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Historical

Real people and pivotal moments come alive through meticulous research and compelling storytelling in these journeys through time. Whether following spies during the American Revolution or exploring the hidden lives of remarkable women, these books illuminate the fascinating truths and untold stories that shaped our world.

Historical Book Summaries

The Situation Room Summary
The Situation Room
The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis
by George Stephanopoulos 2024 368 pages
4.36
8k+ ratings
History
Politics
American History
Horse Summary
Horse
by Geraldine Brooks 2022 401 pages
4.26
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Historical
The Remains of the Day Summary
The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro 1989 258 pages
4.14
300k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Classics
Literary Fiction
The Light Between Oceans Summary
The Light Between Oceans
by M.L. Stedman 2012 362 pages
4.04
400k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Historical
Daughters of the Samurai Summary
Daughters of the Samurai
A Journey from East to West and Back
by Janice P. Nimura 2015 352 pages
3.90
2k+ ratings
History
Japan
Biography
The First Muslim Summary
The First Muslim
The Story of Muhammad
by Lesley Hazleton 2013 320 pages
3.99
4k+ ratings
Religion
History
Islam
The Maniac Summary
The Maniac
by Benjamín Labatut 2023 368 pages
4.34
20k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Philosophy
Literary Fiction
The Island of Sea Women Summary
The Island of Sea Women
by Lisa See 2019 374 pages
4.32
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Historical
The Familiar Summary
The Familiar
by Leigh Bardugo 2024 387 pages
3.76
100k+ ratings
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Historical
The Shadow Sister Summary
The Shadow Sister
by Lucinda Riley 2016 491 pages
4.31
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Romance
Historical
The Girl You Left Behind Summary
The Girl You Left Behind
by Jojo Moyes 2012 480 pages
4.03
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Romance
Historical
George Washington's Secret Six Summary
George Washington's Secret Six
The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution
by Brian Kilmeade 2013 235 pages
3.85
20k+ ratings
History
American History
American Revolution
How to Rule the World Summary
How to Rule the World
A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator
by André de Guillaume 2002 144 pages
3.66
500+ ratings
Humor
Politics
History
Age of Revolutions Summary
Age of Revolutions
Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present
by Fareed Zakaria 2024 400 pages
4.20
3k+ ratings
History
Politics
World History
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Summary
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by Lisa See 2005 269 pages
4.09
300k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
China
Hang the Moon Summary
Hang the Moon
by Jeannette Walls 2023 368 pages
3.82
79k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Historical
Persuasion Summary
Persuasion
by Jane Austen 1817 249 pages
4.15
700k+ ratings
Classics
Historical Fiction
Historical
An Offer From a Gentleman Summary
An Offer From a Gentleman
by Julia Quinn 2001 390 pages
3.94
300k+ ratings
Romance
Historical Romance
Historical Fiction
Lincoln in the Bardo Summary
Lincoln in the Bardo
by George Saunders 2017 368 pages
3.75
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Fantasy
We Were the Lucky Ones Summary
We Were the Lucky Ones
by Georgia Hunter 2017 403 pages
4.42
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
World War II
Lessons in Chemistry Summary
Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus 2022 390 pages
4.28
1.6M+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Feminism
And the Mountains Echoed Summary
And the Mountains Echoed
by Khaled Hosseini 2012 404 pages
4.08
300k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Contemporary
The Great Alone Summary
The Great Alone
by Kristin Hannah 2018 435 pages
4.45
1M+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Romance
Salt Summary
Salt
A World History
by Mark Kurlansky 2002 484 pages
3.75
74k+ ratings
History
Food
Science
The Ghost Map Summary
The Ghost Map
The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World
by Steven Johnson 2006 299 pages
3.89
54k+ ratings
History
Science
Medicine
How the Scots Invented the Modern World Summary
How the Scots Invented the Modern World
The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created our World & Everything in It
by Arthur Herman 2001 480 pages
3.94
6k+ ratings
History
Scotland
Philosophy
Cilka's Journey Summary
Cilka's Journey
by Heather Morris 2019 352 pages
4.40
200k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
World War II
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Summary
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
by Ilan Pappé 2006 320 pages
4.54
9k+ ratings
History
Politics
War
The Witch Haven Summary
The Witch Haven
by Sasha Peyton Smith 2021 442 pages
3.62
12k+ ratings
Fantasy
Young Adult
Witches
The Red Tent Summary
The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant 1997 324 pages
4.20
600k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Historical
The Scarlet Pimpernel Summary
The Scarlet Pimpernel
by Emmuska Orczy 1905 182 pages
4.07
100k+ ratings
Classics
Historical Fiction
Adventure
The English Patient Summary
The English Patient
by Michael Ondaatje 1992 320 pages
3.86
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Classics
Romance
Off With Her Head Summary
Off With Her Head
Three Thousand Years of Demonizing Women in Power
by Eleanor Herman 2022 384 pages
3.85
2k+ ratings
History
Feminism
Politics
A Column of Fire Summary
A Column of Fire
by Ken Follett 2017 916 pages
4.26
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Fantasy
Anatomy Summary
Anatomy
A Love Story
by Dana Schwartz 2022 338 pages
3.84
99k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Romance
Young Adult
Sense and Sensibility Summary
Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen 1811 409 pages
4.09
1.2M+ ratings
Classics
Romance
Historical Fiction
Don't Want You Like a Best Friend Summary
Don't Want You Like a Best Friend
by Emma R. Alban 2024 368 pages
3.78
17k+ ratings
Romance
LGBT
Historical Fiction
These Violent Delights Summary
These Violent Delights
by Chloe Gong 2020 449 pages
3.81
100k+ ratings
Fantasy
Romance
Historical Fiction
The Lost Year Summary
The Lost Year
by Katherine Marsh 2023 368 pages
4.47
4k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
Historical
Gaza in Crisis Summary
Gaza in Crisis
Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians
by Noam Chomsky 2010 240 pages
4.14
2k+ ratings
Politics
History
War
Fall of Giants Summary
Fall of Giants
by Ken Follett 2010 985 pages
4.32
300k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
War
The Last Greatest Magician in the World Summary
The Last Greatest Magician in the World
Howard Thurston versus Houdini & the Battles of the American Wizards
by Jim Steinmeyer 2011 384 pages
3.84
100+ ratings
History
Magic
Biography
The House of the Spirits Summary
The House of the Spirits
by Isabel Allende 1982 448 pages
4.29
200k+ ratings
Magical Realism
Historical Fiction
Fantasy
Half Broke Horses Summary
Half Broke Horses
by Jeannette Walls 2009 272 pages
4.09
100k+ ratings
Memoir
Book Club
Biography
Winter of the World Summary
Winter of the World
by Ken Follett 2012 940 pages
4.38
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
War
Killing Hitler Summary
Killing Hitler
The Plots, the Assassins, and the Dictator Who Cheated Death
by Roger Moorhouse 2006 400 pages
3.82
100+ ratings
History
World War II
Germany
The Red Umbrella Summary
The Red Umbrella
by Christina Diaz Gonzalez 2010 284 pages
4.06
4k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
Historical
The Invention of Russia Summary
The Invention of Russia
From Gorbachev's Freedom to Putin's War
by Arkady Ostrovsky 2015 384 pages
4.02
1k+ ratings
History
Russia
Politics
An Echo in the Bone Summary
An Echo in the Bone
by Diana Gabaldon 2009 820 pages
4.44
100k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Romance
Fantasy
The 5000 Year Leap Summary
The 5000 Year Leap
by W. Cleon Skousen 1981 337 pages
4.27
7k+ ratings
History
Politics
Philosophy
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