Best American History Books

Books about the history of the United States. Non-fiction only, please. Biographies of generals, presidents, activists, etc. are fine, but celebrity bios, even celebrities who lived in turbulent times, will be removed. To be considered History and not Current Events, books must focus on events that occurred at least 50 years ago.

See also:

Best 19th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up

Best 20th Century American (U.S.) History - 3.7 Stars and Up

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597	To Hell on a Fast Horse: Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic Chase to Justice in the Old West by Mark Lee Gardner (Goodreads Author) 3.78 avg rating — 1,735 ratings score: 175, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
597	From Colony to Superpower: U.S. Foreign Relations since 1776 by George C. Herring 4.17 avg rating — 1,307 ratings score: 175, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
597	Behold a Pale Horse by Milton William Cooper 3.84 avg rating — 5,774 ratings score: 175, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
597	The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King—the Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea by Walter R. Borneman 4.33 avg rating — 4,438 ratings score: 175, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
597	FDR's Folly: How Roosevelt and His New Deal Prolonged the Great Depression by Jim Powell 4.05 avg rating — 757 ratings score: 175, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
606	The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination, and the Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 2,057 ratings score: 174, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
607	Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw 3.86 avg rating — 5,773 ratings score: 173, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
607	Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 2,773 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
607	The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy—What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss 3.88 avg rating — 7,255 ratings score: 173, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
607	The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World by Malcolm Gaskill 3.70 avg rating — 4,203 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
611	Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms & a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester 3.76 avg rating — 5,213 ratings score: 172, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
611	What It is Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes 4.01 avg rating — 9,732 ratings score: 172, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
611	Generations by William Strauss 4.16 avg rating — 1,106 ratings score: 172, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
614	Freedom Just Around the Corner: A New American History: 1585-1828 by Walter A. McDougall 4.14 avg rating — 258 ratings score: 171, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
614	There Is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America by Philip Dray 4.19 avg rating — 835 ratings score: 171, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
614	Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War by Fred Kaplan (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 3,139 ratings score: 171, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
614	Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul by Karen Abbott (Goodreads Author) 3.63 avg rating — 13,129 ratings score: 171, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
618	Kennedy and Nixon: The Rivalry That Shaped Postwar America by Chris Matthews really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 960 ratings score: 170, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
618	Alexander Hamilton, American by Richard Brookhiser 3.65 avg rating — 1,046 ratings score: 170, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
620	Blood Feud: The Hatfields And The Mccoys: The Epic Story Of Murder And Vengeance by Lisa Alther New York Times bestselling author of Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCo 3.36 avg rating — 1,227 ratings score: 169, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	The Bloody Shirt: Terror After Appomattox by Stephen Budiansky 3.85 avg rating — 344 ratings score: 168, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen 4.03 avg rating — 57,167 ratings score: 168, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward 3.82 avg rating — 9,094 ratings score: 168, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	The Republic for Which It Stands: The United States during Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, 1865-1896 by Richard White 4.17 avg rating — 1,596 ratings score: 168, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989 by Michael R. Beschloss (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 1,149 ratings score: 168, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
621	Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants by H.W. Brands 4.13 avg rating — 2,349 ratings score: 168, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
627	The Training Ground: Grant, Lee, Sherman, and Davis in the Mexican War, 1846-1848 by Martin Dugard (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 572 ratings score: 166, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
627	Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy by David Zucchino 4.43 avg rating — 4,128 ratings score: 166, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
629	The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas by John Buchanan (Goodreads Author) 4.34 avg rating — 408 ratings score: 165, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
629	If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story by George Wilson 4.23 avg rating — 3,901 ratings score: 165, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
631	Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt's America by Eric Rauchway 3.63 avg rating — 466 ratings score: 163, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
631	Daniel Boone by John S.C. Abbott 3.84 avg rating — 235 ratings score: 163, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
633	Throes of Democracy: The American Civil War Era 1829-1877 by Walter A. McDougall 4.15 avg rating — 153 ratings score: 162, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
633	George Washington and Benedict Arnold: A Tale of Two Patriots by Dave Richard Palmer 4.29 avg rating — 329 ratings score: 162, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
633	A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos (Goodreads Author) 4.38 avg rating — 27,384 ratings score: 162, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
633	Vicksburg: Grant's Campaign That Broke the Confederacy by Donald L. Miller 4.42 avg rating — 998 ratings score: 162, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
637	Paul Revere and the World He Lived In by Esther Forbes 4.15 avg rating — 381 ratings score: 161, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
637	Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War by T.J. Stiles 4.10 avg rating — 1,395 ratings score: 161, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
637	Alice Paul Claiming Power by J.D. Zahniser 4.21 avg rating — 112 ratings score: 161, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
637	A Diary From Dixie by Mary Boykin Chesnut 3.93 avg rating — 1,356 ratings score: 161, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
637	The Americans, Vol. 2: The National Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin 4.23 avg rating — 452 ratings score: 161, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
642	Mistress Bradstreet: The Untold Life of America's First Poet by Charlotte Gordon (Goodreads Author) 4.03 avg rating — 221 ratings score: 160, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
643	Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic by Paul Fussell 3.83 avg rating — 264 ratings score: 159, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
643	American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan 4.08 avg rating — 46,630 ratings score: 159, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
645	Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence by A.J. Langguth 3.72 avg rating — 657 ratings score: 158, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
645	The Day Kennedy Was Shot: An Hour-by-Hour Account of What Really Happened on November 22, 1963 by Jim Bishop 4.11 avg rating — 510 ratings score: 158, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
645	Wealth and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich by Kevin Phillips 3.92 avg rating — 646 ratings score: 158, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
648	Writings by James Madison 4.17 avg rating — 202 ratings score: 157, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
648	None Wounded, None Missing, All Dead: The Story Of Elizabeth Bacon Custer by Howard Kazanjian 3.55 avg rating — 106 ratings score: 157, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
648	City of Scoundrels: The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago by Gary Krist (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 3,357 ratings score: 157, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
648	The History of American Aviation and Space Travel by Richard S. Hartmetz (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 157, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
652	Heaven and Earth - When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by with Jay Wurts Le Ly Hayslip 4.12 avg rating — 4,314 ratings score: 156, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
652	Patton: A Genius for War by Carlo D'Este 4.25 avg rating — 4,331 ratings score: 156, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
652	Reconstruction after the Civil War by John Hope Franklin 3.93 avg rating — 131 ratings score: 156, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
655	Blood of Tyrants: George Washington & the Forging of the Presidency by Logan Beirne (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 270 ratings score: 155, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	George Washington by James MacGregor Burns 3.97 avg rating — 1,162 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	Thanksgiving:: The Pilgrims' First Year in America by Glenn Alan Cheney (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 217 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City by Nelson Johnson 3.43 avg rating — 2,995 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	Common Ground: A Turbulent Decade in the Lives of Three American Families by J. Anthony Lukas 4.32 avg rating — 2,736 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford by Clint Hill 4.28 avg rating — 11,550 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
656	Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America by Eric Jay Dolin (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 1,586 ratings score: 154, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
662	The Lost World of Thomas Jefferson by Daniel J. Boorstin 3.93 avg rating — 91 ratings score: 153, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
662	Tomorrow-Land: The 1964-65 World's Fair And The Transformation Of America by Joseph Tirella 3.75 avg rating — 387 ratings score: 153, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
664	The Americans, Vol. 1: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin 4.01 avg rating — 1,073 ratings score: 152, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
664	A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald C. White Jr. 4.30 avg rating — 20,207 ratings score: 152, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
666	A Decade of Hope: Stories of Grief and Endurance from 9/11 Families and Friends by Dennis Smith 3.90 avg rating — 171 ratings score: 151, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
666	The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson 4.27 avg rating — 8,838 ratings score: 151, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
668	The Coming of the New Deal 1933-35 (The Age of Roosevelt, Vol 2) by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. 4.13 avg rating — 260 ratings score: 150, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
668	Speeches and Writings 1859–1865 by Abraham Lincoln 4.43 avg rating — 732 ratings score: 150, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
668	The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 by Barbara W. Tuchman 4.12 avg rating — 9,543 ratings score: 150, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
671	Andrew Jackson by Sean Wilentz 3.89 avg rating — 682 ratings score: 149, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
671	The Making of the President 1968 by Theodore H. White 4.18 avg rating — 768 ratings score: 149, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
671	Wild Rose: The True Story of a Civil War Spy by Ann Blackman 3.66 avg rating — 340 ratings score: 149, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	In Reckless Hands: Skinner v. Oklahoma and the Near-Triumph of American Eugenics by Victoria F. Nourse 3.57 avg rating — 111 ratings score: 148, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	Ordeal By Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction by James M. McPherson 4.14 avg rating — 550 ratings score: 148, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	Personal Politics: The Roots of Women's Liberation in the Civil Rights Movement & the New Left by Sara M. Evans 3.70 avg rating — 281 ratings score: 148, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	I Walked to Zion: True Stories of Young Pioneers on the Mormon Trail by Susan Arrington Madsen 4.23 avg rating — 668 ratings score: 148, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	The First Frontier: The Forgotten History of Struggle, Savagery, and Endurance in Early America by Scott Weidensaul 4.08 avg rating — 1,029 ratings score: 148, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
674	Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 31,800 ratings score: 148, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
680	James Madison by Garry Wills 3.80 avg rating — 1,669 ratings score: 147, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
680	Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum by Edward T. O'Donnell 4.23 avg rating — 828 ratings score: 147, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
682	Terrible Swift Sword by Bruce Catton 4.39 avg rating — 1,940 ratings score: 146, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
682	An American Insurrection: James Meredith and the Battle of Oxford, Mississippi, 1962 by William Doyle 4.27 avg rating — 237 ratings score: 146, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
684	Pioneer Women: The Lives of Women on the Frontier by Linda Peavy 4.13 avg rating — 534 ratings score: 145, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
685	Poor People's Movements: Why They Succeed, How They Fail by Frances Fox Piven 4.12 avg rating — 517 ratings score: 144, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
685	Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll 3.99 avg rating — 4,189 ratings score: 144, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
685	Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years by David Talbot 4.12 avg rating — 3,085 ratings score: 144, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
685	Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 5,933 ratings score: 144, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
685	The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner 4.18 avg rating — 6,520 ratings score: 144, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
690	American Gothic: The Story of America's Legendary Theatrical Family: Junius, Edwin, and John Wilkes Booth by Gene Smith 4.09 avg rating — 182 ratings score: 143, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
690	The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise (Bluejacket Books) by Estate of Edward P. Stafford 4.44 avg rating — 182 ratings score: 143, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
690	Theodore Roosevelt: A Life by Nathan Miller 4.15 avg rating — 2,584 ratings score: 143, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
690	Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser 3.94 avg rating — 19,781 ratings score: 143, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
694	An Honorable Defeat: The Last Days of the Confederate Government by William C. Davis 3.94 avg rating — 233 ratings score: 142, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
694	Tombee: Portrait of a Cotton Planter by Theodore Rosengarten 4.02 avg rating — 52 ratings score: 142, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
694	The Thousand-Mile War: World War II in Alaska and the Aleutians by Brian Garfield 4.22 avg rating — 514 ratings score: 142, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
694	Facing East from Indian Country: A Native History of Early America by Daniel K. Richter 3.89 avg rating — 1,301 ratings score: 142, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
698	My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem 4.07 avg rating — 36,414 ratings score: 140, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
699	The Fighting First: The Untold Story Of The Big Red One on D-Day by Flint Whitlock 4.08 avg rating — 131 ratings score: 139, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
699	Many Minds, One Heart: SNCC's Dream for a New America by Wesley C. Hogan 4.11 avg rating — 46 ratings score: 139, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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2,103 books · 2,464 voters · list created July 15th, 2008 by Cindy (votes) .

Tags: 18th-century-history, 19th-century-history, 20th-century-history, aboriginal, aboriginal-history, african-american, african-american-history, african-american-studies, afro-american-studies, america, american, american-history, american-politics, american-president, american-presidents, american-studies, autobiographies, autobiography, best, biographies, biography, black-american, black-history, colonialism, dc, first-nations, first-nations-history, founder, founders, founding-father, founding-fathers, globalization, history, history-american, imperialism, indigeneity, indigenous, indigenous-history, memoir, memoirs, military-history, native-american, native-american-history, non-fiction, political-history, political-science, politics, president, presidents, u-s-history, u-s-politics, united-states, united-states-history, united-states-politics, united-states-president, united-states-presidents, us-history, us-politics, us-president, us-presidents, usa, war

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People Who Voted On This List (2464)

Cindy 10622 books
158 friends

Steven 4280 books
2495 friends

Dave 799 books
62 friends

Heather 928 books
164 friends

Don 1567 books
124 friends

Todd 320 books
16 friends

Lisa 199 books
25 friends

Robert 1994 books
27 friends

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Comments Showing 1-50 of 96 (96 new)

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message 1: by Mackay (new)

Oct 15, 2008 02:43PM

Cincinnatus: by Garry Wills.

That's the best American History book.

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message 2: by Travis (new)

Feb 02, 2009 07:13PM

So why isn't it up there? I mean, if you think it's the best then it should have at least one vote right?

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message 3: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jul 26, 2009 02:27PM

How is The Rape of Nanking about American history?

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message 4: by [deleted user] (new)

Sep 17, 2009 03:36PM

Who on earth selected these books? These are supposed to be the BEST of American History Books? Where is Shelby Foote or Bruce Catton? Where is a decent history of the American Revolution? Where is there a history of Political Parties in the US?
Some of these authors are inferior in writing on the subject matter. It is not only important to learn about our history, but to learn about it from leaders in the field of the subject matter. Where is the Viet Nam War?

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message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

Sep 17, 2009 03:37PM

How are books by Mc Cain, Hillary & Bill Clinton insightful into our American History?

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message 6: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 20, 2009 05:41PM

It's pretty easy to add books, over at the right side of the page.

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message 7: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Sep 20, 2009 06:00PM

A Bright Shining Lie is about Vietnam, as is Dispatches.

Shelby Foote is on the list, on page two.

There are plenty of books on the list that are either about the American Revolution, or are biographies of the people involved in it.

And the books were selected by the people who have chosen to vote on this list.

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message 8: by Cindy (new)

Mar 20, 2010 10:02PM

I love this list! I have found some great reads from it. Thanks to everyone who chose the books. My latest read was Indian Givers and it was amazing.

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message 9: by Reader (new)

Nov 12, 2010 10:44PM

I've read:
"John Adams" (Excellent)
and
"Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" (Good).

Currently reading:
"1776". Has been Excellent.

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message 10: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Nov 16, 2010 12:04PM

I have yet to read a McCullough I haven't liked.

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message 11: by Michelle (new)

Dec 30, 2010 09:42PM

"Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" is by far and away the best historical non-fiction book I have ever read....glad to see it's high on this list!!

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message 12: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:28AM

I love The Killer Angels and you can learn a lot from it, but it's a novel. Isn't this a non-fiction list?

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message 13: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:39AM

Johnny Tremain is a wonderful novel that brings pre-Revolutionary Boston to life, but it's not a history.

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message 14: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:46AM

All of Jeff Shaara's books are novels.

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message 15: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 02:55AM

I haven't read them (and it's unlikely that I will), butI don't think Ron Paul's books are history.

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message 16: by Bill (new)

Apr 17, 2011 03:02AM

Gore Vidal's Lincoln, Burr, etc. are all novels.

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message 17: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 17, 2011 01:34PM

Cindy, you're the creator of this list - you want me to remove the non-fiction?

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message 18: by Cindy (new)

Apr 17, 2011 03:36PM

I really had non-fiction in mind, but I admit that I voted for Killer Angels. I really don't want this to turn into a historical romance list, but there's a difference between Gone With the Wind and Killer Angels. What does everyone else think?

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message 19: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 18, 2011 08:49AM

Y'all tell me what to delete, and I'll be happy to delete it.

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message 20: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 03, 2011 07:04PM

Should The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich be on the list?

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message 21: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jul 03, 2011 07:04PM

Deleted The Man in the High Castle - speculative/alternative history (fiction).

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message 22: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jul 04, 2011 07:54PM

I don't see any reason why Rise and Fall of the Third Reich should be on, no.

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message 23: by Bettie (last edited Jul 05, 2011 02:24AM) (new)

Jul 05, 2011 12:13AM

Susanna wrote: "I don't see any reason why Rise and Fall of the Third Reich should be on, no."

Someone 'muxing this ip' with a Philip Roth story that they think is :Teh:Real:?

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message 24: by Cindy (new)

Aug 29, 2011 09:18AM

Go ahead and delete all the fiction. Rise to Rebellion, The Killer Angels, The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

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message 25: by Cindy (new)

Aug 29, 2011 09:27AM

Also Leaves of Grass, What Ifs?

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message 26: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited Aug 30, 2011 05:23PM) (new)

Aug 30, 2011 05:23PM

What about Rise and Fall of the Third Reich?

I think I have found and removed the non-fiction.

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message 27: by Cindy (new)

Aug 30, 2011 08:08PM

Yes, that one too!

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message 28: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Aug 31, 2011 10:35AM

OK, I shall remove it, then.

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message 29: by Cindy (new)

Oct 24, 2011 10:42PM

Am I Not a Man? is fiction also.

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message 30: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Oct 25, 2011 12:17PM

Alright, I'll remove it.

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message 31: by John (new)

Apr 07, 2012 02:31PM

Although I'm reluctant to be critical of anyone who undertakes the kind of effort on display here, I can't resist commenting that any list of books on American History that includes Jesse Ventura's book and excludes those of Bernard Bailyn -- not to mention Barrington Moore and David Hackett Fischer -- cannot be taken seriously.

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message 32: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited Apr 08, 2012 11:30AM) (new)

Apr 07, 2012 02:35PM

You can, of course, add them. Adding books to lists is easy; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes." You will then have the option of adding books from your own shelves, or of performing a search of GR's database.

Also, David Hackett Fischer's Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, at least, is on the list, because I voted for it. (It is, in fact, currently #55. Washington's Crossing is #25.)

ETA: Bernard Bailyn's Ideological Origins of the American Revolution is currently at #107.

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message 33: by Cindy (new)

Apr 07, 2012 04:38PM

Loved Albion's Seed. I read it because of this list. Great book.

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message 34: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 07, 2012 09:22PM

I certainly think so.

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message 35: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 08, 2012 11:35AM

Cindy, do you want me to remove Ron Paul's The Revolution: A Manifesto? I'm dubious about this one.

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message 36: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 08, 2012 11:38AM

Removed:

Weezer and the Painted Frog (fiction)

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message 37: by John (new)

Apr 11, 2012 10:31AM

Susanna wrote: "You can, of course, add them. Adding books to lists is easy; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes." You will then have the option of adding books from your own shelves, or of per..."

My oversight -- it's a great list! I hope it inspires many readers to acquire many of these titles. Participatory democracy works better when more voters know more about the country's history. In 25 years of casual history reading, I have found myself becoming more interested in intellectually challenging history books. I suspect most history 'consumers' have a similar experience. The nation was founded by a group of 'intellectuals'. What would they think about the intellectual quality of contemporary politicians?

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message 38: by Karen (new)

Jul 01, 2012 07:22PM

I've read a number of books on this list and especially like McCullough's 1776 and John Adams. I also like Founding Brothers a great deal. I downloaded the audio to Shelby Foote's 1st Volume and plan to listen to it as soon as I finish War & Peace, which is not American history or non-fiction, but which is teaching me a great deal about Russian history. While fiction might not be good for this list, another list of works of fiction that are historically accurate might be helpful. Often, I find straight history books to be so packed with details that they bog down and lose any sense of narrative.

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message 39: by Timothy (new)

Oct 22, 2012 08:54AM

Susanna wrote: "How is The Rape of Nanking about American history?"
It's about Japan and China. Other than that, it's a great book about American history.

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message 40: by Kimberlyn (new)

Nov 05, 2012 05:18PM

History has never been a strong point for me. I need to select a book relevant to the historical period either from Columbus through the Civil War, or Reconstruction to the end of the Cold War. So I was wondering if anyone could point out a few good books, I might be interested in. THANK YOU.

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message 41: by Karen (new)

Nov 12, 2012 04:23PM

If you're looking for an easy-to-read but good non-fiction work, I recommend The Perils of Prosperity. It covers 1914-1932.

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message 42: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Nov 12, 2012 04:51PM

It's easy to add books to lists; at the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."

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message 43: by Marguerite (new)

Mar 13, 2013 10:07AM

Manhunt is the best book about Lincoln's killer. Went to the Surratt House and the Dr Mudd Farm. Great

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message 44: by Piseth (new)

Mar 27, 2013 07:42PM

Lobstergirl wrote: "Deleted The Man in the High Castle - speculative/alternative history (fiction)."

poster book is published to reader.

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message 45: by Piseth (new)

Mar 27, 2013 07:56PM

Hello, Mr./Mrs. ! how are you doing ? i would like reading a book too thus i am a supporter of reading book every day to find another acknowledges about this, actually, all of them are preferred reading them and wanna a writing some story of mine. that story is said about a life of mine surely. i will write some the meaning of story connecting to real life of mine was child, can be made a plan to refer to supporter. thanks you !

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message 46: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Mar 29, 2013 01:55PM

Say what?

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message 47: by Lobstergirl (new)

Apr 16, 2013 05:54PM

Removed a novel and 3 nonfiction books not about America.

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message 48: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jun 10, 2013 02:57PM

Does Man Hunt (#75) belong on here? It appears to be historical fiction. (And aside from this list, the other lists it appears on are all for historical fiction.)

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message 49: by Thom (new)

Jun 10, 2013 02:59PM

John wrote: "Although I'm reluctant to be critical of anyone who undertakes the kind of effort on display here, I can't resist commenting that any list of books on American History that includes Jesse Ventura's..."

John, I'm assuming this list was not made up before for us to vote on, but is instead a list we make with our choices. If one person wants to put Jesse Ventura on his list--or Bill O'Reilly for that matter-let them do so. Such votes will be drowned out by less fringe opinions. Democracy, etc. etc.

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message 50: by Lobstergirl (new)

Jun 10, 2013 04:11PM

Susanna wrote: "Does Man Hunt (#75) belong on here? It appears to be historical fiction. (And aside from this list, the other lists it appears on are all for historical fiction.)"

Deleted.

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