Help! History Book Recommendation by Saturday

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

Hi all,

I have a birthday present to buy by tomorrow, and I've just learned that the birthday person has been into American History lately. That's all I know. I'd like to buy him a really interesting, can't lose book in that genre. I'm open to any suggestions, and I have absolutely no idea what he already has.

Clock's ticking. Can you help????? Thanks!

P.S. I usually plan my gifts better, but this person is really hard to shop for and never drops hints.

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

Most people seem to focus on certain areas, such as the Civil War or WWII or the American West. Do you know what he's interested in?

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

Here's some ideas off the top of my head . . .

Lincoln at Gettysburg (winner of the Pulitzer Prize)

A Stillness at Appomattox (ditto)

At Dawn We Slept

A Thousand Days, John F. Kennedy in the White House

And anything by David McCullough, such as Adams or Truman.

dclary · Sep 15, 2006

I have been reading Shelby Foote's OUTSTANDING three-volume Civil War history (currently smack dab in the middle of volume 2).

I would HIGHLY recommend it if you love this person and want to spend $100 bucks (hardcover) or $50 (soft).

http://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Narrative-Set/dp/0307290468/sr=8-2/qid=1158363925/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-8991977-6201456?ie=UTF8&s=books

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

I don't know what specific areas he's interested in, and if I ask, he'll know what I'm up to.

Probably can't spend over $40 but it's good to know about the more pricey options anyway.

persiphone_hellecat · Sep 15, 2006

1776? David McCullough

Shameless plug - if they are interested in the Korean War - try my late Uncle's book ...

Retreat Hell! We're Just Attacking In Another Direction

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

These are all great suggestions.

My husband and I heard about the history interest this morning, and I said, "I'll post something on AW. I know someone can make recommendations." LOL.

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

mkcbunny said:
I don't know what specific areas he's interested in, and if I ask, he'll know what I'm up to.

What are his other interests? For example, trains, nature, airplanes?

There are good history books that cover just about any subject.

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

I'm going to ask a little bird if she can snoop and find out whether a particular period/event/person is hot with the birthday boy. If I find out anything more, I'll let ya'll know.

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

alleycat said:
What are his other interests? For example, trains, nature, airplanes?

There are good history books that cover just about any subject.

Bicycling, which I know nothing about. And he's a carpenter, another area in which I am unable to buy gifts because I don't know what he wants or needs.

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

A good book covering a variety of people in history is Brave Companions by David McCullough, seventeen chapters, each devoted to a particular person or event.

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

alleycat said:
A good book covering a variety of people in history is Brave Companions by David McCullough, seventeen chapters, each devoted to a particular person or event.

That might cover several bases.

Also, I should add that I live in an area with a lot of bookstores, so I can probably find anything in print. I have tomorrow day to get it for a dinner tomorrow night.

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

mkcbunny said:
Bicycling, which I know nothing about. And he's a carpenter, another area in which I am unable to buy gifts because I don't know what he wants or needs.

There's a number of books I could recommend on architecture or building (I work in that field), such as the timber framing books by Tedd Benson.

Also, a subscription to either Fine Homebuilding or Fine Woodworking would be an idea. Just buy one copy and then tell him he's getting a subscription. (And, to be sneaky, you don't have to mail the subscription card until you find out whether he already gets the magazine or not.)

Saint Fool · Sep 15, 2006

If you want to go lighter:

Richard Shenkman has a couple of interesting Am Hist books: Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History and I Love Paul Reviere Whether He Rode or Not. Fun to read and covers from pre-Revolution up to present day.

Bill Bryson wrote Made in America - An Informal History of the English Language in the US. It's a bit of an odd duck because it deals more with how "American" evolved as the country grew but again it's fun.

Bruce Catton also wrote several excellent books about the Civil War.

underthecity · Sep 15, 2006

My favorite history book is History of the Twentieth Century With All the Boring Bits Left out. I have an earlier version of what's pictured, but, wow, it has so much information in it. While I already like reading about history, this book is really fun to read. If you get him anything, get him this.

Or, just throwing it out there, I've written a couple history books myself.

allen

robeiae · Sep 15, 2006

I recommend Redcoats and Rebels by Christopher Hibbert.

For lighter reading, try Pappy Boyington's autobiography: Baa Baa Black Sheep.

mkcbunny · Sep 15, 2006

You all rock! I think our game plan is going to be to take a list of these suggestions to the store tomorrow and sample the books to see which one(s) feels the most appropriate for our friend. I'll check in the morning to see if there are other ideas. All suggestions welcome!! Thanks everyone.

Serenity · Sep 15, 2006

Let me add one more, just in case: The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara.

I can't recommend it enough. If they liked the movie 'Gettysburg', they'll love the book even more. Also Band of Brothers, by Stephen E. Ambrose is excellent.

persiphone_hellecat · Sep 15, 2006

I ve heard Frank Lloyd Wright The Fellowship is very interesting. Havent read it yet. It tells a lot of the background behind Taliesin - including Im told some HOT stuff... If he's interested in the history of architecture - that might be good. Also the great PBS DVD on Frank Lloyd Wright is fabulous.

alleycat · Sep 15, 2006

While not exactly a history book, the non-fiction book House by Tracey Kidder might also be an idea. The carpenters get shown in the best light. In fact, one of them went on to write his own book on house building.

alleycat · Sep 16, 2006

And here's the Wiki list for the Pulitzer winners in history, general non-fiction and biography. It might give you some ideas if nothing else.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_Biography_or_Autobiography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_General_Non-Fiction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_History

I'd still highly recommend anything by David McCullough, I've been impressed with almost everything I've read by him. He can make what might at first seem to be a dry and dull subject and make it fascinating to read about (I mean, who would have guessed a biography of John Adams would become a best-seller).

whistlelock · Sep 16, 2006

Head to Half Priced, or your local reseller. you'll get more for your money there.

I recomend Eisenhower's book on WWI and the American Experience in Europe during the same conflict.

mkcbunny · Sep 16, 2006

persiphone_hellecat said:
1776? David McCullough

Shameless plug - if they are interested in the Korean War - try my late Uncle's book ...

Retreat Hell! We're Just Attacking In Another Direction

I just learned this morning that he's reading 1776 right now. So that's a clue. I''ve also heard that he likes to read about the presidents "if it's good," which i took to mean not dry and boring. So I'm considering McCullough's Adams bio as the front runner, but I'm trying to find out whether he's read it. Seems likely given the above info.

Thanks all.

mkcbunny · Sep 16, 2006

I made a call outside the bookstore [lol] and found out that he'd read the McCullough book on Adams and liked it. So, we narrowed the list to the bios and Redcoats and Rebels, since he was reading 1776 at the moment. The "little bird" told me he might like the Truman book, so that was the front-runner. I wanted to check out Brave Companions and Redcoats and Rebels in person, to paw over them myself, but neither was in stock. Maybe for Xmas. We also checked out the Frank Lloyd Wright book as an option. The woman helping us at the bookstore gave it a high rating, being about three chapters into it, but we decided to stick with the original theme and save that one as a later possibility.

So we'll see what the birthday boy's response is. Thanks everyone for your help! I'm saving the list for future reference, both for this same person and for others.

Has anyone read Benjamin Franklin : An American Life
by Walter Isaacson? I'm asking about this one for myself. Thanks.

alleycat · Sep 16, 2006

mkcbunny said:
Has anyone read Benjamin Franklin : An American Life
by Walter Isaacson? I'm asking about this one for myself. Thanks.

I got it from the library as a book-on-tape but didn't get a chance to listen to it. I've heard it's very good.

By the way, as a former architecture student, I have dozens of books and videos on Frank Lloyd Wright (as well as touring about a third of the buildings he designed). Let me know when you go shopping again. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Chicago sells a number of interesting items as well.

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