If your New Year’s resolution is to read more books, then you’re in luck. 2023 saw plenty of exciting titles coming out, especially if you are a history buff. Whether you prefer pure non-fiction or books that take a loose approach with historical facts, there is no doubt you can find something for yourself. Check out some of the best history books published in 2023 that every history buff should read.
King: A Life By Jonathan Eig
In his book King: A Life, author Jonathan Eig delivers a comprehensive biography of American minister and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. It is the first major biography dedicated to King Jr. in decades and the first one to use information from recently declassified FBI files.
On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe By Caroline Dodds Pennock
There are countless books about the discovery of America by European explorers. Author Caroline Dodds Pennock flips the script, telling the story from the perspective of Indigenous Americans and detailing their first trips to Europe.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder By David Grann
David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon, delivers another book that is impossible to put down once you start reading it. It tells the story of the sinking of the Royal Navy ship HMS Wager in 1741 and the subsequent mutiny of its crew that took place afterward. Grann based his story on written accounts of the survivors as well as extensive research.
Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World By Mary Beard
For a taste of ancient history, turn to Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard. The book fits the entire history of Ancient Rome in its pages in a unique way, exploring its rulers, politics, classes, and characters on the margins.