Since you like Zamoyski, I highly recommend his Napoleon biography, just in case you do not know it already. He is far more insightful than Roberts.
Zamoyski writes little about military matters, but instead gives a convincing account of Napoleon's personality, the legitimacy of his rule and the circumstances of the time he lived in.
I'm really enjoying it. Finding it an easier read than The Horse, The Wheel and Language. I got a bit bogged down in some of the archeological stuff in that. But Mithen uses a hypothetical time traveler as a narrative device to tell stories in After the Ice, which adds a bit of flavour.
I’m one of the twitterati that asked for your reading recommendations without even realizing you had this invaluable resource up. I’m excited to deep dive! You recommended here and there to start with the first book on your list so that’s what I’ll do. Then, despite having no connection there, since the tribal and ethnic patterns of subsaharan africa have always seemed an enigma to me I’d like to understand better so I’ll read the Bantu book next.
I've only read his book on the Crimean War. It was interesting at the time, but I later found out that it had been trashed by some solid Russian historians as being filled with factual errors and misinterpretations.
Very thorough list. Thanks, bro.
Since you like Zamoyski, I highly recommend his Napoleon biography, just in case you do not know it already. He is far more insightful than Roberts.
Zamoyski writes little about military matters, but instead gives a convincing account of Napoleon's personality, the legitimacy of his rule and the circumstances of the time he lived in.
Thoughts on After the Ice by Steven Mithen? Am I wasting my time reading it?
I'm not familiar with it - looks interesting though
I'm really enjoying it. Finding it an easier read than The Horse, The Wheel and Language. I got a bit bogged down in some of the archeological stuff in that. But Mithen uses a hypothetical time traveler as a narrative device to tell stories in After the Ice, which adds a bit of flavour.
I’m one of the twitterati that asked for your reading recommendations without even realizing you had this invaluable resource up. I’m excited to deep dive! You recommended here and there to start with the first book on your list so that’s what I’ll do. Then, despite having no connection there, since the tribal and ethnic patterns of subsaharan africa have always seemed an enigma to me I’d like to understand better so I’ll read the Bantu book next.
Have you read any of R. J. Rummel's work?
Peter Hopkirk’s book on the Great Game is also excellent
What are your objections to Beckwith’s argument of Indo-European influence on the Shang dynasty?
no DNA evidence, and even the linguistic evidence is dicey
What do you think of Figes’ work, particularly his famous doorstopper on the Revolution?
I've only read his book on the Crimean War. It was interesting at the time, but I later found out that it had been trashed by some solid Russian historians as being filled with factual errors and misinterpretations.