I want to get into reading more history books but get turned off by the dry prose style. I’m looking for something about history but written by authors with a more literary style, or authors that also have experience writing fiction (including memoirs of people who have lived through history). Books like Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The Devils Of Loudun
by save-me-from-sharon
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John Julius Norwich
Tom Holland
Bruce Catton
Rick Atkinson
Ever consider historical fiction? Michener comes to mind.
David Grann
Erik Larson
Candice Millard
Buddy Levy
Isaac Asimov wrote a *ton* of world history and intro to science books
*Everything is Tuberculosis* by John Green is a really readable book that discusses the history of TB and the modern social problems that mean it’s still an incredibly dangerous disease today, even though it’s treatable.
*Symphony for the City of the Dead* by M.T. Anderson. He normally writes fiction, this was a departure and it’s very gripping. Taught me a ton I didn’t know about 20th century Russia.
Brazil: Land of the future by Stefan Zweig
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton
The Outline of History by H.G. Wells
The House of the Dead by Dostoevsky
Try Ken follett books, the historian by Elizabeth Kostova, and war and peace if u like big books
Check out some of Gore Vidal’s books. He falls right into this sweet spot!