I'm still making my way through the four volumes of The Cambridge World History of Slavery, ancient to 2016, and highly recommend (published 2011-2021).
Two books I'm in the middle of, will finish eventually if the kids permit me, and would recommend to anyone who hasn't read them yet:
1. Anne Applebaum, Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine.
2. Stephen Harrigan, Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas.
As someone who didn't discover John Steinbeck till recently, I'd recommend his novels to anyone interested in not-so-ancient history. There are details about what life was like for the down-and-out characters that are not impossible but harder to glean from conventional historiography.
Finally, I picked up Camilla Townsend's Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs after reading about it in one of Razib's monthly reading roundups and would echo his recommendation to those of you who haven't dipped into it yet. Townsend makes the unconventional decision to paint short fictional portraits of documented historical episodes at the beginning of each chapter, and they come about as close as one can get to having a Steinbeckian picture of the details of ancient Aztecs' lives. I don't mind the fictionalizing as much as I ordinarily would, because Townsend is so up front about why she does it, and 90% of the book is meticulously documented historiography taken from a broad range of more conventional sources.
Happy reading, everyone. Eager to see what books other nerds here will point me to.
Currently reading The Social Conquest of Earth by E.O. Wilson which is adorable because you can totally tell that he wants to make the whole thing about ants 💖
I recently finished Religion and Domestic Violence in Early New England: The Memoirs of Abigail Abbot Bailey, which was edited by Ann Taves.
This is also a suggestion for readers with young children (6-10/11): The American Girl books, particularly the History Mysteries. The central series books are also generally good.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Glad to see so many books on the list that we have listened to including one by someone who taught me at university. There is one question which I keep on wanting to ask about (ancient) DNA analysis but feel stupid about asking. But my wife has told to to so I will. Am I correct in thinking ancient DNA can only be traced via mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome because the rest of the genome inheritance can be “lost” over six odd generations? Sorry to ask such a basic question but to a layman so many things seem as a given. Another related example
is how children do not necessarily inherit equal amounts of genetic inheritance for their parents etc. Many thanks.
“Bantu Expansion, the Khoisan and Ethiopia are all calling to me”... Sigh.
I am an African born and raised and I certainly cannot speak for all Africans or even my neighbors. I will say though that what I’ve quoted above is uncomfortable because the Bantu expansion is a racist whitewash... Khoisan(?), we don’t use this term anymore because it is a slur.
If you have read Thucydides and internalized what he had to say about the conflict between Athens and Sparta, there is a 101 lesson there that is critical and its not the Melian dialogue. I read your re read your Russia Substack written in March yesterday ironically, because there's some fascinating history revealed in that piece and I wanted to share it with a friend who shared some rather absurd medium piece on Russian history. It's not my intent to criticize the view suggested behind casus belli in that piece , its not my place. But I finally read this, and was surprised to find Thucydides on your list of books you wish you were pressed to read as a child. The casus belli view expressed in your March piece is deeply at odds with the 101 lesson documented by History. If an adult wasn't able to internalize it, and it is quite critical. How will a child?
Looking forward to the post about Mexico. Wouldn't mind one about Solutrean genetics either. Where they came from, how much they contributed to Magdalenean and other cultures.
I'm still making my way through the four volumes of The Cambridge World History of Slavery, ancient to 2016, and highly recommend (published 2011-2021).
Two books I'm in the middle of, will finish eventually if the kids permit me, and would recommend to anyone who hasn't read them yet:
1. Anne Applebaum, Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine.
2. Stephen Harrigan, Big Wonderful Thing: A History of Texas.
As someone who didn't discover John Steinbeck till recently, I'd recommend his novels to anyone interested in not-so-ancient history. There are details about what life was like for the down-and-out characters that are not impossible but harder to glean from conventional historiography.
Finally, I picked up Camilla Townsend's Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs after reading about it in one of Razib's monthly reading roundups and would echo his recommendation to those of you who haven't dipped into it yet. Townsend makes the unconventional decision to paint short fictional portraits of documented historical episodes at the beginning of each chapter, and they come about as close as one can get to having a Steinbeckian picture of the details of ancient Aztecs' lives. I don't mind the fictionalizing as much as I ordinarily would, because Townsend is so up front about why she does it, and 90% of the book is meticulously documented historiography taken from a broad range of more conventional sources.
Happy reading, everyone. Eager to see what books other nerds here will point me to.
Currently reading The Social Conquest of Earth by E.O. Wilson which is adorable because you can totally tell that he wants to make the whole thing about ants 💖
Merry Christmas everyone!
I recently finished Religion and Domestic Violence in Early New England: The Memoirs of Abigail Abbot Bailey, which was edited by Ann Taves.
This is also a suggestion for readers with young children (6-10/11): The American Girl books, particularly the History Mysteries. The central series books are also generally good.
Brilliant. Thank you so much for giving me such an extensive answer. 👍 PS My wife says thanks too.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Glad to see so many books on the list that we have listened to including one by someone who taught me at university. There is one question which I keep on wanting to ask about (ancient) DNA analysis but feel stupid about asking. But my wife has told to to so I will. Am I correct in thinking ancient DNA can only be traced via mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome because the rest of the genome inheritance can be “lost” over six odd generations? Sorry to ask such a basic question but to a layman so many things seem as a given. Another related example
is how children do not necessarily inherit equal amounts of genetic inheritance for their parents etc. Many thanks.
“Bantu Expansion, the Khoisan and Ethiopia are all calling to me”... Sigh.
I am an African born and raised and I certainly cannot speak for all Africans or even my neighbors. I will say though that what I’ve quoted above is uncomfortable because the Bantu expansion is a racist whitewash... Khoisan(?), we don’t use this term anymore because it is a slur.
If you have read Thucydides and internalized what he had to say about the conflict between Athens and Sparta, there is a 101 lesson there that is critical and its not the Melian dialogue. I read your re read your Russia Substack written in March yesterday ironically, because there's some fascinating history revealed in that piece and I wanted to share it with a friend who shared some rather absurd medium piece on Russian history. It's not my intent to criticize the view suggested behind casus belli in that piece , its not my place. But I finally read this, and was surprised to find Thucydides on your list of books you wish you were pressed to read as a child. The casus belli view expressed in your March piece is deeply at odds with the 101 lesson documented by History. If an adult wasn't able to internalize it, and it is quite critical. How will a child?
Looking forward to the post about Mexico. Wouldn't mind one about Solutrean genetics either. Where they came from, how much they contributed to Magdalenean and other cultures.