AP World History
Book Review
Pick one of the following books to do a book review on. The instructions are at the
end of the list:
IF YOU WANT TO READ A BOOK THAT IS NOT ON THIS LIST ASK ME AND I”LL
CONSIDER GIVING PERMISSION TO READ IT.
AUTOBIOGRAPHIES/BIOGRAPHIES
If you have a person you would like to read about get it cleared with me first
BASIC WORLD HISTORY
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Jared Diamond
Good work n environmental determinism, idea that scientific and environmental
factors can best explain the course of history. Good for fans of science
Plagues and Peoples William McNeill
History of plagues worldwide
Lost Discoveries: Ancient Roots of Modern Science Dick Teresi
Traces technology and science history. Good for people that like math and science
The Great Warming: Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilization Brian
Fagan Highly recommended book on the effects of climate change on civilizations
A History of Warfare John Keegan
Good overview of war throughout history including technology
Technology in World Civilization Arnold Pacey
Recommend read on historical technology
Floods, Famines, and Emperors Brian Fagan
Effects of climate on civilization
WWI
Dead Wake Erik Larsen
Story of the sinking of the Lusitania prior to the US entering WWI
WORLD WAR II
Blitzkrieg Len Deighton
How the Germans (almost) won the war
D-Day Stephen Ambrose
One of the standards of D-Day reading
Pegasus Bridge Stephen Ambrose
Story of the account of the British securing a vital bridge the night of the D-Day
invasion
Band of Brothers Stephen Ambrose
Follows E Company (101st airborne) from D-Day to the capturing of the Eagles Nest
Made into a mini-series by Tom Hanks
Secret Soldiers Philip Gerard
Tells the story of deception and spy techniques used to win WWII
Operation Mincemeat Ben Macintyre
Tells the story of the Allied forces attempt to fool the Germans prior to the invasion
of Italy. Involves passing off a dead man as a person with vital information
RELIGION
Siddhartha Herman Hesse
Introduction to Buddhism and Siddhartha (later becomes Buddha)
Religious text
Any of the major religions
(***if it is a holy book you can only read a book that is not of your faith***)
Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society Fatima Mernissi
Muslim women’s lives in Morocco
TRAVEL/EXPLORATION
The Adventures of Ibn Battuta Ross Dunn
Muslim traveller in the 14th century. Good review of the world up to 1400 and the
rise of Islam
Travels of Marco Polo Marco Polo
Good read about the explorers travels throughout Asia.
AFRICA
Africa in World History Jonathan Reynolds and Erik Gilbert
Study of Africa from an African perspective
Fate of Africa: From the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Despair Martin Meredith
Catalogues the struggles of the African continent since independence
Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela
Autobiographical account of the life and times of Nelson Mandela
A Thousand Hills: Rwanda’s Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It
Balanced look at events leading up to the Rwandan Genocide
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
True story of a boy soldier in Sierra Leone
Stephen Kinser
Ishmael Beah
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families Philip
Gourevitch
Genocide stories about Rwanda
Africa Remembered: Narratives by West Africans from the Era of the Slave Trade
Philip Curtain
Slave trade from a non-European perspective
The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census
Seminal book on the slave trade
Philip Curtain
Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800 John Thornton
Offers an African perspective on the slave trade
Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa Paul Lovejoy
Discussion of Islamic slavery and other forms of slavery
Not on Our Watch Don Cheadle
About the genocide in Darfur
AMERICAS
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus Charles Mann
Revised history on peoples in the Americas before Colombus
River of Doubt
Follows Teddy Roosevelt after his presidency ends. He explores an uncharted river
in the Amazon. Great read for anyone interested in Roosevelt or exploration and
discovery
Rivers of Blood, Rivers of Gold
Mark Cocker
Impact of imperialism in Mexico, SW US, and SW Africa
The Colombian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492 Alfred
Crosby
Ultimate work on this event. Discusses the exchange of foods, disease, and ideas
Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs Michael Coe
Great source if you like this area of the world
Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World Jack
Weatherford
Devil in the White City Erik Larsen
Follows the actions of one of the worst serial killers in American History that used
the World’s Fair to conceal his actions
Undaunted Courage Stephen Ambrose
Follows the journey of Lewis and Clark after the Louisiana Purchase. Good read for
people interested in Native Americans
Our America Lloyd Newman and LeAlan Jones
About two men and their experiences growing up in a Chicago ghetto
ASIA
When Asia was the World: Travelling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks
Who Created the “Riches of the East” Stewart Gordon
Entertaining stories of various travellers from 700-1500 in Asia
East Asia
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Mongols and their legacy
Jack Weatherford
When China Ruled the Seas: Treasure Fleet of the Dragon Throne Louise Levathes
Chinese emperor and his seven major expeditions to India, Indonesia and Africa
The Devil’s Horsemen :Mongol Invasion of Europe James Chambers
Highly recommended book.
MIDDLE EAST
The Great War for Civilization Robert Fisk
Detailed but heavy history. Interviewed Bin Laden three times
The Middle East Bernard Lewis
Sweeping summary of the region throughout all world history. Good book for AP
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini
Story of the lives of two women living in Afghanistan in recent years
Zoya’s Story: An Afghan Women’s Struggle for Freedom John Follain
Story of a woman’s resistance against the Tailban
Women and Gender in Islam Leila Ahmed
Examination of the treatment of women throughout Islamic history
EUROPE
Peloponnesian War Donald Kagan
Story of the war between Athens and Sparta
Ecological Imperialism: Biological Expansion of Europe 900-1900 Alfred Crosby
Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World Margaret MacMillan
Examines the global impact of the treaties that ended WWI
In the Garden of Beasts Erik Larsen
About to be a movie starring Tom Hanks Tells the story of the US ambassador
leading up to WWII
Brunelleschi’s Dome Ross King
Very entertaining read about Brunelleschi’s attempt to build the largest dome in the
world and the problems surrounding his attempt.
Leonardo and the Last Supper Ross King
Great read for anyone interested in art or Renaissance life.
Judgment of Paris Ross King
About the beginning of the Impressionist movement.
Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling Ross King
Story about the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Thunderstruck Erik Larsen
Story follows Guglielmo Marconi and a murderer on their cross Atlantic journey to
the US
The Long Ships Frans Bengtsson
Viking Era described through the adventures of Red Orm
Great Cat Massacre Robert Darnton
Entertaining story of workers revolting in 1730’s Europe including putting cats on
“trial”. Good read for anyone that likes 1700’s Europe or hates cats.
Thunderstruck Erik Larson
Story of a murderer and the invention of wireless communication by Marconi.
City of Falling Angels John Berendt
Novel about the authors experiences in Venice during 1996. Interesting read on
current Venetian life.
Monster of Florence Douglas Preston
About a serial killer in Florence in the 1960’s through the 1980’s
Eiffel’s Tower Jill Jonnes
Great read for anyone interested in architecture or Paris
NEW ZEALAND
Once Were Warriors Alan Duff
Maori couple dealing with poverty and racism in modern day New Zealand