The History Reader

Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean that the adventures must stop. Below is a selection of fantastic history reads that will take you from the dangerous terrain of Mt. Everest to the freezing Polar North to the wild American frontier. What adventure will you be joining from the safety and comfort of […] The post Armchair Adventure Recommendations for August 2026 appeared first on Th…

by Julie Summers and Jochen Hemmleb There is no mystery more compelling than the unsolved mystery of George Mallory, Sandy Irvine, and their legendary 1924 Everest expedition. There are many theories about what happened, but the definitive answer of them being the first people to reach the summit is unknown. Julie Summers, the great-niece of […] The post On the Trails of a Century of Mystery–Toge…

by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin Many U.S. soldiers fought bravely in Europe, but only a few of them were U.S. Marines. In The Phantom, authors Bob Drury and Tom Clavin share the extraordinary story of Major Pierre “Pete” Ortiz—a scout, saboteur, and French Resistance leader working in the heart of Nazi-occupied France. Read on […] The post Featured Excerpt: The Phantom appeared first on The History R…

by Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan Shakespeare’s line from the Merchant of Venice, “All that glitters is not gold” rings true for the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan. As a young American heiress, she was forced to marry an English duke by her mother when she loved someone else. This position as the Duchess of Marlborough placed […] The post Featured Excerpt: The Glitter and the Gold appeared first …

To honor the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, The History Reader has put together a list of top Revolutionary War-era books published over the last two decades. Here, you’ll find books about prominent figures in the war, such as George Washington and Paul Revere, as well as lesser known figures who were […] The post Celebrating 250 Years of the USA appeared first on The History …

by Alexander Larman What do the famous figures of Vivien Leigh, Ian Fleming, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Diana Mitford have in common? They all lived at Eaton Square, London’s most sought-after address. Windsor biographer Alexander Larman shares with The History Reader what drew him to write about Eaton Square as well as introduces readers to […] The post A Glimpse Behind the Doors of London’s Eaton…

by Addy Baird From players avoiding foul lines to never uttering the dreaded words “no hitter” to fans refusing to wash their favorite lucky jerseys, baseball is stepped in superstitions. In The Magical Game, journalist and converted baseball fan Addy Baird turns her reporter’s eye to her favorite sport: baseball. For more than 150 years, a […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>The Magical Game</i> a…

by Eric Moskowitz On June 1, 1909, thousands of people gathered in Manhattan to watch the kickoff of The International Automobile Endurance Contest, also known as the first Ocean-to-Ocean Race, as a handful of brave drivers sought to become the first person to successfully cross the United States in an automobile.  The Hardest, Longest Race […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>The Hardest, Longest R…

by Alexander Larman Today, Eaton Square is London’s most sought-after address due to its beautiful garden squares and its location just minutes away from Buckingham Palace. In his new book, The Secrets of Eaton Square, Windsor biographer Alexander Larman reveals the scandalous social and political history of Eaton Square that begins in the eighteenth century […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>The …

From the glittering ballrooms of London to the dusty backroads of 20th century America to baseball’s early World Series matchups, June has a fascinating array of history books covering a variety of topics. What will you pick up first? Windsor biographer Alexander Larman takes you behind the doors of Eaton Square, London’s most sought-after address. […] The post Five New History Books for June 202…

by Scott Davis During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II, featuring over 130 veterans, ranging in age from 90 […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>The Last of the Old Breed</i> appeared first on The History…

by Tom Clavin Just in time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin takes a dramatic, new look at Custer’s Last Stand, which was fought on June 25-27, 1876, between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes and the 7th […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>Vengeance</i> appeared first on The History Re…

by Buddy Levy May 11th-12th marks the 100th anniversary of the first fully documented flight to the North Pole. With an international flight crew of 16 men, the Norge lifted off from an icy hangar located halfway between the North Pole and Norway. Read on as Realm of Ice and Sky author Buddy Levy recounts […] The post The 100th anniversary of the <i>Norge’</i>s flight over the North Pole appeared…

The month of May marks several key events in the timeline of WWII, including the official end of the war in Europe on V-E Day (or Victory in Europe Day) on May 8, 1945, as German troops surrendered to Allied forces. On May 10th, the U.S. began the process of bringing three million American troops […] The post Stirring WWII History Book Recommendations for May 2026 appeared first on The History Re…

by Justin Garson In the 1950s, the field of psychiatry had nothing to show for itself. While polio was being cured, antibiotics were being discovered, and cancer research was developing, the mental health world had no wins. Asylums were full and nobody had figured out how to fix insanity—specifically schizophrenia, the severest mental illness. Scientists […] The post Featured Excerpt: <i>The Madn…

by James H. McCommons When people think of endangered animals, the Canada goose does not come to mind. In fact today, they are one of the most commonly found birds across America. However, just a century ago, these birds were in dire straits. Author James H. McCommons shares how the rise of the bird conservation […] The post Where the Wild Goose Goes appeared first on The History Reader .

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