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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 Dreamer Summary
The Dreamer
by Pam Muñoz Ryan 2010 384 pages
3.98
7k+ ratings
Poetry
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
A Little History of the World Summary
A Little History of the World
by E.H. Gombrich 1936 284 pages
4.11
30k+ ratings
History
World History
Historical
The Lost Year Summary
The Lost Year
by Katherine Marsh 2023 368 pages
4.47
4k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
Historical
Black Folk Summary
Black Folk
The Roots of the Black Working Class
by Blair L.M. Kelley 2023 352 pages
4.50
100+ ratings
History
Race
Politics
The Source Summary
The Source
by James A. Michener 1965 1080 pages
4.29
44k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Religion
The Darwin Affair Summary
The Darwin Affair
by Timothy Mason 2019 384 pages
3.65
10k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Mystery
Thriller
The Case of the Missing Marquess Summary
The Case of the Missing Marquess
by Nancy Springer 2006 216 pages
3.78
41k+ ratings
Mystery
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
The Indifferent Stars Above Summary
The Indifferent Stars Above
The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride
by Daniel James Brown 2009 288 pages
4.25
32k+ ratings
History
Historical
Biography
The Double Life of Pocahontas Summary
The Double Life of Pocahontas
by Jean Fritz 1983 96 pages
3.46
500+ ratings
History
Biography
Historical
The Greatest Nobodies of History Summary
The Greatest Nobodies of History
Minor Characters from Major Moments
by Adrian Bliss 2024 304 pages
3.67
1k+ ratings
History
Humor
Historical
The Kitchen Front Summary
The Kitchen Front
by Jennifer Ryan 2021 408 pages
3.98
31k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
World War II
Historical
The New Penguin History of Canada Summary
The New Penguin History of Canada
by Robert Bothwell 2006 500 pages
3.58
100+ ratings
History
Canada
Politics
Robin Hood Summary
Robin Hood
The Prince of Thieves
by Alexandre Dumas 1862 224 pages
4.00
18k+ ratings
Classics
Historical Fiction
Adventure
The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish Summary
The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish
Canji Baojun De Zhangxin Yu Chong (Novel) Vol. 1
by Xue Shan Fei Hu 2024 436 pages
4.44
2k+ ratings
Fantasy
Romance
LGBT
Nine Days Summary
Nine Days
by Toni Jordan 2012 245 pages
3.73
2k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Australia
School
Twelve Years a Slave Summary
Twelve Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup 1853 363 pages
4.22
100k+ ratings
History
Classics
Biography
Undaunted Courage Summary
Undaunted Courage
The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier
by Stephen E. Ambrose 1996 592 pages
4.22
65k+ ratings
History
Biography
American History
Fires of Winter Summary
Fires of Winter
by Johanna Lindsey 1980 362 pages
3.96
16k+ ratings
Historical Romance
Romance
Historical
The Ghost Bride Summary
The Ghost Bride
by Yangsze Choo 2013 368 pages
3.81
35k+ ratings
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Romance
Echo Mountain Summary
Echo Mountain
by Lauren Wolk 2020 356 pages
4.26
9k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
Historical
Olivia Twist Summary
Olivia Twist
by Lorie Langdon 2018 331 pages
3.88
4k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
Retellings
True Grit Summary
True Grit
by Charles Portis 1968 224 pages
4.17
65k+ ratings
Westerns
Historical Fiction
Classics
The Bronze Horseman Summary
The Bronze Horseman
by Paullina Simons 2000 637 pages
4.29
90k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Romance
Historical
Isola Summary
Isola
by Allegra Goodman 2025 368 pages
4.10
10k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Literary Fiction
Train to Pakistan Summary
Train to Pakistan
by Khushwant Singh 1956 181 pages
3.94
30k+ ratings
India
Historical Fiction
Classics
A Night to Remember Summary
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord 1955 182 pages
4.09
26k+ ratings
History
Classics
Historical
The Ring of Earth Summary
The Ring of Earth
by Chris Bradford 2010 314 pages
4.42
3k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
Fantasy
Shipwrecked! Summary
Shipwrecked!
Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor
by Martin W. Sandler 2023 138 pages
3.91
100+ ratings
History
Middle Grade
Science
The King's Messenger Summary
The King's Messenger
by Susanna Kearsley 2024 352 pages
4.28
1k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Romance
Impounded Summary
Impounded
Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment
by Linda Gordon 2006 224 pages
4.26
100+ ratings
History
Photography
World War II
The Lieutenants Summary
The Lieutenants
by W.E.B. Griffin 1982 416 pages
4.34
8k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Military Fiction
War
A House of Tailors Summary
A House of Tailors
by Patricia Reilly Giff 2004 160 pages
3.95
1k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Young Adult
Historical
Magnificent Rebels Summary
Magnificent Rebels
The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self
by Andrea Wulf 2022 512 pages
4.19
2k+ ratings
History
Philosophy
Biography
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter Summary
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
by Stephen Graham Jones 2025 448 pages
4.28
3k+ ratings
Horror
Historical Fiction
Vampires
The Imposter Bride Summary
The Imposter Bride
by Nancy Richler 2012 352 pages
3.34
7k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Book Club
Canada
Circe / The Song of Achilles Summary
Circe / The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller 2020
4.53
1k+ ratings
Greek Mythology
Fantasy
Mythology
The Summer Before the War Summary
The Summer Before the War
by Helen Simonson 2016 481 pages
3.79
43k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Book Club
The Man from St. Petersburg Summary
The Man from St. Petersburg
by Ken Follett 1982 320 pages
3.94
34k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Thriller
Mystery
Hornet Flight Summary
Hornet Flight
by Ken Follett 2002 518 pages
3.99
27k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Thriller
War
Jackdaws Summary
Jackdaws
by Ken Follett 2001 432 pages
4.08
41k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Thriller
Historical
Most Dangerous Summary
Most Dangerous
Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
by Steve Sheinkin 2015 370 pages
4.19
6k+ ratings
History
Biography
War
Empire of the Summer Moon Summary
Empire of the Summer Moon
by S.C. Gwynne 2010 371 pages
4.24
62k+ ratings
History
Biography
American History
Wyatt Earp Summary
Wyatt Earp
The Life Behind the Legend
by Casey Tefertiller 1997 416 pages
4.00
500+ ratings
History
Biography
Westerns
Public Enemies Summary
Public Enemies
America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34
by Bryan Burrough 2004 640 pages
3.98
5k+ ratings
History
True Crime
Crime
Blackbeard Summary
Blackbeard
The Birth of America
by Samuel Marquis 2018 382 pages
4.12
500+ ratings
History
Pirates
Amazon
Secondhand Time Summary
Secondhand Time
The Last of the Soviets
by Svetlana Alexievich 2013 496 pages
4.46
20k+ ratings
History
Russia
Politics
Journey to the River Sea Summary
Journey to the River Sea
by Eva Ibbotson 2001 304 pages
4.20
16k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Adventure
Young Adult
All the Forgivenesses Summary
All the Forgivenesses
by Elizabeth Hardinger 2019 371 pages
4.26
16k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Book Club
Children of Ash and Elm Summary
Children of Ash and Elm
A History of the Vikings
by Neil Price 2020 656 pages
4.16
7k+ ratings
History
European History
Medieval
The Eagle of the Ninth Summary
The Eagle of the Ninth
by Rosemary Sutcliff 1954 294 pages
3.94
11k+ ratings
Historical Fiction
Historical
Young Adult
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