History books not only tell us about what happened, but also give us an opportunity to look at past events from different perspectives. The writer’s views and interpretation of the event is just one view of the history. By looking at different facts and events that the writers share, the readers also get to make their own interpretations and perhaps come to a different conclusion than what they believed before.
In this list of best history books from 2000s, I have compiled the most read and praised non-fiction books that talk about American historical figures, books that evaluate the now historical events of the first decade of the new millennium, and books that discuss the sociopolitical environment of that decade in America.
1) 1776 by David McCullough
Paperback: 386 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st edition (June 27, 2006)
ISBN: 0743226720, 978-0743226721
Britain has always faced resistance from its colonies. In this book, David McCullough narrates the story of Americans from all parts and positions of the society, based on an extensive research. The book begins with a background that led to colonists in America to rebel against their own and dives in to the march led by General George Washington, which culminated into Declaration of Independence.
2) Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S.Navy by Ian W. Toll
Paperback: 592 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (March 17, 2008)
ISBN: 039333032X, 978-0393330328
With Independence came many challenges and new debates. Severing ties with Britain meant loss of any support of the powerful British navy. Increasing hostilities against shipments from Europe and Africa necessitated a robust navy to protect trade and flow of goods. The author chronicles in detail the initial disagreements on the role of Navy between Jefferson, Madison, and Adams. He also take a keen look at the formal establishment of US Navy and its initial years and crucial battles that shaped it.
3) Liberty and Tyranny: A conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin
Paperback: 245 pages
Publisher: Threshold Editions; 1 Reprint edition (June 1, 2010)
ISBN: 1416562877, 978-1416562870
Both Liberals and Conservatives have their beliefs and you might agree to some from each of these factions. Or you could be a staunch Liberal or a hardcore Conservative. Even more than the conservative Republicans.
But if, for some reason, you have no idea what conservatives stand for and believe, Mark R. Levin will give you a complete picture. From economic policies to immigration and healthcare, Levin examines all topics that matter to Americans.
“This has the answer for everything you’ve asked yourself about yourself, and why you believe what you believe.” ~ Rush Limbaugh
4) John Adams by David McCullough
Paperback: 752 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone edition (September 3, 2002)
ISBN: 0743223136, 978-0743223133
On heels of his Pulitzer prize-winning book on Truman, David McCullough brings you the life and story of John Adams, the second U.S. president. The author traces John Adams’ life from his childhood years through the American Independence. His time with Jefferson and Washington along with discussions on War, Politics, and social issues are covered in great detail.
By far the best biography of Adams ever written…McCullough’s special gift as an artist is his ability to re-create past human beings in all their fullness and all their humanity. ~ Gordon S. Wood, The New York Review of Books.
5) Bush At War by Bob Woodward
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (July 1, 2003)
ISBN: 0743244613, 978-0743244619
September 11 attacks on WTC were no doubt one of the defining moments of the last decade. America’s response to the attacks is still in progress after 15 years. What went on in the time immediate after the attacks? Bob Woodward gives a day-by-day account of what happened immediately after the attacks. A look behind the declaration of military action in Afghanistan and war against Iraq.
A great read…Bob Woodward has unearthed important new information on the behind-the-scenes struggles that have led to success — and failure — in President Bush’s War on Terror. ~ James Rubin, The New York Observer.
6) Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War On Terror by Richard A. Clark
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Free Press; Reprint edition (September 21, 2004)
ISBN-10: 0743260457, 978-0743260459
If 9/11 was the defining moment on the world’s political stage, Bush administration’s response to the terror attack was surely one of the most debated and talked about subjects among strategists and academics. Richard A. Clark had been an advisor to presidents since Ronald Reagan. But he confesses that no other administration was as bad at preventing terror attacks and responding to attacks as the of George W. Bush.
Against All Enemies is too good to be ignored…It is a rarity among Washington-insider memoirs — it’s a thumping good read. ~ The New York Times Book Review.
7) The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
Paperback: 291 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (February 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0393338827, 978-0393338829
If the 9/11 attacks defined the first half of the last decade, the financial crisis dominated the second half. Each equally expensive for America and the world.
The financial crisis burst the credit bubble, caused large-scale unemployment, and unimaginable hardships for many, who lost almost everything they had worked for all their lives. But this is a story narrated from the eyes of hedge fund managers. The author takes a behind-the-scenes view of how things work on the wall Street, the different motivations that lead to wrong judgements, and the politics of it all.
“The Big Short” manages to give us the truest picture yet of what went wrong on Wall Street — and why. ~ Steven Pearlstein, The Washington Post
8) Nixonland by Rick Perlstein
Paperback: 896 pages
Publisher: Scribner; Reprint edition (April 14, 2009)
ISBN: 074324303X, 978-0743243032
The assassination of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the protests over Vietnam war, race-related riots across the U.S. The 60s and 70s was a turbulent time in American history and also the time that shaped the political landscape for decades to come. Scanning across America, the author brings forth the mood of the masses and the divisive tactics of Nixon in vivid detail.
“This is a terrific read. What a delight it is to discover the new generation of historians like Rick Perlstein not only getting history correct but giving us all fresh insights and understanding of it.” ~ John W. Dean Nixon’s White House counsel