History & Genealogy Books | Books & Reading

Why buy a book on history? There are many reasons to buy historical books and magazines. It could be that you are interested in studying a particular area of history and may need books for this purpose. It might be that you want to investigate a controversial piece of history to find answers to hotly debated or fascinating questions such as; Did they really have female Amazonian Warriors in Roman times? Who killed the Princes in the tower? How did Charles 11 get his throne back? Why did people follow Hitler and believe in him? Was there really a King Arthur? Can Maggie Thatcher really be accurately described as, 'The Iron Lady?' It may be that you want to look at famous (or infamous) figures in history from Dick Turpin to Alexander Bell. It might be that they are useful research to support another project, such as an Archaeology project. There are plenty of reasons to buy historical texts which sometimes contain a truth more fascinating or bizarre than fiction and they are increasingly popular today.

Of course if you want to have a look at your own history and trace your family's roots then a book on genealogy should be of interest and be of more relevance. Historical books focus on major events in history whereas genealogy books and magazines usually act as a 'how to' guide to documenting and producing your own family history by showing you how to create a family tree, how to do research on your family, where to look for local records and tips on what is useful material to begin with. They may also recommend professionals who can help with more complex searches.

Historical Categories
There is a wide range of history books and to find what you are looking for you should look at the given range of history where you will find the topic or figure you would like to look at. Guidelines to stock vary but to give a rough idea this is an outline of what to expect in each category.

Ancient History
Ancient history is probably the history that will be of the most interest to those studying, working or having an inclination towards archaeology. Ancient history covers the beginnings of life on earth and is concerned with the first appearance of man and the subsequent development of human beings and the other life forms around them up until the time usually just Before Christ or the early centuries AD. However much of the history concerned with the beginning of life is often more likely to be found in archaeology books. Ancient history also looks at what has been learned from the excavations of famous historical sites from the Egyptian pyramids to our own Stonehenge. The civilisations this historical period is concerned with extend from the beginning of life to the Romans, Egyptians, Greeks and Persians and most Ancient history is concentrated in this area, geographically.

The Medieval Period
The next significant period in history is the Medieval Period which focuses largely on Europe, particularly Britain but there has also amassed a large history on Ancient China. It is concerned with the period beyond the early centuries Ad up until the fifteenth century. The kings are of the most focus here, such as Richard the 1st, (who led the Christian Crusades and earned the nickname 'Lionheart'), Harold 11 (he who is most famous for being killed at the Battle of Hastings) and William 11 (who conquered). Topics covered by books and magazines include medieval lifestyles, the political system, knighthood, religion, the Magna Carta, the Bayeux Tapestry and jousting.

Early Modern History
After the Medieval Period, Henry V111 precipitated a new period of history known as Early Modern History when he ex-communicated England from Rome, changing law, religion and European connections. This period covers all six of his marriages, the reign of his children, Edward, 'Bloody' Mary and Elizabeth 1, the reign of James 1 of Scotland who secured the throne after Elizabeth had no children, Charles 1 (the first King to be executed by his people) and his son Charles 11 who triumphantly returned to reclaim England for the Royal family. This history continues up until the later part of Victoria's reign and the turn of the 20th century. There is also a great deal of history on European Royalty such as Louis X1V and King Philip of Spain. During this period a whole host of famous people lived and contributed significantly to society from great artists and writers such as Shakespeare to the politically significant Medici family and influential Cardinal Wolsey to the traveller Columbus and Nell Gwynne, the mistress of Charles 11, who changed the history of theatre after persuading Charles 11 to allow women to act. Topics and events covered in this period include the Spanish Armada, the French Wars, the Globe theatre, the Mayflower, religion and class.

20th Century History
The 20th Century perhaps boasts the greatest collection of history as far more has been recorded in this century, there were two world wars and, as the various regions of the Earth communicated, 20th century history is not limited or located in pockets but covers the history of the world. There is a vast range of people, topics and events covered in this period. However much of the history of the world that can be recovered through research and documentation has been done in this century and the more recently a book or magazine was published the more up to date in terms of evidence, research and historical accuracy it is likely to be. Key topics and events include the World Wars, technological development and significant political changes. Famous people in twentieth century history books tend to be those associated with significant change from politicians to rulers to inventors. General books on history often cover much of what happened in the twentieth century and topics include class, gender, social hierarchy, labour, laws, lifestyles and leadership methods.

Buying the Book
Prices for history books vary enormously depending on whom the author is, whether it is soft or hardback book and how old the book is. Unlike other books, history books do not always gain in value with age as the research and proposals they contain often become outdated with new findings. The author is also important as there are leading historical experts who write history books as well as those who are not considered to be such. Genealogy, on the other hand, has produced a rather more recent spat of literature so it is unlikely much of it will be outdated. Second hand history books and magazines should cost significantly less than when they are new although rare prints can of course increase price. Genealogy books can also be something of a bargain online but do make sure that the book you buy is not outdated for its purpose