[whitebelly]

I'm sure I'm not the only amateur history nut around here (cfr. history fiction thread). I'd like to have your recommendations on some mind-absorbing non-fiction.

My favorites are BBC History Magazine (a very nice monthly) and anything on the History of England, esp. Middle Ages & Victorian Era. Favorites are almost anything by Simon Schama & Peter Ackroyd's "London".

I occasionally read up on other histories (& eras) as well, esp. when planning to go there or just having returned from a trip. John Julius Norwich's gigantic "History of Venice" is waiting for me, and as I hope to be able to get to Istanbul this year (at least if my none-too-comfortable financial situation will allow it) I'd like to read up on that as well.

Apart from that I'm a sucker for exploration literature, and not-so-recent accounts of early travelers & pioneers.

Any recommendations?

wb

PS: llama, while checking up on "Deus Lo Volt" I spotted another book by Evan Connell which seems terribly intetesting: "The Aztec Treasure House: New & Selected Essays"

[This message has been edited by whitebelly (edited January 13, 2002).]

[wolfshead]

Dr PV Glob's books THE MOUND PEOPLE and THE BOG PEOPLE (about preserved bodies from the Danish bronze and Iron ages--amazing stuff; celtic heritage by Alwyn and Brinley Rees (great resources for writing; and anything on Stone Circles and the British Neolithic by Aubrey Burl. (Dr Burl doesn't write dry scholarly tomes but uses evocative and descriptive language to being this remote and fascinating period alive. Plus he's one of the top authorities in the world on his subject.

[Llama]

Don't know about the Treasure House, sounds interesting.

Like Schama and Ackroyd as well, particularly the latter. Also like most of Ackroyd's fantastic fiction even better than his non-fiction.

Good book I read recently is TOURNAMENT OF SHADOWS, about the Great Game between Great Britain and China for control of Asia in the xixth century.

[whitebelly]

Spot on! Peter Ackroyd's novels are great! The first I read by him - now over 10 years ago - was "Chatterton", which is still among my favourites ("sippy, sippy, no waity!"). Also read "The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde" & "English Music", and am planning to read "Hawksmoor" soon. Was disappointed by "The House of Doctor Dee" though ...

I bought The Aztec Treasure House book, it was simply too irresistible ... arrived in the post yesterday!

Wolfshead, you know of a decent, well-researched book on Stonehenge?

grtz, wb