Thursday, August 25, 2011

Book Through Thursday - History


Booking through Thursdays asks this week:

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.
Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL.

I generally don't read history books for the primary reason is that they tend to be quite long and also can be quite dry unless you are interested in the topic or the person being talked about, even though I do own quite a few books that deal either with a specific person or with a specific historical event.  The last one that I read that could be classified as a history book/historical biography was Cleopatra: a life.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good book, I am a fan of historical fiction.

http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2011/08/booking-through-thursday_25.html

Lisa (Lisa's World of Books) said...

I have to agree a lot of times they can be pretty boring.

Here is my BTT answer.

Anya Millar said...

Some can be good just hard to find. I do love Cleopatra though... might have to check this one out.

Here's Mine: House Millar - BTT

Aine

Kate Maxwell said...

I have seen the Cleopatra story around...might have to throw it on top of the TBR pile!
I am a fan of HF, especially well-researched!
Here is my answer!

Bev Hankins said...

I've heard a lot of good things about the Cleopatra book.

History is best when you have an interest in the subject and/or if the writer can make it interesting and not dry and just factual.

Here's my last historical read: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/08/booking-through-thursday-history.html

What Strange Paradise - Omar El Akkad

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