What books have helped you understand history?

[Aquaria]

8. Zinn's People's History would be the top choice for US history

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond isn't a history book, per se, but it explains much of the reality of why colonialism steamrolled the "Third World" with so much success.

The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson reveals how money and finance shaped exploration, technology and more.

Masters of the Word by William Bernstein makes a compelling case for the power of words via correspondence, print, newspapers, and even social media to change the course of history.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown exposes how whites destroyed the Native American tribes and cultures in the US in heartbreaking detail.

Genghis Khan by Jack Winchester erases all those tall tales in your head about the tyrant and his marauding horde, and instead reveals what an innovative leader and military thinker GK was, enough to have lasting impacts on the world and leaders far beyond Mongolia, even into the modern era.

Just about anything by David McCullough is worth the read.