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If in doubt, get a book. History lovers adore books. Some of our recommendations are less academic then some of the books that appear on our other booklistsbook lists, but they do represent outstanding recent books that most history lovers should enjoy. Here are some releases that are worth your history lovers attention. In addition to the standard paper format, some of these books are also available on Kindle, iTunes Books, and [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NB86OYE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NB86OYE&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1ff70b86a3aaccc38bf89a79427fd508 Audible].

How did a former slave from Texas named William Ellis, transform himself into a fabulously wealthy Mexican millionaire named Guillermo Elliseo after the Civil War? Historian Martha A. Sandweiss stated that Jacoby's tale of William Ellis crafts "a powerful narrative about the porous borders of class, race, and national identity in late 19th and early 20th -century American life." Jacoby's book successfully illuminates both a life of a unique and fascinating American while addressing broader issues of race and the American borderlands. The book was also the recipient of the Ray Allen Billington Prize from the OHA.

<i>Blood in the Water</i> investigates the Attica prison in September 1971 and its consequences. The Attica riot is a key event in U.S. civil rights history. Thompson carefully reconstructs the events at the prison during the riot between September 9-13, 1971. <i>The New York Times</i> stated that the power of her book come "from its methodical mastery of interviews, transcripts, police reports and other documents covering 35 years." The book was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for History.

Sinha's award -winning book (now in paperback) argues that abolitionism was not a movement of middle -class white reformers, but a much more complex mix of men, women, blacks, whites, free and unfree. Additionally, Sinha places the abolition into a transnational perspective. The Slave's Cause was awarded by the Avery O. Craven Prize (OHA) and Best Book Prize by the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic in 2017.

In the last half of the 19th Century of a small number of American business quickly turned America into a world economic power. Rockefeller, Carnegie, J.P. Morgan not changed the economic future of the control, but threatened its democratic character. Despite it's its size, Brands moves this story along at a quick pace and explains how these men accrued extraordinary power and wealth.

If your history lover enjoys a drink or two, Stewart's book is a must -read. Stewart describes how 150 plants, flowers, trees and fruits have been fermented and distilled to create beers, wines, and spirits. Alcohol has played a huge economic, social and political role in world history and she distills this in her humorous book.

<i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385534248/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385534248&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d988a1b43fa3a7294ee035de2d745387 Killers of the Flower Moon:The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI]</i> by David Grann (Doubleday, 2017)

Grann's book shows how a series of mysterious series murders in the Osage community in Oklahoma made it possible for an ambitious J. Edgar Hoover to increase the prestige, influence , and power of the FBI while it was still in its infancy. <i>The Osage Murders</i> examines the two dozen brutal murders and how the community's newfound wealth lead to these homicides. This is non-fiction that reads like a detective novel.

Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted Ron Chernow's book <i>Alexander Hamilton</i> for his Tony award -winning stage play <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0135P6PZA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0135P6PZA&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b3726cefb290b38ab0a27571d094a94b Hamilton]</i>. Chernow's book has been a must -read since. While Chernow's book has been criticized for bordering on a hagiography, Chernow gives Alexander Hamilton the biography he deserves.

Almost everyone can now read books on laptops, smartphones, and tablets. These are fairly unsatisfactory options because the reading experience is typically a disappointment. It's hard to recommend reading serious history books on a phone or tablet over a paper book. The Kindle Paperwhite most closely mimics paper books. It's easier to read for long periods of time than phones and tablets. While you cannot take notes in the book the way you can with a paper booksbook, you can store an enormous number of books on the Paperwhite.

In an ideal world, paper books are the best solution, but the Paperwhite is a solid device for reading books and it's great for travel. Amazon has Kindles that range in price from $79.99 to $249.99. The Paperwhite at $119.99 is a great deal. It has more than enough storage and a great screen. That makes it hard to recommend the more expensive models.

Reading a great book while drinking coffee can a be a glorious experience. There are currently 1001 ways to make coffee, but if you like rich, strong coffee - get a French press. It consistently makes the best coffee. Admittedly, it takes slightly longer then than popping a pouch or pod into a coffee machine because you have to boil some water and then let the coffee steep for 3 minutes. But these tasks require very little oversight and you can do them while you put your breakfast together. There are a ton of great French presses. This one has the benefit of both holding 3 cups of coffee and being relatively inexpensive. As long as your not a klutz, it will last forever. If you are clumsy, get a French press made out of stainless steel. Think of it as a klutz tax. You can also find great single -serving French presses.