Popular European Historical Books
Find historical books written by authors from Europe for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (297)
France22.
An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson EN
ScotlandDescription:
Robert Louis Stevenson was not only a gifted writer, he was also an indefatigable traveller. An Inland Voyage, first published in 1878, is Stevenson's earliest book. It describes a voyage undertaken with this Scottish friend Sir Walter Grindlay Simpson, mostly along the Oise River from Belgium through France, in the autumn of 1876. Stevenson and Simpson each had a wooden canoe rigged with a sail, propelled with double-bladed paddles, a style that had recently become popular. An Inland Voyage paints a delightful picture of Europe in a more innocent time, with quirky innkeepers, travelling enter... continue
23.
An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan by Elliott, Jason EN
EnglandDescription:
"Aware of the risks involved, but determined to explore what he could of the Afghan people and culture, Elliot leaves the relative security of the capital, Kabul.
24.
Anne Franks dagbok by Anne Frank, Ari Folman, David Polonsky NO
GermanyDescription:
Kjære Kitty, jeg håper å kunne betro deg alt, slik jeg aldri før har kunnet med noen, og jeg håper du vil være til god støtte for meg
Spain
Romania27.
Athens: City of Wisdom by Bruce Clark EN
IrelandDescription:
A sweeping history of Athens, telling the three-thousand-year story of the birthplace of Western civilization, from Runciman Award winner Bruce Clark 'A stunning retrospect and beautifully written overview of one of the world's greatest cities' Paul Cartledge 'Courageously grand in scale yet sensitive to the details that make Athens' extraordinary history come alive' Sofka Zinovieff 'Bruce Clark brings an eye for the quirky, human detail, a pithy turn of phrase, and an affection for his subject honed over many decades' Roderick Beaton 'Bruce Clark's enchantingly readable history revealed how l... continue
28.
Attila the Hun : A Barbarian King and the Fall of Rome by John Man EN
Description:
The name Attila the Hun has become a byword for barbarism, savagery and violence. His is a truly household name, but what do we really know about the man himself, his position in history and the world in which he lived? This riveting biography reveals the man behind the myth. In the years 434-454AD the fate of Europe hung upon the actions of one man, Attila, king of the Huns. The decaying Roman empire still stood astride the Western World, from its twin capitals of Rome and Constantinople, but it was threatened by a new force, the much-feared Barbarian hordes. It was Attila who united the Barb... continue
29.
Babette's Feast by Karen Blixen EN
DenmarkDescription:
These five rich, witty and magical stories from the author of Out of Africa include one of her most well known tales, ‘Babette’s Feast’, which was made into the classic film. It tells the story of a French cook working in a puritanical Norwegian community, who treats her employers to the decadent feast of a lifetime. There is also a real-life Prospero and his Ariel in ‘Tempests’, a mysterious pearl-fisher in ‘The Diver’ and a brief, tragic encounter in ‘The Ring’. All the stories have a mystic, fairy-tale quality, linked by themes of angels, the sea, dreams and fate. They were among the last t... continue
30.
Bad Gays : A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey, Ben Miller EN
Description:
These “very funny-deep dives into the lives of the most dastardly queer people in history” offer a passionate argument for rethinking gay politics beyond identity (Vogue). What can we learn from the homosexual villains, failures, and baddies of our past? We all remember Oscar Wilde, but who speaks for Bosie? What about those ‘bad gays’ whose unexemplary lives reveal more than we might expect? Many popular histories seek to establish homosexual heroes, pioneers, and martyrs but, as Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller argue, the past is filled with queer people whose sexualities and dastardly deeds have b... continue