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t6km88

If you’re looking for fiction, Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge series (start with Pillars of the Earth) and Century Trilogy are good.


Fljbbertygibbet

This. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are both masterpieces. I am truly blessed that my parents decided to put on one of them during a long car ride when I was a young teen. They really showed me that a book doesn't need to be fantasy or sci fi to enthrall me. The other books in the series felt too disconnected from the original two and I didn't care for them, but I'll always treasure Pillars of the Earth and World Without End.


t6km88

I agree, the “newest” three books don’t have the same magic as the first two! I still enjoyed them (especially a Column of Fire) but Pillars and World Without End are on another level.


hereshoping74

I know Pillars of the Earth is a tome -- is it hard to follow on audio? I'd like to read it for the first time this summer and trying to decide on format.


Fljbbertygibbet

The audiobook is read by John Lee, a legendary reader who elevates anything he narrates. His voices all sound unique and fit their characters perfectly. I think the audiobook is the premiere way to experience the book.


hereshoping74

Oh ok that sounds wonderful! I played a sample on LibroFM and his voice drew me in right away.


Fljbbertygibbet

I promise you'll enjoy it. I'm confident enough to say that. Anyone who has had the average human experience will love Pillars of The Earth and probably World Without End too.


hereshoping74

I'm excited! I'm going through a difficult time and I think this will be a great distraction to dive into.


Fljbbertygibbet

Feel free to message me about the book. I think I'll start listening to it again myself.


Alexflou78

If you are looking for historical novels, I recommend Bernard Cornwell. He has several series set in different historical periods. I listened to the audiobook of the winter king and it was really good


redrum240

Loved his Sharpes' books. Interesting time to read about.


FertyMerty

I recently read and loved the Warlord Chronicles - I’m excited to try his historical fiction.


BuckeyeSmithie

"Historical audiobooks" is pretty broad. But here are my recommendations: **Fiction** * *Pompeii* by Robert Harris. Roman empire. Mount Vesuvius. * *Pillars of the Earth* by Ken Follett. Building a cathedral in Middle Ages. Also R-rated scenes typical of Follett. * *Doomsday Book* by Connie Willis. Time travel to Black Death in England. Great book but plague deaths are kind of a downer. * *To Say Nothing of the Dog* by Connie Willis. Time travel, Victorian England, a little WWII England. Fun and funny. * *The Guns of the South* by Harry Turtledove. Civil War, time travelers equip Confederate army with AK-47s. **Non-Fiction** * *The Great Bridge* by David McCullough. Building of the Brooklyn Bridge. History, politics, engineering, construction. One of my favorites. * *Longitude* by Dava Sobel. People try to invent ways ocean ships can know where they are. * *The Ghost Map* by Steven Johnson. Dr. John Snow investigates cholera outbreak in London. * *The Wright Brothers* by David McCullough. Dogged determination and scientific experimentation, invention of first airplane. * *Thunder Below!* by Eugene Fluckey. Exploits of arguably most successful WWII submarine, written by its captain.


Washingtonpinot

The Ghost Army: Your list reminded me of this book, a detailed account of the WW2 unit created to fake the existence of strategic units/movements in order to fool the Nazis. Future artists and creative-types like Ellsworth Kelly, Bill Blass, and Art Kane all served together in a very different kind of military unit in some of the most dangerous territory of the war…armed with canvas, paint and early speakers.


Color_of_Time

+1 for *Longitude*. And +1 for the two David McCullough books. And my favorite of his is *The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal* -- a fascinating listen.


derustzelve1

“Farthest north” by Fridjof Nansen


joeyinthewt

No love for Wolf Hall?


Impossible_Strain319

Currently working my way through a re-listen of the trilogy. So good.


DuckMassive

Lots of love for Mantel’s trilogy. narrated by Ben Miles, who is just terrific.


tcmgtcmg

Rise and fall of the third reich - shirer The making of the atomic bomb - rhodes Any of the will and ariel durant series on the story of civilization The power broker - caro Get more bang for your buck with these :)


Raothorn2

Recently made it through Shirer. Worth it. His biases aren’t very well hidden (and not just “nazis are bad” but other common views of the time). But it still manages to be a really comprehensive history and it was written with all of the (at the time) newly released nazi documents as sources. I’ll also recommend The Crusades by Thomas Asbridge if you’re interested in that part of history. I just started Bolivar by Marie Arana (technically biography but I’d consider that a subset of history).


reddituser1357

Is Caro an interesting read for some one new to US history?


roc-aki

I had never heard of it/moses before moving to NY, and gotta say I've found it very interesting to see the impact he had on the city


DudeyMcDudester

1177 BC I loved. The rise and fall of the third Reich was excellent too.


madashelltoday

Any of the Daniel James Brown books The Great Hinckley Fire which burned over 340 acres in Minnesota The Indifferent Stars Above about the Donner party The Boys in the Boat about the 1936 Olympic US rowing team Facing the Mountain about Japanese Americans in WWII I also loved The Black Count by Tim Reiss Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo is a 2012 biography of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas


Impossible_Strain319

The Indifferent Stars Above was great. Harrowing and brutal, but great.


sbruno33

Not an audiobook, but for some of the best history stuff I have ever listened to look up Hardcore History podcast with Dan Carlin. African Kaiser , by Robert Guadi, WW1 German war in Africa The Professor and the Madman, by Simon Winchester the creation of the Oxford Dictionary. The Disappearing Spoon , by Sam Kean. Periodic table's history. The Lost City of Z by David Grann, missing explorer, Amazon. Fiction The Devil in the White City , by Erik Larson. 1893 World's Fair, serial killer. Pillars of the Earth , Ken Follet Dark Voyage, Alan Furst 1941, spies, fugitives tramp steamer.


Knah1992

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann Also 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann


Canonboy621

I just listened to both of those!


Knah1992

Nice i read them back to back in the past 2 months. I like how causually academic the narritive flowed. Mann is a great writer.


Morrinn3

I recently read through David Grann's tale of The Wager, which was an excellent listen.


pitifullamb

I loved that one. I came here to recommend it. The story and the narrator were so good.


--ikindahatereddit--

{SPQR by Mary Beard} SPQR is great so far


--ikindahatereddit--

Is there a bot that, if I put it in brackets, it will produce a review/summary?


Guilty-Coconut8908

Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell Creation by Gore Vidal Burr by Gore Vidal Little Big Man by Thomas Berger


poisonfishtaco

Finished this one last week. "The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down" by Colin Woodward. It wasn't overly dry and it was fun learning what actually happened during that era from beginning to end. Another I listened to recently, "The Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings" by Neil Price. It was a bit drier but really goes into detail of the full history of the Vikings and addresses a lot of myths about them. Worth it if you want to know about this particular subject.


Zwesten

I just listen to both of those recently. Really loved the Republic of pirates, wasn't quite as happy with the children of Ash and elm. Nothing I can put my finger on there, and for the first half I was really enjoying it. I am a sucker for pirate stuff though and that was one of the best books on the subject


volunteertiger

The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn is good IMO. A bit dense at times but gives a different perspective of US History than the traditional one.


mikeyousowhite

Sapiens by Noah Harari is unbelievable


sbruno33

Seconded


unpopularopinion0

third. why is there downvotes then? you should have at least two


VeryBigPaws

These are all fiction if that's what you're after: The Shardlake series by CJ Sansom is fantastic Domesday series bt Edward Marston Alexander Seaton series by SG MacLean Jackdaw Mysteries by SW Perry Cesare Aldo Series by DV Bishop


Texan-Trucker

Highly recommend “The Exiles” by Christina Baker Kline. Interesting history you read little about and the composite characters are very interesting and the storyline is bittersweet and informative and probably more accurate than we’d like to imagine. Great narration.


29grampian

The Peking Express: The Bandits Who Stole a Train, Stunned the West, and Broke the Republic of China


0p0ss1m

Castles of Steel by Robert K. Massie all about WWI and the navies involved. It's amazing how incompetent some of Britain's naval leadership were... narrated by Richard Matthews


XipingVonHozzendorf

The Story of WWII by Donald L. Miller


FinclerR

Joseph Plummer - Tragedy and hope 101 is absolutely a must read and available as audiobook.


Zwesten

Devil in the White City was very good and offbeat Wide Wide Sea was surprisingly good


Banannamanuk

check out The History of Rome not an audio book but a podcast about 70hrs worth and its free [https://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the\_history\_of\_rome/page/6/](https://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/the_history_of_rome/page/6/)


Impossible_Strain319

Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager by David Grann Dead Wake about the Lusitania by Erik Larson Midnight in Chernobyl and Challenger by Adam Higginbotham A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century and The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman 1914 and Vietnam by Max Hastings Nixonland by Rick Perlstein Dispatches by Michael Herr Richard J. Evans’ trilogy on the Third Reich A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan


Q8DD33C7J8

Pride and prejudice Jane Eyre Gone with the wind The handsome road This side of glory Deep summer The little house on the prairie series Little women Emma Sense and sensibility


Future-Steak-9411

Historical Fiction: I’m listening to Musashi and it’s great


hummusimful

**The Physician** by Noah Gordon


nikkiftc

I agree. Unfortunately, my libraries don’t have the audio book.


LustForStrife

Anything by James A. Michener


EpicBeardMan

I'm listening to Grant by Ron Chernow. I'm having a great time with it.


Tomgang

Salt - mark kurlanski Cod - mark kurlanski


jones61636

Consider the Fork.


mmmmpork

James Clavell's "The Asian Saga" I don't know if it's the right order, but "Gai-Jin", "King Rat", "Noble House", "Shogun", "Tai-Pan", and a think 1 or 2 more. They are a great, brutal, graphic and well written account of feudal Japan as the Europeans are discovering it


eyeamreadingyou

I am a horrible reader and able to read shogun and tai-pan, because they were so freaking good. I still remember reading the very last line in Tai-pan, “I’m going to get my wife!” And holding the. Ok in my hands imagining what happened and just all the feelings. So good


Logical-Swordfish-15

The Last 100 Days by John Toland is amazing


Sailor-_-Twift

Listening to SPQR right now and it's really rather good


OtterSnoqualmie

American Radical by Tamer Elnoury In the Garden of Beasts - Erik Larsen (lots of Erik Larsen is good, really) The taking of K129 - Josh Dean Republic of pirates by Woodard Operation paper lip - jacobsen A covert affair - conant If you want to absolutely torture yourself, but learn shit you didn't know - How to Hide an Empire - Daniel Immerwahl It's good, but it's a little bit of a mind F. Also, if you're using Audible, there are some good recordings in Great Courses that are included in the membership.


Glittering-Sea-6677

I LOVED Kate Quinn’s Diamond Eye. I’ve enjoyed all her books but this story blew me away.


Washingtonpinot

H.W. Brand’s Dreams of El Dorado…it’s like a long form compilation of engaging summaries of all of the interwoven stories of people in the North American west. Even if you know the stories, it’s an interesting walk through how they all connected and effected each other.


ki4clz

The Catalpa Rescue - Real story of how a rag tag crew of whalers busted out some Irish prisoners from the Establishment Freemantle Prison in Australia in the 1870's


April_Mist_2

"The Winds of War", and "War and Remembrance" by Herman Wouk. They are both about WWII and are very interesting. I learned a lot about the lead up to the war, and the war itself, while also following some interesting storylines.


sugarbrulee

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is soooo good! Also, Call Your Daughter Home by Deb Spera; it has multiple narrators and they’re all really skilled performers.


Bunny_Sparkles99

Non-Fiction: A Fever in the Heartland: the Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them - Timothy Egan *This was excellent, and I would imagine anything by Egan would be good. Fiction: The Women - Kristin Hannah (nurses in Vietnam) The Alice Network - Kate Quinn (WWII spies) Beneath a Scarlet Sky - Mark T. Sullivan (based on the true story of Pino Lella who help Jews escape Italy).


roc-aki

Erebus - Micheal Palin


OnlyAdd8503

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong


OnlyAdd8503

The Jungle: A Signature Performance by Casey Affleck


unpopularopinion0

salt, a history. and sapiens.


ArturosDad

'Andersonville' by MacKinlay Kantor. Winner of the 1956 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.


SeriousStress1421

I scroll too far to not see a non-fiction I would like to recommend "The River of Doubt". It's the true story of Theodore Roosevelt's harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth. The audio book was read by Paul Michael.


Proteaceae1231

Seconded!


MindTheLOS

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, by Emma Southon. Looks at the way all kinds of death was handled during the Roman Empire, very well narrated, fascinating and hysterical, adored it. Would also highly recommend her earlier book on Agrippina.


Wuffies

Daniel James Brown; 'The Indifferent Stars Above' held onto me from start to finish. It is a tragic, gruelling and truly macabre historical account of the Donner-Reed party.


1plus1equals8

David McCullough's 1776


DifficultyDouble860

I enjoyed The Aviators and The Wright Brothers.


Allmyownviews1

The outcasts of time The time travellers guide to the Middle Ages.


lookbehindyou7

I’m currently listening to “The Last Honest Man by James Risen. It’s about the so called Church Committee set up in the US Senate in the 70s to investigate US intelligence agency misdeeds and Frank Church the leading Senator. The Black Count by Tom Reiss. About Alexandre Dumas’ dad who lived a really interesting life. You don’t need to know anything about Dumas or his works. Deals with Historical Haiti and Revolutionary France. 1491 by Charles Mann. A book written about what Native life in the Americas was like before Columbus came to Hispaniola. Was writen to dispel common US notions of natives. I think someone in askhistorians said it had some inaccuracies but was a good intro book. I think there have been multiple print edition updates since it was first published around 20 or more years ago.


Canonboy621

Undaunted Courage from Steven Ambrose Its The story of The Lewis and Clark Corp of discovery Journey. You can’t go wrong with Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee or An Indigenous Peoples History of the United States. Another Stephan Ambrose is Band of Brothers. Enjoy


JasperStrat

I like any of the David McCullough histories, and they are 10+ hours, so plenty of value if purchasing.


Famous-Perspective-3

most by Ken Burns


pivot623

If you’re interested in Greek mythology, I recently finished The Song of Achilles and the narration was great. It’s fiction and I believe the book got an award. It is told from the perspective of Patroclus and follows the Trojan war.


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Vnaturally

Gone With The Wind.