History 4A

-  History 4C

 History 4B

TEXTS:  Fall, Winter, Spring

History 4A:  Western Civilization:  The Ancient World

• Jackson J. Spielvogel:   Western Civilization — Volume A: To 1500 (Any edition)
Read to the end of Chapter 7.

History 4B:  Western Civilization:  From Fall of Rome to Eve of French Revolution

• Jackson J. Spielvogel: Western Civilization: A Brief History Volume 1: To 1715.  Read from Chapter 7 to Chapter 20.(Any edition)

4B PLUS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOOKS
The "Other Book": Choose 1 book from the following five:  Your TA may also have other books approved and she will contact you.

• Brooks, Geraldine: Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague (Paperback, Viking, 2002) ISBN: 067091021X
• Defoe, Daniel: A Journal of the Plague Year (Paperback, 1722, Random House Reprint, 2001) ISBN: 0375757899
• Danziger, Danny: The Year 1000: What Life Was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium (Paperback, Back Bay Books, 2000) ) ISBN: 316511579
• Gies, Joseph and Frances Gies: Life in a Medieval Citiy (Paperback, Perennial, 1981) ISBN: 0060908807
• Baker, Alan:  The Knight (Wiley, 2003) ISBN 0471251356

History 4C:  Western Civilization:  Act III:  From the French Revolution

• Jackson J. Spielvogel:  Western Civilization — Volume C: Since 1789 (Any edition)

TEXTS:  SUMMER FIVE-WEEK SESSION
History 4A:  Western Civilization:  The Ancient World

• Jackson J. Spielvogel: Western Civilization: A Brief History Volume 1: To 1715. (Any edition)

History 4C:  Western Civilization:  Act III:  French Revolution to Today

• Jackson J. Spielvogel:  Western Civilization:  Brief History — Volume II: Since 1789  (Any edition)
  Be sure to order exactly the right one!

The History 4A, 4B, 4C Spielvogel Textbooks
purchase here NOW!
      A very special Book Store, Book Passage, is one of the finest private bookstores in the country.  And they have some special services. They ship any purchase of $50 or more FREE, anywhere in the US.  And their prices are the same as any bookstore.  They ship within 24 hours of your order and they pick up your online orders every day, M-Th.   And they give special attention to the students in my classes.  They do this as a special commitment to this kind of learning.

So many requests have come in asking me where folks can order the second edition of my book:

Hitler's Death Camps - The Sanity of Madness.  

It takes Amazon and Barnes and Noble 3-5 weeks!
I know one bookstore that keeps it in stocks and sends it in 24 hours with free shipping! Click here    

 History 4A "Other" Books suggestions click

 History 4B  - Just Some More Interesting Books for future reading

   GOSH, JUST GO TO ANY BOOKSTORE OR LIBRARY!  And pick one written in last ten years.  

Contrary to some popular opinion, those of use who work with the Web and learn from it, also love books and ould not do without them.  I like so many read 2-3 books a week.  I am asked often by students and Web page sers, what books would I recommend.  There are so many.  But I am one who believes that learning and enjoyment should go together.  It can even be fun!  Thus, historical mysteries and historical novels are at the top of my enjoyment list.  And mysteries set in historical time are probably the best way to get a taste of the period.  So I have recommended a few good novels and several great mysteries.  Of course, I have also listed some of my favorite non-fiction books.  I have tried to pick ones that are of reasonable length, fairly recent, in print, fairly easy to obtain, and interesting.  Take your pick and enjoy.  There is nothing definitive about the non-fiction.  THESE ARE JUST ONES I LIKE.  YOU CAN GO TO ANY LIBRARY OR BOOKSTORE AND LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ.

Check a good "scholarly" NON-FICTION book out of the Foothill Library.  I have repared a great list.  Even if you are not at FH, you can still take a look.  PLEASE think about a good non-fiction book by clicking here to the FH List, or go to a bookstore, and then get approveal from us.

If, however, you like to read good history novels, or good mystery stories about those good old days,"  then by all means pick one.  I am one of those who really likes ancient mystery novels.  (This list is 3 years old)

Craft, Elisabeth R.:  A Spy for Hannibal - A Novel of Carthage

• 219BC, trying times for Carthage soon to be in another war with Rome.  Brilliant generals, crossing the alps, Hannibal, Bimilcar, intrugue, the famous march. Bartelby, 1996

Franklin, Sarah: Daughter of Troy : A Novel of History, Valor and Love

• Dazzling historical novel set against the Trojan War. Avon Books, 1998.

Gore Vidal: Julian.

• Ballantine Books, 1996, reissue
• Julian the Apostate, nephew of Emperor Constantine the Great. Ascended to the throne in A.D. 361, at the age of twenty-nine, and was murdered four years later after unsuccessful attempt to rebuke Christianity and restore the worship of the old gods. Brings this fourth century Roman world to life.

Green, Peter:  The Laughter of Aphrodite : A Novel About Sappho of Lesbos.

• Sappho and her daily life on the island of ancient Lesbos are brought vividly to life . Univ Cal. Press, 1995

Jacq, Christian: And his international bestsellers on Ramses of Egypt

Ramses: The Son of Light , Ramses:  The Eternal Temple, The Lady of Abu Simbel,  Ramses:

Leckie, Ross:  Hannibal - The Novel

• The Punic Wars.  Hannibal tells his own story in this penetrating historical novel.  Battle, strategy, atrocity, great skill and elephants, elephants, elephants. Regnery, 1996

McCullough, Colleen:  Caesar, A Novel

• McCullough is actually one of contemporary fine epic and saga authors and a very decent historian in her own way.  Excellent way to learn what it was really like. Novels of Rome:  Caesar's Women, Masters of Rome, The First Man in Rome, The Grass Crown.

Massie, Allan:  Augustus

• Fine historical novel, one of the better ones. Carroll & Graf, 1995

Pressfield, Steven:  Gates of Fire

• An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermoylae. Doubleday, 1999
• Incredibly gripping, moving and remarkable recreation of a vital moment in ancient history.

Renault, Mary:  Any of her novels about Alexander/Greece

Such as The Persian Boy, The Mask of Apollo, Bull from the Sea, Last of the Wine, Fire From Heaven.

Turteltaub, H. N.: Justinian

• Portrait of Justinian II, Byzantine emperor and ruler of the New Rome. Mesmerizing fictional account of one of history's most remarkable rulers. Forge, 1998.

• 

THE REMARKABLE MYSTERIES

USING INTRIGUE TO LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND TIMES


EGYPT MYSTERIES

Haney, Lauren:  The Right Hand of Amon - A Mystery of Ancient Egypt

• "It is the eighteenth dynasty of Queen Hatshepsut, divine ruler... "and Lieutenant Bak is commander of the Medjay police who must unravel mysterie before they topple the regime. Avon, 1997
• Read any of the Lieutenant Bak stories  such as A Face Turned Backwards

Robinson, Linda:  Drinker of Blood - A Lord Meren Mystery

• Mysterious Press, 1998
• Acclaimed mystery seies which breathes life into the forgotten enigmas and lost splendors of King Tut's Egypt.
• Read any of the Lord Meren's mysteries such as Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing,  Murder in the Place of Anubis, Murder at God's Gate.

  

ROME MYSTERIES

Davis, Lindsey:  The Cause of Honor

• Mystery Press, 1998
• Davis is one of the two major mystery writers of Ancient Rome. Series stars Marcus Falco, Ancient PI, an Ancient Sam Spade.  Great story and history.
• Read any of the Falco series such as Venus in Copper, Shadows in Bronze, the Iron Hand of Mars, Silver Pigs - A Detective Novel in Ancient Rome, Last Act in Palmyra, A Dying Light in Corduba, Time to Depart - A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery.

Saylor, Steven: A Murder on the Appian Way

• St. Martins, 1997.
• Saylor is one of the two major mystery writers of Ancient Rome.  Series stars Gordianus the Finder about 50 BC and is a wonderful way to understand the life and politics of the time.
• Read any of the Gordianus the Finder series such as  The House of the Vestals, The Venus Throw - A Mystgery of Ancient Rome, Arms of Nemesis Catilinas Riddle.

THE NON-FICTION SPECIALS - LIST IS 3 YEARS OLD  - Look on Amazon or Bookstores and then let us know so we can approve it.

GREECE

Davidson, James:  Courtesans & Fishcakes:  The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens

• Students seem to like this brilliant and kaleidoscopic examination of daily life in classical Athens. Dunne, 1998.

Burckhardt, Jacob:  The Greeks and Greek Civilization

• Of course I think everyone should read this famous scholars' pioneering study of ancient Greek history, written in 1860 and brought back recently with a new translation.  It is a stunning book but it "takes a while." St. Martins, 1998.

Fitton, J. Lessley:  The Discovery of the Greek Bronze Age

• If I wanted to read only one book about the Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean peoples and Heinrich Schliemann and Arthur Evans, this would probably be the one. Harvard Univ., 1998

Golden, Mark:  Sport and Society in Ancient Greece

• The only up-to-date general into to ancient Greek sport.  Really interesting. Cambridge, 1998.

Green, Peter:  The Greco-Persian Wars

• First rate account and book with chilling accounts of the battles.  Univ Ca. Press, 1996

Kagan, Donald:  Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy

• Really brings a remarkable period, turbulent times and a remarkable man to life.  Simon and Schuster, 1991

Martin, Thomas:  Ancient Greece - From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times

• This remains one of the best compact, comprehensive readable histories from the Stone Age roots of Greek civilization to the early Hellenistic period frollowing the death of Alexander. Yale Univ. Press, 1996

Moorehead, Caroline:  Lost and Found - The 9000 Treasures of Troy :  Heinrich Schliemann and the Gold That Got Away.

• The secrets of the Russian ministry of Culture searched to tell the story of an extraordinary archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, who "discovered" Troy, his life, the pillage of the Troy treasure by the Nazis, its vanishment, and found in Russia.  Intriguing story.

Traill, David:  Schliemann of Troy : Treasure and Deceit

• Probably one of the best in this area.  St. Martin's Press, 1997.

Vrettos, Theodore: The Elgin Affair : The Abduction of Antiquity's Greatest Treasures and the Passions It Aroused

• Great story of a nasty, nasty on-going theft.  Hard to believe. Arcade, 1997.  

Wood, Michael:  In Search of the Trojan War

• Fascinating well writing book about Troy, Homer, the Golden Age. UC Press, 1998

Great Biographies/Journeys of Alexander the Great:  You can't go wrong with either one!

Renault, Mary:  The Nature of Alexander.  Random, 1979

Wood, Michael:  In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great.  UC Press, 1997.

ROME

Bradley, Keith:  Slavery and Rebellion in the Roman World, 140 BC - 70 BC

• Still the best book on Roman Slave Wars. Indiana Univ. Press, 1998 edition

Burns, Thomas:  Barbarians Within the Gates of Rome

• robably the best recent one on this subject. Indiana Univ. Press, 1995

Grant, Michael:  From Rome to Byzantium

• Well-written, heavily illustrated book about Byzantium's first century, when Rome fell to German invaders and Constantinople, far to the east, rose.  Routledge, 1998

Millar, Fergus:  The Crowd in Rome in the Late Republic

• Really interesting book about the "people" of Rome and the author's belief that the republic was a rare example of functioning democracy in the ancient world. Univ. of Mich., 1998.

Southern, Pat:  Augustus

• Fine and fascinating biography of Augustus. Routledge, 1998

Southern, Pat:  Domitian  - Tragic Tyrant

• Good recent biography of an emperor who has the reputation of being evil. Indiana Univ. Press, 1997

Williams, Derek:  The Reach of Rome: A History of the Roman Imperial Frontier

• 1st-5th Centuries AD. St. Martins, 1997

EGYPT

Aldred, Cyril: Akhenaten : King of Egypt

• No Egypt  panorama is complete without Akhenaten, and this book is probably the best. Thames & Hudson, 1991.

Mertz, Barbara:  Red Land, Black Land - Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

• Remains one of my favore books on Egypt.  "Combining impeccable scholarhsip with a popular style, Dr. Mertz reconstructs the life of the ancient Egyptians from birth to death." Bedrick, 1990.
• ALERT:  This book seems to be out of print so use this Mertz book:  Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs : A Popular History of Ancient Egypt.  Peter Bedrick Books, 1990.

Tyldesley, Joyce:  Daughters of Isis - Women of Ancient Egypt

• "Egypt was undoubtedly the best place to have been born a woman in the whole of the Ancient World."
• This book is a vivid picture of daily life in Egypt viewed from a femal perspective.  Fasciniting! Penguin, 1994.

Tyldesley, Joyce:  Hatchepsut:  The Female Pharaoh

• The definitive story of this remarkable Queen of Egypt written for all of us. Viking, 1996

THE OTHER ANCIENTS

Saggs, H. W. F.: Babylonians

• The story of an ancient civilization that stands with Greece and Rome as a cultural ancestor of Western civilization.  
• Univ. of Okla Pres, 1998

5 GREAT ORIGINAL SOURCES

Some like to read as I do in the original major authors.  Although there are many, these  I think are basic:

Homer's The Odyssey

And the remarkable new translation by Robert Fagles. Viking 1996
Anyone interested in the Ancient World owes it to himself/herself to read this book "sometime."

Virgil's Aeneid - any edition
Plato's Dialogues - any edition
Plutarch's Lives - any edition
Seutonius' The Twelve Caesars

Viking, 1991.

THE GREAT "LITTLE" ORIGINAL SOURCES
You know in boostores they have those little Penguin 60s Classics.  I would read the following "little ones."

Livy: Hannibal's Crossing of the Alps
Lysistrata:  Aristophanes
Tacitus: Nero and the Burning of Rome
Gibbon: Reflections on the Fall of Rome

THE "MIDDLE" WORLD OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION

These are not the Other Book Choice.  They are just some interesting or fun reading.
THE NON-FICTION SPECIALS

Billings, Malcolm:  The Crusades : Five Centuries of Holy Wars. Sterling Publications, 1996

Erickson, Carolly:  The First Elizabeth. St. Martin's, 1997
"Brings to life Elizabeth I and allows us to see the living, breathing, flirtatious, diplomatic, and outrageous woman who still commands fascination and awe. "

Fraser, Antonia:  Mary Queen of Scots.    Delta, 1993.

"A biography of Mary Queen of Scots captures the essence of the impulsive and beautiful Scottish queen who lost a throne for love and whose power struggle with Elizabeth I of England ended with her beheading."  

Fraser, Antonia: (Editor):  The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England. Univ California Press, 1995.

"Spanning ten dynasties, this guide to almost 1,000 years of history, told through the lives and deeds of England's kings and queens."

Giles, Joseph and Frances:  A Medieval Family:  The Pastons of Fifteenth Century England

One of the best records of life during the late-middle ages.

Gies, Joseph and Francis:  Life in a Medieval City. HarperCollins, 1981
I like this series very much.  They are not going to strain the brain but they are very interesting for what life is like.
See also by same authors: Life in Medieval Village and Life in a Medieval Castle.

Gottfried, Robert: The Black Death : Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe

The Black Death ravaged a continent for over a century. It killed millions of people, decimated economies. Free Press, 1985.

Herlihy, David and, Samuel K. Cohn (Editor): The Black Death and the Transformation of the West . Harvard Univ, 1995.

"The great watershed in medieval history."

Machiavelli, Niccolo - Daniel Donno (Editor):  The Prince  DO READ THIS WORK SOMETIME

McBrien, Richard:  Lives of the Popes:  The Pontiffs from St. Peter.   This has it all and its fascinating.

Tuchman, Barbara W.:  A Distant Mirror : The Calamitous 14th Century

Ballantine Books, 1987
I loved this book! Sweeping historical narrative. "People in the fourteenth century were subjected to natural and man-made disasters, including the Hundred Years' War, the Crusades, insurrection, lawlessness, the Schism of the Church, massacres of Jewish people, and the Black Death, which claimed the lives of nearly half the population living between India and Iceland. Barbara Tuchman writes of the cataclysmic 14th century, when the energies of medieval Europe were devoted to fighting internecine wars and warding off the plague."

Weir, Alison:  The Children of Henry VIII

The children of Henry VIII who reigned successively after his death in 1547: Edward VI, Mary I ("Bloody Mary") and Elizabeth I. Exciting history and fascinating reading about a family of mythic proportions.

THE REMARKABLE MYSTERIES

USING INTRIGUE TO LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND TIMES

Buckley, Fiona:  The Double Affair - A Mystery with Elizabeth's handmaiden, Ursula

• Read any of this series in the time of Queen Elizabeth I such as: To Shield the Queen

Doherty, P. C.:  Satan's Fire

• The Owen Archer mysteries in the 1370s in England are splendid. St Martins, 1996.
• Read any in the series such as The Devil's Hunt, A Tournament of Murders : The Franklin's Tale of Mystery and Murder As He Goes on Pilgrimage from London to Canterbury, Ghostly Murders : The Priest's Tale of Mystery and Murder, A Tapestry of Murders : The Man of Law's Tale of Mystery and Murder.  

Frazer, Margaret:  The Maiden's Tale

• Sister Frevisse's eighth case at the time of King Henry VI. Read any in this series

Gregory, Susanna: A Bone of Contention . St Martins, 1997

• 14th century and Cambridge, England.  Physician-teacher Matthew Bartholomew
• Ready any in series such as An Unholy Alliance

Morson, Ian:  Falconer and the Face of God . St Martins, 1997

• William Falconer, a 13th-century professor and astute crime solver in medieval Oxford.
• Ready any in series such as Falconer's Judgement, Falconer's Crusade, A Psalm for Falconer.

Newman, Sharon:  Cursed in the Blood

• Newman is a medieval scholar and writes this searies with Catherine LeVendeur set in the medial times.

Penman, Sharon Kay:  Cruel as the Grave

• She was barely 15.  A poor peddler's daughter newly arrived in Lond. But someone has left her dead.  Justin de Quincy, the Queens man, becomes ensnared in this case. Read any in this series

Peters, Ellis: The Devil's Novice

• The great Brother Cadfael mysteries in the 1100s in Shrewsbury Warner Books, 1997.
• Read any in the series such as Dead Man's Ransom, The Sanctuary Sparrow, Pilgrim of Hate, Raven in Foregate.

Robb, Candace:  A Gift of Sanctuary - An Owen Archer Mystery

• In the year 1370, England is beset with enemies from within and without.  Sent on a mission for the Duke of Lancaster, Owen Archer is joined by fellow spy Geoffrey Chaucer, a man who'll do anything for a good tale. St Martins, 1997.
• Read any of this series such as:  The King's Bishop, The Riddle of St. Leonard's The Riddle of St. Leonard's : An Owen Archer Mystery

Sedley, Kate:  The Holy Innocents.

• Medieval  English mystery steeped in suspense and historical detail. Harper , 1996.
• Read any of the series such as The Plymouth Cloak, or the The Weaver's Tale.

Tremayne, Peter:  Absolution by Murder : A Sister Fidelma Mystery. New American Library, 1997

• Mystery series set in medieval England, seventh-century, young Sister Fidelma of Kildare.
• Read any in serious such as Shroud for the Archbishop, Suffer Little Children, The Subtle Serpent : A Celtic Mystery

kf, 2005-6