centuries up to the Marxist takeover of the dem party (I read this prior to adopting my two black sons who have intellectual disabilities. It gave me hope for America's racial future: then we got Barry and critical race theory) but we should all read this to get back on track:

The New Nationalism - the Fourth American Revolution by Michael Lind

https://www.amazon.com/Next-American-Nation-Nationalism-Revolution/dp/0029191033

Finally read Zeihan's latest book. Yes, he is silly dem , but when he writes geopolitical and economic numbers he does not lie. This last book was great in explaining the buildup of industrialization and modern agriculture and what change ms on the global front mean to those areas:

The End of the World is Just the Beginning

https://www.amazon.com/End-World-Just-Beginning-Globalization-ebook/dp/B09C65JNPF/

1. The Bible, then
2. anything by Victor D. Hanson.

OP, if you're interested in the first bunch, the Landmark Ancient Histories are the best editions. They are heavily annotated, sport maps every few pages to show where events are occurring, and include tons of companion essays to help provide context to events.

Would also add Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War. He was one of the first (and possibly the greatest) foreign policy realists. There are still geopolitical analysts who believe that once you've deeply studied Thucydides, you have all the tools you need to analyze current events!

maroonblood said:

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Howdy! I'm looking for a good book recommendation. I've read all of Ayn Rand's books, the Killing series books, and David McCullough's best books. Do you have any other favorites I should read! TIA!

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If you're looking for a non-fiction history book there is no finer a tome than "A History of the American People" by Paul Johnson. It's a long read but well worth it. Here's a link if you don't mind reading it online:

https://www.ushistory.ru/images/files/A_History_of_the_American_People.pdf Bon Courage!

Paul Johnson was a Brit journalist who realized one day he didn't know squat about American History so he researched/learned about it and wrote this book. It beats the hell outta 99% of history books out there, especially absolute garbage like Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States", which has unfortunately been used in many a classroom around the U.S. since c.1980 despite being demolished by historians for it's twisting of events, if not flat out lying.

And if that isn't enough and you want something a bit more classical there's always "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon. There's a nice three book set which covers different parts of the Roman Empire. Double Bon Courage!

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History by Brian Kilmeade

Noctilucent said:

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maroonblood said:

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Howdy! I'm looking for a good book recommendation. I've read all of Ayn Rand's books, the Killing series books, and David McCullough's best books. Do you have any other favorites I should read! TIA!

---

If you're looking for a non-fiction history book there is no finer a tome than "A History of the American People" by Paul Johnson. It's a long read but well worth it. Here's a link if you don't mind reading it online:

https://www.ushistory.ru/images/files/A_History_of_the_American_People.pdf Bon Courage!

Paul Johnson was a Brit journalist who realized one day he didn't know squat about American History so he researched/learned about it and wrote this book. It beats the hell outta 99% of history books out there, especially absolute garbage like Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States", which has unfortunately been used in many a classroom around the U.S. since c.1980 despite being demolished by historians for it's twisting of events, if not flat out lying.

And if that isn't enough and you want something a bit more classical there's always "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon. There's a nice three book set which covers different parts of the Roman Empire. Double Bon Courage!

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Oh yeah, if all of the above is just too much you could always read "The Leatherstocking Tales" by James Fenimore Cooper. Really good stuff about young America!

Wow! These are great suggestions. My reading list is set. Thank you!

Stalin's War
To Dare and Conquer
A History of Christendom
The New Concise History of the Crusades

Zero Fail- The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service

Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson. A good read on the cause(s) of the American Civil War.

History?

24 page thread on the History Board

https://texags.com/forums/49/topics/2905795

"The Creture From Jekyll Island"

It will change the way you look at every headline.

I recommend Thomas Sowell. I've read several of his booksVision of the Anointed has been my favorite so far.