Buy Historical Nonfiction Books Online at Best Prices

Historical nonfiction books are so much more than the history books you’ve read at school. Not only are the stories in a nonfiction history book nuanced, thoroughly researched and compelling, they are just as riveting as fiction when presented well. The best part is that everything you read in these books has really happened.

There are many types of historical books on Bookscape.com so you can choose what works best for you: general historical nonfiction, historical biographies, historical memoirs, microhistories, historical graphic novels, or even historical true crime.

What are Nonfiction History Books

There is a famous maxim that says — it’s all just history repeating itself. So, what can history teach us and how? We can learn about events, people and places in the past from historical nonfiction books. Basically, nonfiction history books document real historical eras and events. They are usually written by conducting ample research and study.

History books in the nonfiction category are aimed at providing information and education, apart from entertainment. Research to write a history book can be a first-hand report provide by people who experienced the events and may include letters, diaries and the like. Similarly, secondary and tertiary sources used to write nonfiction history books may include second-hand accounts and reference materials that contain factually correct and complete information.

All in all, nonfiction history books are not only enriching to read but are also didactic because the author-historian’s perspective is an objective analysis that is the result of deep scholarly referencing and usually without bias.

Popular Historical Nonfiction Book Genres

The genre of history books can be classified into many subgenres:

Ancient History Books

Ancient history books contain information on events and people that extend up to post-classical history. From ancient Indian history to ancient world history books you will get a bird’s eye view of the important happenings in any era.

• Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo
• The Religion Of The Ancient Celts by J. A. MacCulloch
• The Ahhiyawa Texts: Writings from the Ancient World by Eric H. Cline
• People Of The Indus, The: And the Birth of Civilization in South Asia by Nikhil Gulati and Jonathan Mark Kenoyer
• The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare by Philip Sabin

Indian History Books

Indian history is rich and has everything from ancient civilizations and epic conquests to freedom struggles, political fervour and industrial growth. There have been some incredible personalities and memorable incidents throughout different periods in history to shape the culture of the nation. 

• The Last Mughal: The East India Company, Corporate Violence, and the Pillage of an Empire by William Dalrymple
• India in the Persianate Age by Richard M. Eaton
• The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar
• Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History by Sanjeev Sanyal
• Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas by Anirudh Kanisetti
• The Story of the Sikhs by Sarbpreet Singh
• History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India Till the Year AD 1612 by Mahomed Kasim Ferishta

Military History Books

From the Crusades to the Cold War, military history books could be based on understanding the war in Afghanistan or the Opium Wars in the 19th century. The best military history books on World Wars, on the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, with a special focus on related themes like aviation history, conflicts, foreign policy and international relations, terrorism and naval history.

• Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918–40 by Richard Dannatt, Robert Lyman
• Warriors in Scarlet: The Life and Times of the Last Redcoats by Ian Knight
• The Guns of August: The Classic Bestselling Account of the Outbreak of the First World War by Barbara Tuchman
• Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars by Helen Fry
• The Templars by Michael Haag
• America's War for the Greater Middle East by Andrew J. Bacevich

Region & Countries History Books

Regional history books, national history books and historical books that talk about a specific region or place come under this umbrella.

• True to Their Salt: The British Indian Army and an Alternative History of Decolonization by Ravindra Rathee
• The Biggest Prison on Earth: A History of the Occupied Territories by Ilan Pappe
• India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present by Shivshankar Menon
• A Promised Land by Barack Obama

World History Books

World history books offer a unique perspective on how different events fit into the grand scheme of things. For instance, Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr. were born the same year, and are five years younger than U.S. President Jimmy Carter. But all three individuals are associated with different historical periods. Pocahontas and Shakespeare were contemporaries. That’s where these international history book come in. These books may include history from time period to time period and the respective important events, usually supported by maps and timelines to help visualize where, when, and how everything was related.

• Passwords to Paradise: How Languages Have Re-invented World Religions by Nicholas Ostler
• The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel
• History's Greatest Lies: The Startling Truths Behind World Events Our History Books Got Wrong by William Weir
• Women in World History: 1450 to the Present by Bonnie G. Smith

FAQs about History Books

If you have questions about great history books, Bookscape has you covered. With over a million titles from 700+ publishers and an ever-growing catalogue, you’re sure to find your next favourite nonfiction history book here. Bookscape is home to the greatest history books ever written and it should be your one-stop shop for buying books online at best prices. We can help you navigate through the wide world of historical nonfiction books. Let us answer some popular questions in choosing the best historical books:

What is a historical nonfiction book?

Historical nonfiction books include all kinds of nonfiction writing with real historical events. Historical nonfiction may have elements in common with other nonfiction categories like literary nonfiction, narrative nonfiction and creative nonfiction. A wide range of people, places and stories that are considered historical nonfiction, like biographies of famous historical figures and even expository nonfiction where an event is described in cause-and-effect style. For example, John Adams by David McCullough is a Pulitzer Prize winner that documents the life of U.S. President John Adams.

What are the features of historical non-fiction?

Historical nonfiction books retell a historical event or detail the socio-political happenings of a time period. They recount history through the eyes of the author using primary and secondary sources. Historical nonfiction books may also bridge the past with the present. Here are some more of nonfiction history books:

• Factually accurate: All information about people, places and events in these books must be verifiable and historically accurate.
• Well-researched: Even if it is a first-person account, nonfiction history books should be supported by detailed research of their subjects.
• Academic: Nonfiction history books are scholarly in nature, with lots of referencing from legitimate sources.
• Clarity and ease of reading: Nonfiction books in general should be direct, with clear, lucid writing that is simple but impactful.

What is the difference between historical fiction and historical nonfiction?

Historical nonfiction is a factual retelling of the events, people, places and societies of bygone times. Relying on thorough research and established evidence to accurately portray an account of the past.

Historical fiction books are the perfect blend of history and creative storytelling. Authors in this genre take real historical events, settings and figures and imbue them with fictional characters, dialogue, subplots and narrative. This synthesis creates a storyline that not only educates readers about the past but is also engaging.

While historical nonfiction does not allow for the same brand of creative liberties that fiction enjoys, it makes up for it with complete accuracy and authenticity for those seeking the answers to historical questions.

Best Historical Nonfiction Books of All Time

These are the top nonfiction history books that have the power to educate and inspire, and offer a unique perspective on history:

• The Cold War by John Lewis Gaddis
• Cobalt Red by Siddharth Kara
• Unbreakable by Rebecca E. F. Barone
• The Story of the Sikhs by Sarbpreet Singh
• Empire Building The Construction of British India 1690–1860 by Rosie Llewellyn-Jones
• Science in the Soul by Richard Dawkins
• Slaves in the New Testament by J. Albert Harrill
• The Hermetica by Timothy Freke, Peter Gandy
• Red Star Over China: The Classic Account of the Birth of Chinese Communism by Edgar Snow
• Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr.
• A Long Road to Justice: Stories from the Frontlines in Asia by Sylvia Yu Friedman

You can find these books and more here

What are some of the new books in the History category?

You can find the latest books in our New Arrivals section. Click here to find out.