History: some modern classics

These are NOT advanced reading for Oxford Courses. They are books to get you thinking beyond school history and get you into the habit of reading whole books. They are also fun summer reading.

1.Robert Bartlett, The Making of Europe: Conquest, colonization and cultural change 950-1300 (Amazon pb £9)

A brilliant structural analysis of the European Middle Ages

2.Judith Herrin, Byzantium :The surprising life of a medieval empire ( Amazon pb £7.69)

A very clever collection of thematic essays that build up into a 1,000 year history.

3. Linda Colley, The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh ( Amazon pb £6.99)

‘Microhistory ‘meets global history in the life of an eighteenth century woman

4. David Olusaga, The World’s War (Amazon pb £9.99)

A different perspective on the First World War.

5. Roy Foster, Modern Ireland 1600-1972 (Amazon pb £10.49)

Opinionated and superbly written

6.Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Europe’s House Divided 1490-1700 (Amazon pb 10.49)

A master work

7. Peter Marshall, Mother Leakey and the Bishop( Amazon pb £5.21)

A ghost story, a detective story and an intriguing insight into what historians do with evidence.

8.James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The American Civil War (Amazon pb £11.89)

Brilliantly written ‘total’ history

9. Ian Mortimer, A Time Traveller’s guide to Medieval England. (Amazon pb £5.59)

Ingenious approach to social history

10. Sven Beckert, Empire of Cotton (£ 12.08 Amazon)

Interesting economic history

11. David Graeber, Debt: The First 5,000 years (£12.99 Amazon)

Finally – not a book

Mary Beard, Meet the Romans (DVD £11.99 from BBC shop) A fantastic television series in 3 parts by an eccentric and extraordinary ancient historian.