Best World History Books | Summaries & Audio

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SoBrief

World History Book Summaries

Over the Edge of the World

by Laurence Bergreen • 2003

Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe

Over the Edge of the World

Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe

by Laurence Bergreen 2003 458 pages

A Short History of the World

by H.G. Wells • 1922

A Short History of the World

by H.G. Wells 1922 371 pages

by Frances FitzGerald • 1972

The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam

The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam

by Frances FitzGerald 1972 500 pages

by Brendan Simms • 2013

The Struggle for Supremacy from 1453 to the Present

The Struggle for Supremacy from 1453 to the Present

by Brendan Simms 2013 720 pages

The Return of the Russian Leviathan

by Sergei Medvedev • 2017

The Return of the Russian Leviathan

by Sergei Medvedev 2017 140 pages

A Short History of the World in 50 Lies

by Natasha Tidd • 2023

A Short History of the World in 50 Lies

by Natasha Tidd 2023 288 pages

A History of the Philippines

by Luis H. Francia • 2010

From Indios Bravos to Filipinos

A History of the Philippines

From Indios Bravos to Filipinos

by Luis H. Francia 2010 352 pages

by Steven Johnson • 2020

A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History's First Global Manhunt

A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History's First Global Manhunt

by Steven Johnson 2020 286 pages

by Piers Brendon • 2000

A Panorama of the 1930s

A Panorama of the 1930s

by Piers Brendon 2000 848 pages

The Hidden History of Burma

by Thant Myint-U • 2019

Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century

The Hidden History of Burma

Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century

by Thant Myint-U 2019 304 pages

The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1994

The Age of Extremes, 1914-1991

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1994 627 pages

The Age of Capital, 1848–1875

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1975

The Age of Capital, 1848–1875

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1975 354 pages

They Came Before Columbus

by Ivan Van Sertima • 2003

The African Presence in Ancient America

They Came Before Columbus

The African Presence in Ancient America

by Ivan Van Sertima 2003 284 pages

by Buddy Levy • 2008

Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs

Hernán Cortés, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs

by Buddy Levy 2008 448 pages

The Age of Empire, 1875–1914

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1987

The Age of Empire, 1875–1914

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1987 405 pages

by Camilla Townsend • 2019

A New History of the Aztecs

A New History of the Aztecs

by Camilla Townsend 2019 336 pages

by Pierre Berton • 1958

The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush

The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush

by Pierre Berton 1958 494 pages

by Edward J. Watts • 2025

by Edward J. Watts 2025 736 pages

The Scramble for Africa

by Thomas Pakenham • 1991

The White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912

The Scramble for Africa

The White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912

by Thomas Pakenham 1991 800 pages

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1969

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1969 240 pages

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1968

The Birth of the Industrial Revolution

The Birth of the Industrial Revolution

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1968 411 pages

Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens

by Robin Waterfield • 2018

A History of Ancient Greece

Creators, Conquerors, and Citizens

A History of Ancient Greece

by Robin Waterfield 2018 511 pages

by Marc David Baer • 2021

Khans, Caesars and Caliphs

Khans, Caesars and Caliphs

by Marc David Baer 2021 560 pages

by Paul Kriwaczek • 2010

Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization

Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization

by Paul Kriwaczek 2010 310 pages

by Amitav Ghosh • 2024

A Writer's Journey through Opium's Hidden Histories

A Writer's Journey through Opium's Hidden Histories

by Amitav Ghosh 2024 417 pages

by Walter Scheidel • 2019

The Failure of Empire and the Road to Prosperity

The Failure of Empire and the Road to Prosperity

by Walter Scheidel 2019 670 pages

by Eric H. Cline • 2024

The Survival of Civilizations

The Survival of Civilizations

by Eric H. Cline 2024 352 pages

A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders

by Jonn Elledge • 2024

Surprising Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps

A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders

Surprising Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps

by Jonn Elledge 2024 368 pages

by Tim Marshall • 2016

The Power and Politics of Flags

The Power and Politics of Flags

by Tim Marshall 2016 266 pages

The Sources of Social Power

by Michael Mann • 1986

Volume 1, A History of Power from the Beginning to AD 1760

The Sources of Social Power

Volume 1, A History of Power from the Beginning to AD 1760

by Michael Mann 1986 560 pages

by Ada Ferrer • 2021

by Ada Ferrer 2021 560 pages

Why the West Rules—for Now

by Ian Morris • 2010

The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future

Why the West Rules—for Now

The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future

by Ian Morris 2010 1162 pages

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1997

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1997 416 pages

A History of the World in 100 Objects

by Neil MacGregor • 2010

A History of the World in 100 Objects

by Neil MacGregor 2010 707 pages

Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust

by John Henrik Clarke • 1992

Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism

Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust

Slavery and the Rise of European Capitalism

by John Henrik Clarke 1992 131 pages

by Amy Chua • 2007

How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance—and Why They Fall

How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance—and Why They Fall

by Amy Chua 2007 432 pages

by Richard J. Evans • 2016

by Richard J. Evans 2016 848 pages

by Margaret MacMillan • 2001

Six Months that Changed the World

Six Months that Changed the World

by Margaret MacMillan 2001 624 pages

by Hampton Sides • 2024

Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

by Hampton Sides 2024 408 pages

by Adam Hochschild • 1998

A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa

A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa

by Adam Hochschild 1998 442 pages

Why Did Europe Conquer the World?

by Philip T. Hoffman • 2015

Why Did Europe Conquer the World?

by Philip T. Hoffman 2015 282 pages

by Philip Taubman • 2025

by Philip Taubman 2025 512 pages

by Ian Buruma • 2013

by Ian Buruma 2013 384 pages

A History of Histories

by J.W. Burrow • 2007

Epics, Chronicles, Romances and Inquiries from Herodotus and Thucydides to the Twentieth Century

A History of Histories

Epics, Chronicles, Romances and Inquiries from Herodotus and Thucydides to the Twentieth Century

by J.W. Burrow 2007 544 pages

by Paul Gillingham • 2025

Latin American History

Mexico

A 500-Year History

by Paul Gillingham 2025 752 pages

Latin American History

Civilization on Trial

by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1948

Civilization on Trial

by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1948

by Edward J. Watts • 2018

How Rome Fell into Tyranny

How Rome Fell into Tyranny

by Edward J. Watts 2018 336 pages

by Hal Brands • 2025

Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World

Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World

by Hal Brands 2025 320 pages

A Study of History, abridged

by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1957

A Study of History, abridged

by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1957 576 pages

How to Change the World

by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 2011

Tales of Marx and Marxism

How to Change the World

Tales of Marx and Marxism

by Eric J. Hobsbawm 2011 470 pages

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