We’ve rounded up a reading list that touches on the entirety of American history from different perspectives.
A complex understanding of the past is vital to understanding what’s happening in the United States today. But many of us often don’t get the historical background we need in school. For example, to write Lies My Teacher Told Me (a book on this list), James W. Loewen looked at 12 different history textbooks used across the country — and he found plenty of falsehoods they’ve been perpetuating to students.
Want to look beyond the most common myths about American history and get to the truth about our country’s past? To help you out, we’ve created a well-rounded reading list that touches on the entire story of the United States, as told from different perspectives. This list offers something to fill every knowledge gap — and even if you’re not a history buff, we promise you’ll find something to enjoy.
The 10 Best Books About American History
“These Truths” by Jill Lepore
The NYT Book Review writes, “This is not an account of relentless progress. It’s much subtler and darker than that.” In These Truths, Jill Lepore analyzes whether America has delivered on its original promises of political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people.
“Lies My Teacher Told Me” by James W. Loewen
We interviewed James W. Loewen in 2020 about his groundbreaking work, which debunks common U.S. history myths. This book is an essential fact-check of your own understanding of America’s past.
“Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America” by Ijeoma Oluo
Author Ijeoma Oluo takes readers on a journey through 150 years of American history, from the post-reconstruction South to present-day controversy over NFL protests, all while pointing out the influence and costs of white male supremacy.
“How To Hide An Empire” by Daniel Immerwahr
It’s important to recognize the United States’s influence outside just the 50 states. That’s the focus of Immerwahr’s book, which takes readers to the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and more to bring forgotten episodes in history back to our consciousness.
“America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States” by Erika Lee
Although the U.S. is known for being a melting pot, it also has a history of xenophobia directed toward immigrants. From Germans to Irish Catholics to Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican immigrants (and countless others), Erika Lee takes a look at American history through the lens of the groups who have been on the receiving end of this discrimination.
“A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn
In this sweeping book, Howard Zinn tells the story of the U.S. through the eyes of the working class, painting a vivid picture of movements for equality that have often met fierce resistance.
“Women, Race & Class” by Angela Davis
This read offers a fascinating lesson about Black women’s contributions to our history, a multilayered look at the feminist movement, and an investigation into the frequent disregard for working women and women of color through the decades.
“Stamped From the Beginning” by Ibram X. Kendi
Read this book for a deeply-researched look at how racist ideas have impacted American history, using the life stories of five big intellectuals: Puritan minister Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, W.E.B. Du Bois, and legendary activist Angela Davis.
“1776” by David McCullough
Unlike many of the other books on this list, 1776 focuses on a single period of history by telling the story of those who marched with George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
“1491” by Charles C. Mann
This book is so important: It tells the stories of the true natives of the land we call America. They lived here before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, unleashing a bloody genocide. And using science, history, and archeology, Charles Mann explains they had much more advanced societies than what many think.
