20 Best 20Th Century History Books (2023 Update)

Martin gilbert, author of the multivolume biography of winston churchill and other brilliant works of history, chronicles world events year by year, from the dawn of aviation to the flourishing technology age, taking us through world war i to the inauguration of franklin roosevelt as president of the united states and hider as chancellor of germany. he continues on to document wars in south africa, china, ethiopia, spain, korea, vietnam, and bosnia, as well as apartheid, the arms race, the moon landing, and the beginnings of the computer age, while interspersing the influence of art, literature, music, and religion throughout this vivid work. a rich, textured look at war, celebration, suffering, life, death, and renewal in the century gone by, this volume is nothing less than extraordinary.

A dramatic visual history of the twentieth century incorporates a lively text and thousands of full-color and black-and-white illustrations and photographs that document the people, places, and events of the past one hundred years, accompanied by a foreword by distinguished historian arthur m. schlessinger, jr. 30,000 first printing.

This hugely successful global history of the twentieth century is written by four prominent international historians for first-year undergraduate level and upward.using their thematic and regional expertise, the authors have produced an authoritative yet accessible and seamless account of the history of international relations in the last century, covering events in europe, asia, the middle east, africa and the americas. they focus on the history of relations between states and on the broad ideological, economic and cultural forces that have influenced the evolution of international politics over the past one hundred years. the third edition is thoroughly updated throughout to take account of the most recent research and global developments, and includes a new chapter on the international history of human rights and its advocacy organizations, including ngos. additional new features include:new material on the arab spring, including specific focus on libya and syriaincreased debate on the question of us decline and the rise of china. a timeline to give increased context to those studying the topic for the first time. hanhimäki is professor of international history and politics at the graduate institute of international studies, geneva. maiolo is professor of international history at the department of war studies, kings college london.

Dee in 2002, rapidly became a book of choice on the subject. jacques barzun called it "a unique achievement," and william l. o'neill described it as "a delightful read, gracefully written and filled with odd and interesting pieces of information as well as thoughtful comparisons than span both time and space." now mr. blainey has applied his narrative talents and his scholarly credentials to trace the history of a tempestuous century. a short history of the twentieth century carries some of the excitement of the times as well as the power of unforeseen events. the theme that dominates much of the book is war and peace–a nervous peace–which gripped the attention of most people who lived through a large part of the century. mr. blainey's talent for identifying the telling detail, the crucial event, the key personality makes for masterful storytelling, and his interest ranges wide over the fields of human activity; he is concerned not only with major transformations but also with the everyday experiences of people around the world. taking the story from the dawn of a century ripe with promise, especially for europeans, he shows how and why empires soon fell, igniting wars and revolutions that continued intermittently through the period; economic depressions that brought great powers to their knees; totalitarian governments that doled out misery to their citizens; a middle east in turmoil; and a resurgent islam. but he has more mundane concerns as well: how were children raised? why did cities grow so large? how did new machines and technology influence a thousand activities? how did films, radio, and automobiles transform social life? a short history of the twentieth century entertains like a novel, educates and informs like the best of teachers. with 10 maps.

Distinguished british historian j.a.s. grenville tells the entire, sweeping, dramatic story of the 20th century. from the first world war to the great depression to the nazi and communist threat to the middle east crisis, readers see history unfold and meet the leaders–churchill, hitler, mao, kennedy, ghandhi, and others–whose lives helped shape the century.

Clothes define people. a person's attire, whether it's a sari, kimono, or business suit, is an essential code to his or her culture, class, personality, even faith. founded in 1978, the kyoto costume institute recognizes the importance of understanding clothes from sociological, historical, and artistic perspectives. with one of the world's most extensive clothing collections, the kci has amassed a wide range of historical garments, underwear, shoes, and fashion accessories dating from the 18th century to the present day.showcasing the institute's vast collection, fashion history is a fascinating excursion through clothing trends from the 18th to the 20th century. featuring impeccable photography of clothing expertly displayed and arranged on custom-made mannequins, it is a testimony to attire as "an essential manifestation of our very being" and to the institute's passion for fashion as a complex and intricate art form.the authors include some of the smartest minds and sharpest eyes in fashion studies: akiko fukai (director and curator emeritus of the kyoto costume institute), tamami suoh (curator of the kyoto costume institute), miki iwagami (lecturer of fashion history at bunka gakuen university, tokyo), reiko koga (former professor of fashion history at bunka gakuen university, tokyo), and rie nii (curator of the kyoto costume institute).

Since its publication twenty years ago, j. roberts's monumental history of the world has remained the "unrivaled world history of our day" (a. p. taylor), selling more than a quarter of a million copies worldwide. now in an equally masterful performance, roberts displays his consummate skills of exposition in telling the tale of the european continent, from its neolithic origins and early civilizations of the aegean to the advent of the twenty-first century. a sweeping and entertaining history, the penguin history of europe comprehensively traces the development of european identity over the course of thousands of years, ranging across empires and religions, economics, science, and the arts. roberts's astute and lucid analyses of the disparate spheres of learning that have shaped european civilization and our understanding of it make the penguin history of europe a remarkable journey through the last two centuries.

Tragedy and hope shows the years 1895-1950 as a period of transition from the world dominated by europe in the nineteenth century to the world of three blocs in the twentieth century. with clarity, perspective, and cumulative impact, professor quigley examines the nature of that transition through two world wars and a worldwide economic depression. as an interpretative historian, he tries to show each event in the full complexity of its historical context. the result is a unique work, notable in several ways. it gives a picture of the world in terms of the influence of different cultures and outlooks upon each other; it shows, more completely than in any similar work, the influence of science and technology on human life; and it explains, with unprecedented clarity, how the intricate financial and commercial patterns of the west prior to 1914 influenced the development of today's world.

Take an excursion through the last three centuries of trend. this spectacular collection from the kyoto costume institute, one of the world's most extensive clothing collections, features the outerwear, underwear, footwear, and accessories that have defined self across time and geography. clothes define people. a person's attire, whether it's a sari, kimono, or business suit, is an essential code to his or her culture, class, personality, even faith. founded in 1978, the kyoto costume institute recognizes the importance of understanding clothes from sociological, historical, and artistic perspectives. with one of the world's most extensive clothing collections, the kci has amassed a wide range of historical garments, underwear, shoes, and fashion accessories dating from the 18th century to the present day. showcasing the institute's vast collection, fashion history is a fascinating excursion through the last three centuries of clothing trends. featuring impeccable photography of clothing expertly displayed and arranged on custom-made mannequins, it is a testimony to attire as "an essential manifestation of our very being" and to the institute's passion for fashion as a complex and intricate art form. the book's authors include some of the smartest minds and sharpest eyes in fashion studies: akiko fukai (chief curator of the kyoto costume institute), tamami suoh (curator of the kyoto costume institute), miki iwagami (lecturer of fashion history at sugino fashion college (tokyo)), reiko koga (professor of fashion history at bunka women's university), and rie nii (associate curator of the kyoto costume institute). about the series bibliotheca universalis — compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic taschen universe!

Treating the practice of history not as an isolated pursuit but as an aspect of human society and an essential part of the culture of the west, john burrow magnificently brings to life and explains the distinctive qualities found in the work of historians from the ancient egyptians and greeks to the present. with a light step and graceful narrative, he gathers together over 2,500 years of the moments and decisions that have helped create western identity. this unique approach is an incredible lens with which to view the past. standing alone in its ambition, scale and fascination, burrow's history of history is certain to stand the test of time.

So the fifth-century historian herodotus has some athenians declare, in explanation of why they would never betray their fellow greeks to the enemy, the "barbarian" persians. and he might have added further common features, such as clothing, foodways, and political institutions. but if the greeks knew that they were kin, why did many of them side with the persians against fellow greeks, and why, more generally, is ancient greek history so often the history of internecine wars and other forms of competition with one another? this is the question acclaimed historian robin waterfield sets out to explore in this magisterial history of ancient greece. with more information, more engagingly presented, than any similar work, this is the best single-volume account of ancient greece in more than a generation. waterfield gives a comprehensive narrative of seven hundred years of history, from the emergence of the greeks around 750 bce to the roman conquest of the last of the greco-macedonian kingdoms in 30 bce. equal weight is given to all phases of greek history — the archaic, classical, and hellenistic periods. without compromising the readability of the book, waterfield incorporates the most recent scholarship by classical historians and archaeologists and asks his readers to think critically about greek history. a brilliant, up-to-date account of ancient greece, suitable for history buffs and university students alike, creators, conquerors, and citizens presents a compelling and comprehensive story of this remarkable civilization's disunity, underlying cultural solidarity, and eventual political unification.

On which day was history's shortest war waged and won (in roughly 40 minutes)? how was napoleon bested by a group of rabbits in 1807? why did a dispute about beer in an oxford pub lead to over 100 deaths and 470 years of penance? why in 1752 did britain go to bed on 2nd september and wake up on the 14th? how did a women's march in 1917 set off the russian revolution? on this day in history brings to life a key event that happened on each day of the year. from the most important british battle that you've never heard of (20 may 685) to the first meeting of lennon and mccartney (6 july 1957), and from why julius caesar should have been wary of the ides of march (15 march 44bc) to the day jeanne de clisson became a pirate and single-handedly declared war on the king of france (2 august 1343), history is full of unlikely heroes and fascinating turning points. in this book dan snow shows us how each day offers a different and unexpected insight into our past. and story by gripping story, this year grows into a vivid, very human history of the world.

The routledge history of the twentieth-century united states is a comprehensive introduction to the most important trends and developments in the study of modern united states history. driven by interdisciplinary scholarship, the thirty-four original chapters underscore the vast range of identities, perspectives and tensions that contributed to the growth and contested meanings of the united states in the twentieth century. the chronological and topical breadth of the collection highlights critical political and economic developments of the century while also drawing attention to relatively recent areas of research, including borderlands, technology and disability studies. dynamic and flexible in its possible applications, the routledge history of the twentieth-century united states offers an exciting new resource for the study of modern american history.

J. m. going beyond a traditional chronological narrative of events, roberts identifies the major long-term changes that underlie them, pointing in particular to worldwide increases in life expectancy; major advances in science and technology; the radical reconfiguration of the global economy; the disappearance of empires; the decline of white hegemony; and the changing role of women.

"the twentieth century was studded with extraordinary achievements in medicine, science, technology, and space. though for all its positive attributes, this century was the most violent in history, killing an estimated 30 million people in cold-blooded genocides, and, in wars, an estimated 187 million people. there was not a single year in the hundred-year span when there were no significant wars. in each chapter i have chosen several men and women, many not well-known, on whom i focus a bit more than other historical actors. in most cases, they reflect the spirit of their times, though generally their approaches and contributions are distinctively nuanced. existing in a climate primed for war and violence, they, like everyone else, had to decide where their source of political identity lay and, when a decision was necessary, where their political allegiance would fall. to their own lives as individuals in a specific locality? or to a particular nation? or to the larger global community? that answer will be a key determinant of the future of the world. this chronological narrative also traces other crucial twentieth century developments: women and their professional and social roles, goals, successes, and setbacks; the powerful forces of race and ethnicity; the role of identity; environmental issues, including atomic energy and the sustainability of natural resources; the causes and changing nature of wars around the world; and the historical roles of contingency and memory"–

Thomas jefferson complains about haggling over the declaration of independence … jack london guides us through the rubble of the 1906 san francisco earthquake … langston hughes visits the scottsboro boys on death row … andy warhol paints the scene at studio 54 … john seabrook receives e-mail from bill gates. three hundred eyewitnesses — some famous, some anonymous — give their personal accounts of the great moments that make up our past, from columbus to cyberspace, and infuse them with a freshness and urgency no historian can duplicate.david colbert has brought together a multitude of voices to create a singularly rich american narrative. here are the vivid impressions of men and women who were witnesses to and participants in these and other dramatic moments: the first colony in virginia, the salem witch trials, the boston tea party, the oklahoma land rush, the scopes trial, the bombing of nagasaki, the lunch-counter sit-ins at the outset of the civil rights movement, new york city's stonewall riot, the fall of saigon, and the 1992 los angeles riots.with unparalleled and thrilling immediacy, these excerpts from diaries, private letters, memoirs, and newspapers paint a fascinating picture of the evolving drama of american life.

The series includes three pulitzer prize winners, two new york times bestsellers, and winners of the bancroft and parkman prizes. now, in the newest volume in the series, one of america's most esteemed historians, gordon s. wood, offers a brilliant account of the early american republic, ranging from 1789 and the beginning of the national government to the end of the war of 1812. as wood reveals, the period was marked by tumultuous change in all aspects of american life—in politics, society, economy, and culture. the men who founded the new government had high hopes for the future, but few of their hopes and dreams worked out quite as they expected. they hated political parties but parties nonetheless emerged. some wanted the united states to become a great fiscal-military state like those of britain and france; others wanted the country to remain a rural agricultural state very different from the european states. instead, by 1815 the united states became something neither group anticipated. many leaders expected american culture to flourish and surpass that of europe; instead it became popularized and vulgarized. the leaders also hope to see the end of slavery; instead, despite the release of many slaves and the end of slavery in the north, slavery was stronger in 1815 than it had been in 1789. many wanted to avoid entanglements with europe, but instead the country became involved in europe's wars and ended up waging another war with the former mother country. still, with a new generation emerging by 1815, most americans were confident and optimistic about the future of their country. integrating all aspects of life, from politics and law to the economy and culture, empire of liberty offers a marvelous account of this pivotal era when america took its first unsteady steps as a new and rapidly expanding nation. a finalist for the pulitzer prize for history winner of the new-york historical society american history book prize a new york times bestseller selected as one of the top 25 books of 2009 by the atlantic "on every page of this book, wood's subtlety and erudition show. grand in scope and a landmark achievement of scholarship, empire of liberty is a tour de force, the culmination of a lifetime of brilliant thinking and writing." —the new york times book review "empire of liberty will rightly take its place among the authoritative volumes in this important and influential series." —the washington post

Roberts and odd arne westad's widely acclaimed, landmark bestseller the penguin history of the world for generations of readers the penguin history of the world has been one of the great cultural experiences – the entire story of human endeavour laid out in all its grandeur and folly, drama and pain in a single authoritative book. now, for the first time, it has been completely overhauled for its 6th edition – not just bringing it up to date, but revising it throughout in the light of new research and discoveries, such as the revolution in our understanding of many civilizations in the ancient world. the closing sections of the book reflect what now seems to be the inexorable rise of asia and the increasingly troubled situation in the west. about the authors: j.m. roberts, cbe, published the penguin history of the world in 1976 to immediate acclaim. his other major books include the paris commune from the right, the triumph of the west (which was also a successful television series), the penguin history of europe and the penguin history of the twentieth century. he died in 2003. odd arne westad, fba, is professor of international history at the london school of economics. he has published fifteen books on modern and contemporary international history, among them the global cold war, which won the bancroft prize, and decisive encounters, a standard history of the chinese civil war. he also served as general co-editor of the cambridge history of the cold war.

Born in 1926, married in 1947, crowned as queen in 1953, her majesty queen elizabeth ii carried out her duty with great dedication for more than seven decades. taschen celebrates her remarkable royal story with a new edition of her majesty, a definitive photographic collection of her public and private life.brimming with history, tradition, fashion, glamour, and culture, the book spans the queen's early years rightuntil her passing in 2022.. her majesty includes the work of such luminaries as cecil beaton, studio lisa, dorothy wilding, karsh, lord snowdon, david bailey, patrick lichfield, annie leibovitz and many others.

Hard cover. 2nd revised edition. revised. language: english. pages: 360. 360 p. colour illustrations. intended for a juvenile audience. this guide to the 20th century uses newspaper-style presentations to reveal the stories behind the heroes and villains of recent times, the major events that have shaped our lives, and the people or things that have entertained us.