Can you recommend good overview books for major historical events?

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to build a stronger general knowledge of history. I’ve realized I know bits and pieces of certain events, but I’d really like to fill in the gaps with books that give a clear, big-picture overview.

I’m not looking for super academic or highly specialized works just yet, books that I can read on their own, without needing a lot of prior background knowledge.

The topics:

Rise and fall of Ancient Greece

Napoleon

French Revolution

American Civil War

Austrofascism

Austria during Nazi rule

Berlin Wall/East-West Berlin

World War I

World War II

Cold War

Rise and fall of the Soviet Union

My goal is to get a solid foundational understanding of these events/periods, so that later I can dive into more detailed works. If there are single-volume books that serve as classic overviews, or if you think a certain series does this really well, I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Thanks in advance for any pointers!