Best American History books (786 books)

Best American History books

Books about the history of the United States. Non-fiction only, please.

1	John Adams by David McCullough 4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 avg rating — 71,666 ratings score: 25,006, and 254 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	1776 by David McCullough 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 52,921 ratings score: 24,839, and 252 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin 4.4 of 5 stars 4.40 avg rating — 33,936 ratings score: 18,882, and 192 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	A People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present by Howard Zinn 4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 avg rating — 52,632 ratings score: 15,327, and 155 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis 3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 avg rating — 15,247 ratings score: 9,870, and 102 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Truman by David McCullough 4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 avg rating — 19,252 ratings score: 9,589, and 99 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 avg rating — 17,100 ratings score: 9,382, and 98 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson 4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 avg rating — 8,597 ratings score: 8,825, and 91 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown 4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 avg rating — 26,208 ratings score: 8,115, and 85 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen 3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 25,161 ratings score: 7,115, and 73 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 9,603 ratings score: 6,041, and 63 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris 4.31 of 5 stars 4.31 avg rating — 10,098 ratings score: 5,982, and 62 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) 3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 avg rating — 166,126 ratings score: 5,790, and 61 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick 3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 avg rating — 12,946 ratings score: 5,782, and 60 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis 3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 avg rating — 10,702 ratings score: 5,441, and 57 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan 4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 avg rating — 15,457 ratings score: 5,213, and 54 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris 4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 avg rating — 10,790 ratings score: 4,434, and 48 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton 3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 avg rating — 14,071 ratings score: 4,384, and 47 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 11,863 ratings score: 4,321, and 45 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Civil War: A Narrative by Shelby Foote 4.6 of 5 stars 4.60 avg rating — 3,166 ratings score: 4,104, and 44 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann 4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 avg rating — 16,806 ratings score: 4,018, and 42 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart 4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 avg rating — 51,417 ratings score: 3,824, and 41 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.4 of 5 stars 4.40 avg rating — 28,381 ratings score: 3,434, and 37 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer 4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 avg rating — 3,522 ratings score: 3,425, and 36 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville 3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 8,536 ratings score: 3,343, and 36 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Parting the Waters: Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-63 by Taylor Branch 4.49 of 5 stars 4.49 avg rating — 2,215 ratings score: 3,305, and 35 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass 3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 avg rating — 24,759 ratings score: 3,135, and 34 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein 4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 avg rating — 15,814 ratings score: 3,123, and 35 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X 4.25 of 5 stars 4.25 avg rating — 55,173 ratings score: 3,118, and 35 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson 3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 avg rating — 18,346 ratings score: 3,044, and 33 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis 3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 avg rating — 6,298 ratings score: 3,032, and 33 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 7,310 ratings score: 2,955, and 32 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Citizen Soldiers: The U S Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 avg rating — 8,238 ratings score: 2,927, and 32 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt by Doris Kearns Goodwin 4.36 of 5 stars 4.36 avg rating — 7,589 ratings score: 2,885, and 31 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches by Stephen E. Ambrose 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 9,629 ratings score: 2,704, and 29 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham 3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 avg rating — 11,819 ratings score: 2,656, and 29 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro 4.52 of 5 stars 4.52 avg rating — 2,825 ratings score: 2,490, and 26 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe 4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 avg rating — 16,255 ratings score: 2,355, and 26 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Beads on a String-America's Racially Intertwined Biographical History by Ey Wade (Goodreads Author) 4.78 of 5 stars 4.78 avg rating — 9 ratings score: 2,296, and 23 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes 4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 avg rating — 5,831 ratings score: 2,293, and 25 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides 4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 avg rating — 3,162 ratings score: 2,285, and 25 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 22,159 ratings score: 2,224, and 23 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	A History of the American People by Paul Johnson 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 990 ratings score: 2,178, and 23 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, #1) by Robert A. Caro 4.49 of 5 stars 4.49 avg rating — 3,351 ratings score: 2,103, and 23 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough 4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 avg rating — 3,814 ratings score: 1,966, and 22 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow 4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 avg rating — 5,790 ratings score: 1,898, and 21 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts 3.52 of 5 stars 3.52 avg rating — 2,898 ratings score: 1,866, and 20 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Master of the Senate (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, #3) by Robert A. Caro 4.49 of 5 stars 4.49 avg rating — 4,140 ratings score: 1,795, and 20 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan 4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 avg rating — 3,854 ratings score: 1,748, and 19 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: A Cultural History, Vol. I) by David Hackett Fischer 4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 avg rating — 856 ratings score: 1,699, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Hiroshima by John Hersey 3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 avg rating — 18,403 ratings score: 1,685, and 19 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 by William Raymond Manchester 4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 avg rating — 3,111 ratings score: 1,673, and 19 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	April 1865: The Month That Saved America by Jay Winik 4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 avg rating — 3,377 ratings score: 1,668, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869 by Stephen E. Ambrose 3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 avg rating — 3,516 ratings score: 1,655, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw 3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 6,285 ratings score: 1,638, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes 3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 avg rating — 2,192 ratings score: 1,618, and 17 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	With Malice Toward None: A Biography of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen B. Oates 4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 avg rating — 1,931 ratings score: 1,615, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.W. Brands 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 5,951 ratings score: 1,604, and 18 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe 4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 avg rating — 1,876 ratings score: 1,547, and 17 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama 3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 avg rating — 54,911 ratings score: 1,477, and 16 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 3,140 ratings score: 1,469, and 16 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	The Age of Jackson by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. 3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 avg rating — 625 ratings score: 1,426, and 16 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America 1932-72 by William Raymond Manchester 4.43 of 5 stars 4.43 avg rating — 542 ratings score: 1,405, and 16 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Memoirs and Selected Letters (Library of America #50) by Ulysses S. Grant 4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 avg rating — 928 ratings score: 1,372, and 15 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Collected Writings: Common Sense/The Crisis/Rights of Man/The Age of Reason/Pamphlets/Articles & Letters (Library of America #76) by Thomas Paine 4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 avg rating — 682 ratings score: 1,313, and 15 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough 4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 avg rating — 3,992 ratings score: 1,287, and 15 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror by Larry Schweikart 4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 avg rating — 1,061 ratings score: 1,233, and 13 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by John G. Neihardt 4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 avg rating — 6,713 ratings score: 1,207, and 14 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Nixonland: America's Second Civil War and the Divisive Legacy of Richard Nixon 1965-1972 by Rick Perlstein 4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 avg rating — 2,372 ratings score: 1,190, and 13 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams by Lester J. Cappon (Editor) 4.27 of 5 stars 4.27 avg rating — 358 ratings score: 1,157, and 13 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court by Bob Woodward 4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 avg rating — 1,943 ratings score: 1,155, and 15 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	Common Sense by Thomas Paine 3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 avg rating — 9,046 ratings score: 1,148, and 13 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson 4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 avg rating — 4,493 ratings score: 1,133, and 13 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Day Lincoln Was Shot by Jim Bishop 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 448 ratings score: 1,110, and 12 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard 4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 avg rating — 11,193 ratings score: 1,062, and 12 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand 4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 avg rating — 1,883 ratings score: 950, and 10 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq by Stephen Kinzer 4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 avg rating — 1,106 ratings score: 907, and 10 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	A Stillness at Appomattox: The Army of the Potomac Trilogy by Bruce Catton 4.35 of 5 stars 4.35 avg rating — 2,089 ratings score: 904, and 10 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations by Craig Nelson 3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 388 ratings score: 873, and 10 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer 3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 69,578 ratings score: 857, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	The Oxford History of the American People by Samuel Eliot Morison 4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 avg rating — 91 ratings score: 846, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	The Frontiersmen by Allan W. Eckert 4.39 of 5 stars 4.39 avg rating — 1,055 ratings score: 828, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	American Slavery, American Freedom by Edmund Sears Morgan 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 614 ratings score: 827, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 1,460 ratings score: 825, and 10 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	The Life of Andrew Jackson by Robert V. Remini 3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 avg rating — 481 ratings score: 819, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	Dead Wrong: Straight Facts on the Country's Most Controversial Cover-Ups by Richard Belzer 3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 avg rating — 100 ratings score: 800, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	Only Yesterday by Frederick L. Allen 3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 avg rating — 474 ratings score: 792, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History by Molly Caldwell Crosby (Goodreads Author) 3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 avg rating — 1,691 ratings score: 781, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	The Radicalism of the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood 4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 avg rating — 1,421 ratings score: 735, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Indian Givers: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World by Jack Weatherford 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 578 ratings score: 723, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	The Mind of the South by W.J. Cash 3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 avg rating — 201 ratings score: 708, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	The Second World War by John Keegan 4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 avg rating — 1,829 ratings score: 706, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope by Jonathan Alter 3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 avg rating — 1,044 ratings score: 696, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It by Richard Hofstadter 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 488 ratings score: 696, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 by David M. Kennedy 4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 avg rating — 1,207 ratings score: 692, and 9 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention, May to September 1787 by Catherine Drinker Bowen 3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 avg rating — 513 ratings score: 674, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Patriots by A.J. Langguth 4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 avg rating — 513 ratings score: 633, and 7 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	That Dark and Bloody River by Allan W. Eckert 4.32 of 5 stars 4.32 avg rating — 219 ratings score: 622, and 7 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter 4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 avg rating — 730 ratings score: 619, and 8 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote 4.46 of 5 stars 4.46 avg rating — 3,131 ratings score: 616, and 7 people voted	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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786 books · 1,062 voters · list created July 14th, 2008 by Cindy (votes) .

Tags: america, american, best, history, non-fiction

71 likes · like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 500 seconds.

People Who Voted On This List (1062)

Cindy
6015 books
96 friends

Steven
6764 books
1715 friends

Dave
315 books
16 friends

Heather
625 books
126 friends

Don
1194 books
48 friends

Todd
184 books
0 friends

Lisa
126 books
23 friends

R.
872 books
25 friends

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Comments (showing 1-50 of 50) (50 new)

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newest »

message 1: by Mackay (new)

Oct 15, 2008 02:43pm

Cincinnatus: by Garry Wills.

That's the best American History book.

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message 2: by Travis (new)

Feb 02, 2009 07:13pm

So why isn't it up there? I mean, if you think it's the best then it should have at least one vote right?

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message 3: by Susanna (new)

Jul 26, 2009 02:27pm

How is The Rape of Nanking about American history?

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message 4: by [deleted user] (new)

Sep 17, 2009 03:36pm

Who on earth selected these books? These are supposed to be the BEST of American History Books? Where is Shelby Foote or Bruce Catton? Where is a decent history of the American Revolution? Where is there a history of Political Parties in the US?
Some of these authors are inferior in writing on the subject matter. It is not only important to learn about our history, but to learn about it from leaders in the field of the subject matter. Where is the Viet Nam War?

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message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

Sep 17, 2009 03:37pm

How are books by Mc Cain, Hillary & Bill Clinton insightful into our American History?

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message 6: by Susanna (new)

Sep 20, 2009 05:41pm

It's pretty easy to add books, over at the right side of the page.

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message 7: by Susanna (new)

Sep 20, 2009 06:00pm

A Bright Shining Lie is about Vietnam, as is Dispatches.

Shelby Foote is on the list, on page two.

There are plenty of books on the list that are either about the American Revolution, or are biographies of the people involved in it.

And the books were selected by the people who have chosen to vote on this list.

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message 8: by Cindy (new)

Mar 20, 2010 10:02pm

I love this list! I have found some great reads from it. Thanks to everyone who chose the books. My latest read was Indian Givers and it was amazing.

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message 9: by Reader (new)

Nov 12, 2010 10:44pm

I've read:
"John Adams" (Excellent)
and
"Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" (Good).

Currently reading:
"1776". Has been Excellent.

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message 10: by Susanna (new)

Nov 16, 2010 12:04pm

I have yet to read a McCullough I haven't liked.

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message 11: by Michelle (new)

Dec 30, 2010 09:42pm

"Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" is by far and away the best historical non-fiction book I have ever read....glad to see it's high on this list!!

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message 12: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:28am

I love The Killer Angels and you can learn a lot from it, but it's a novel. Isn't this a non-fiction list?

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message 13: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:39am

Johnny Tremain is a wonderful novel that brings pre-Revolutionary Boston to life, but it's not a history.

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message 14: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:46am

All of Jeff Shaara's books are novels.

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message 15: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:55am

I haven't read them (and it's unlikely that I will), butI don't think Ron Paul's books are history.

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message 16: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 03:02am

Gore Vidal's Lincoln, Burr, etc. are all novels.

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message 17: by Susanna (new)

Apr 17, 2011 01:34pm

Cindy, you're the creator of this list - you want me to remove the non-fiction?

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message 18: by Cindy (new)

Apr 17, 2011 03:36pm

I really had non-fiction in mind, but I admit that I voted for Killer Angels. I really don't want this to turn into a historical romance list, but there's a difference between Gone With the Wind and Killer Angels. What does everyone else think?

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message 19: by Susanna (new)

Apr 18, 2011 08:49am

Y'all tell me what to delete, and I'll be happy to delete it.

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message 20: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 03, 2011 07:04pm

Should The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich be on the list?

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message 21: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 03, 2011 07:04pm

Deleted The Man in the High Castle - speculative/alternative history (fiction).

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message 22: by Susanna (new)

Jul 04, 2011 07:54pm

I don't see any reason why Rise and Fall of the Third Reich should be on, no.

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message 23: by Bettie (last edited Jul 05, 2011 02:24am) (new)

Jul 05, 2011 12:13am

Susanna wrote: "I don't see any reason why Rise and Fall of the Third Reich should be on, no."

Someone 'muxing this ip' with a Philip Roth story that they think is :Teh:Real:?

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message 24: by Cindy (new)

Aug 29, 2011 09:18am

Go ahead and delete all the fiction. Rise to Rebellion, The Killer Angels, The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

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message 25: by Cindy (new)

Aug 29, 2011 09:27am

Also Leaves of Grass, What Ifs?

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message 26: by Susanna (last edited Aug 30, 2011 05:23pm) (new)

Aug 30, 2011 05:23pm

What about Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

I think I have found and removed the non-fiction.

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message 27: by Cindy (new)

Aug 30, 2011 08:08pm

Yes, that one too!

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message 28: by Susanna (new)

Aug 31, 2011 10:35am

OK, I shall remove it, then.

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message 29: by Cindy (new)

Oct 24, 2011 10:42pm

Am I Not a Man? is fiction also.

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message 30: by Susanna (new)

Oct 25, 2011 12:17pm

Alright, I'll remove it.

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message 31: by John (new)

Apr 07, 2012 02:31pm

Although I'm reluctant to be critical of anyone who undertakes the kind of effort on display here, I can't resist commenting that any list of books on American History that includes Jesse Ventura's book and excludes those of Bernard Bailyn -- not to mention Barrington Moore and David Hackett Fischer -- cannot be taken seriously.

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message 32: by Susanna (last edited Apr 08, 2012 11:30am) (new)

Apr 07, 2012 02:35pm

You can, of course, add them. Adding books to lists is easy; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes." You will then have the option of adding books from your own shelves, or of performing a search of GR's database.

Also, David Hackett Fischer's Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, at least, is on the list, because I voted for it. (It is, in fact, currently #55. Washington's Crossing is #25.)

ETA: Bernard Bailyn's Ideological Origins of the American Revolution is currently at #107.

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message 33: by Cindy (new)

Apr 07, 2012 04:38pm

Loved Albion's Seed. I read it because of this list. Great book.

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message 34: by Susanna (new)

Apr 07, 2012 09:22pm

I certainly think so.

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message 35: by Susanna (new)

Apr 08, 2012 11:35am

Cindy, do you want me to remove Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto? I'm dubious about this one.

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message 36: by Susanna (new)

Apr 08, 2012 11:38am

Removed:

Weezer and the Painted Frog (fiction)

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message 37: by John (new)

Apr 11, 2012 10:31am

Susanna wrote: "You can, of course, add them. Adding books to lists is easy; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes." You will then have the option of adding books from your own shelves, or of per..."

My oversight -- it's a great list! I hope it inspires many readers to acquire many of these titles. Participatory democracy works better when more voters know more about the country's history. In 25 years of casual history reading, I have found myself becoming more interested in intellectually challenging history books. I suspect most history 'consumers' have a similar experience. The nation was founded by a group of 'intellectuals'. What would they think about the intellectual quality of contemporary politicians?

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message 38: by Karen (new)

Jul 01, 2012 07:22pm

I've read a number of books on this list and especially like McCullough's 1776 and John Adams. I also like Founding Brothers a great deal. I downloaded the audio to Shelby Foote's 1st Volume and plan to listen to it as soon as I finish War & Peace, which is not American history or non-fiction, but which is teaching me a great deal about Russian history. While fiction might not be good for this list, another list of works of fiction that are historically accurate might be helpful. Often, I find straight history books to be so packed with details that they bog down and lose any sense of narrative.

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message 39: by Timothy (new)

Oct 22, 2012 08:54am

Susanna wrote: "How is The Rape of Nanking about American history?"
It's about Japan and China. Other than that, it's a great book about American history.

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message 40: by Kimberlyn (new)

Nov 05, 2012 05:18pm

History has never been a strong point for me. I need to select a book relevant to the historical period either from Columbus through the Civil War, or Reconstruction to the end of the Cold War. So I was wondering if anyone could point out a few good books, I might be interested in. THANK YOU.

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message 41: by Karen (new)

Nov 12, 2012 04:23pm

If you're looking for an easy-to-read but good non-fiction work, I recommend The Perils of Prosperity. It covers 1914-1932.

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message 42: by Susanna (new)

Nov 12, 2012 04:51pm

It's easy to add books to lists; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."

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message 43: by Marguerite (new)

Mar 13, 2013 10:07am

Manhunt is the best book about Lincoln's killer. Went to the Surratt House and the Dr Mudd Farm. Great

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message 44: by Piseth (new)

Mar 27, 2013 07:42pm

Lobstergirl wrote: "Deleted The Man in the High Castle - speculative/alternative history (fiction)."

poster book is published to reader.

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message 45: by Piseth (new)

Mar 27, 2013 07:56pm

Hello, Mr./Mrs. ! how are you doing ? i would like reading a book too thus i am a supporter of reading book every day to find another acknowledges about this, actually, all of them are preferred reading them and wanna a writing some story of mine. that story is said about a life of mine surely. i will write some the meaning of story connecting to real life of mine was child, can be made a plan to refer to supporter. thanks you !

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message 46: by Susanna (new)

Mar 29, 2013 01:55pm

Say what?

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message 47: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 16, 2013 05:54pm

Removed a novel and 3 nonfiction books not about America.

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message 48: by Susanna (new)

Jun 10, 2013 02:57pm

Does Man Hunt (#75) belong on here? It appears to be historical fiction. (And aside from this list, the other lists it appears on are all for historical fiction.)

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message 49: by Thom (new)

Jun 10, 2013 02:59pm

John wrote: "Although I'm reluctant to be critical of anyone who undertakes the kind of effort on display here, I can't resist commenting that any list of books on American History that includes Jesse Ventura's..."

John, I'm assuming this list was not made up before for us to vote on, but is instead a list we make with our choices. If one person wants to put Jesse Ventura on his list--or Bill O'Reilly for that matter-let them do so. Such votes will be drowned out by less fringe opinions. Democracy, etc. etc.

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message 50: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jun 10, 2013 04:11pm

Susanna wrote: "Does Man Hunt (#75) belong on here? It appears to be historical fiction. (And aside from this list, the other lists it appears on are all for historical fiction.)"

Deleted.

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