Top Economic History Books (40 books)

Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena of the past. Below is a list of some of the major works in the field.

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1	Capital in the Twenty First Century by Thomas Piketty 4.06 avg rating — 34,656 ratings score: 689, and 7 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond 4.04 avg rating — 459,133 ratings score: 486, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Volume I by Fernand Braudel 4.33 avg rating — 1,330 ratings score: 388, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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 Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World by Gregory Clark 3.76 avg rating — 1,299 ratings score: 387, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoğlu 4.09 avg rating — 63,400 ratings score: 384, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Civilization and Capitalism 15th–18th Century, Vol 2: The Wheels of Commerce by Fernand Braudel 4.47 avg rating — 598 ratings score: 292, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy by Kenneth Pomeranz 3.69 avg rating — 992 ratings score: 289, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World) by Robert J. Gordon 4.18 avg rating — 2,160 ratings score: 288, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Enlightened Economy: An Economic History of Britain 1700-1850 (The New Economic History of Britain seri) by Joel Mokyr 4.01 avg rating — 154 ratings score: 285, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson 3.90 avg rating — 30,823 ratings score: 285, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress by Joel Mokyr 4.06 avg rating — 320 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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 British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective (New Approaches to Economic and Social History) by Robert C. Allen really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 262 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Civilization and Capitalism 15th–18th Century, Vol. 3: The Perspective of the World by Fernand Braudel 4.43 avg rating — 491 ratings score: 193, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Contours of the World Economy, 1-2030 AD: Essays in Macro-Economic History by Angus Maddison 4.11 avg rating — 88 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century, Vol. 1: The Structures of Everyday Life by Fernand Braudel 4.36 avg rating — 1,768 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Volume II by Fernand Braudel 4.47 avg rating — 602 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	An Agrarian History of Portugal, 1000-2000 : economic development on the european frontier (Library of Economic History, #7) by Dulce Freire (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The European Miracle: Environments, Economies and Geopolitics in the History of Europe and Asia by Eric Lionel Jones 3.80 avg rating — 71 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy It by Samuel Miller McDonald (Goodreads Author) 3.67 avg rating — 83 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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 Edge of the World: How the North Sea Made Us Who We Are by Michael Pye 3.57 avg rating — 2,841 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	A formação do espaço económico nacional : Portugal, 1810 -1913 - volume I by David Justino 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Power and Plenty: Trade, War, and the World Economy in the Second Millennium by Ronald Findlay 4.16 avg rating — 360 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy It by Samuel Miller McDonald (Goodreads Author) 3.67 avg rating — 83 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver by Frances Backhouse (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 216 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	A formação do espaço económico nacional : Portugal, 1810 -1913 - volume II by David Justino 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Conceived in Liberty by Murray N. Rothbard 4.51 avg rating — 232 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Portugal e o Plano Marshall : da rejeição à solicitação da ajuda norte-americana (1947-1952) by Maria Fernanda Rollo it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Summit: Bretton Woods, 1944: J.M. Keynes and the Reshaping of the Global Economy by Ed Conway 4.05 avg rating — 292 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Portugal e a reconstrução económica do pós-guerra : o Plano Marshall e a economia portuguesa dos anos 50 by Maria Fernanda Rollo it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Theory and History: An Interpretation of Social and Economic Evolution by Ludwig von Mises 4.29 avg rating — 329 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present by David S. Landes 3.96 avg rating — 162 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Tariff History of the United States by Frank William Taussig 4.06 avg rating — 16 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	An Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power by John Steele Gordon 4.10 avg rating — 1,302 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Ancient Economy by M. I. Finley liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	The Gifts of Athena: Historical Origins of the Knowledge Economy by Joel Mokyr 4.02 avg rating — 136 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	A Short History of Man: Progress and Decline by Hans-Hermann Hoppe 3.95 avg rating — 991 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Bourgeois Dignity: Why Economics Can't Explain the Modern World by Deirdre Nansen McCloskey 4.13 avg rating — 410 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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 Son Also Rises: Surnames and the History of Social Mobility by Gregory Clark 3.96 avg rating — 508 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber 4.21 avg rating — 27,029 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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	Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert 3.90 avg rating — 3,751 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. 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