Are you READING more HISTORY books?

[AviatorTom]

Recent statistics indicate that people are reading more non-fiction history books. Per Bloomberg, history books and podcasts are gaining popularity.

In the US, which has a generally flat book market, the history category grew 6% in 2024, research firm Circana reported. And it’s a global phenomenon: In the UK and Ireland, more was spent on history books in 2023 than at any other point since Nielsen started keeping track in 1998. In addition, people are getting their history fix through podcasts. Bloomberg reported the rise of several widely listened to history-themed podcasts, including “The Rest is History,” which has 12.5 million downloads per month.

What about you? Are you reading more non-fiction?

Please vote in the poll and add an opinion if you want.

I DON'T READ much of anything

I already read mostly NON-FICTION HISTORY

I still read mostly FICTION

I read MORE NON-FICTION HISTORY now

My reading habits HAVEN'T CHAGED much, both Fiction and non-Fiction

Something ELSE - please tell

[WindAtMyBack]

If it's changed much over the last 40 years, it's not enough to stand out. Overall I've shifted toward reading more fiction purely for pleasure. I had read "serious" stuff for many years. I missed the days when I was younger and read fiction just for pleasure. So around 20 years ago I got back in the habit of reading strictly for pleasure.

But history has been a part of it, especially early American history and pre-American history. Over the last 5 years or so, I've gotten more and more into ancient history, and the "peopling of the planet". With DNA sampling, we have learned a lot more about how people scattered around the world - about how and when they ended up in various parts of the world, especially the New World.

For example I like the works or Michael and Kathleen Gear. They are professional archaeologists who wrote a series of historical fiction about the early migration to the Americas. It's fiction, but it gives a lot of good background that fits with what the archaeologists, paleontology, historians, linguists and others have pieced together.

I'm currently reading a book called The Columbian Exchange by Crosby. The author basically started a new field of study called environmental history. It's about the discovery of the Americas by Europeans, and the extremely dramatic affect it had on nearly every aspect of the environment in the New World. The environment in this case meaning everything living, and even some things that are not living.

It especially concentrates on the separation of the Old and New World for hundreds of thousands of years. They were only briefly connected during the ice ages, but the cold climate acted as a huge filter so only a small number of animal and plant species survived the crossing. It's not something you hear much about, but the diversity of life in the Old World was WAY more rich than the New World.

This is one reason why the native population in the New World succumbed to diseases like small pox. Very few plants, animals, viruses and bacteria survived the crossing into the new world. Their immune systems sucked compared to Europe, Africa and Asia.

Columbus' discovery of America immediately started a massive crossing of invasive species, which completely transformed the New World. You can't walk outside and look around without seeing large numbers of species that were brought from Europe, Africa and Asia.

[Lliam]

I read history books almost exclusively. They are where you will find documented information that isn't available anywhere else.

I read one called "Hidden History: The Secret Origins of the First World War" last year that blew my mind.

Lately I've been reading a lot about the Zionist colonization of Palestine.
The Controversy of Zion by Douglas Reed
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
Palestine: a Four Thousand Year History by Nur Masalha
Invention of the Jewish People by Shlomo Sand
Gaza: A Inquest into its Martyrdom by Norman Finkelstein

And I am currently reading The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé

But I read history about lots of other topics, too.
I like studying the history of Gaul, Ireland, the U. S., ancient history, and biographies on famous historical figures.

[purplepoppy]

I like watching history documentaries and if I'm visiting somewhere with a history I'll read the bumpf there, perhaps even Google a little, but I'm not an avid reader of books in general. I'll watch the odd online video but generally I'll take it with a pinch of salt, particularly if it's fro. America where facts seem optional.

I can't help feel history books are often written by people with an agenda to rewrite history.

[douride2]

I have been reading quite a lot in recent months. Nothing in history though.

[OlderAndWiser]

I read so much for my work that i rarely read anything for pleasure, but i do enjoy history!

[molonski2]

When I was a teenager studying history , I always took the class , passed at high school level form 6 , but I was so insular and only interested in myself , I thought it was bullshit , I'd say things like " what can that sht teach me " , now the history they were teaching was not even correct , but I now wish I have tried much harder , and not been such a small Alec.

[RichA322]

I read history books, but also drama, romances, love stories, crime novels and science fiction.

And I also write books myself, albeit no history.

(Relax folks, I write no bestsellers. I'm not Stephen King... I save my money to publish the first one after having the manuscript sitting around here for over a year. It's just a hobby for me no profession)

[Ladsin2]

I guess D. I read a hefty amount of fiction and a hefty amount of sociology/ psychology. Lastly would be history. Last history book would be the two-parter Science Education In The Early Roman Empire and The Scientist In The Early Roman Empire. I liked them.

[RavVid]

Hardly ever read fiction now. More read stuff online or watch on Youtube mostly now.

Current interest is Western Slavs vs Vikings around Hamburg. It seems the Viking got raided a lot by the Western Slavs.

[Tarifa]

I've read a lot of fiction, but now like to alternate with history. I normally read 2 or 3 books at any given time. Read a couiple of chapters here, a couple of chapters there...

[DrPepper12]

Unusually good for about two dozen history related books and two dozen science fiction books a year at a minimum. Occasional biography or current events.

[Twalli]

I read more than most people eat, I read a lot of history and fantasy. Also, anything else that strikes my fancy, but those two are most of what I read.

[QuietRunner]

Not much history books, unless I'm really interested in the subject

I know the end result so it isn't that exciting

Learning about a historical detail is more exciting.

usually fiction I haven't read yet.

[Anonymous]

anyone who reads a proper history book would know feminism is rooted in a lie

[Ifdyourmom]

No, but only because I generally tend to stay away from chapter books these days, textbooks sort of ruined it for me, lol

[Anonymous]

Yes, I like history books, both fiction and non-fiction.

[MisterWack]

I read plenty of history related books.

[dustybiker2]

Nope. Lately been enjoying fantasy.

[dustybiker2]

I read too much when the Queen died. I was binging like crazy and burnt out.

[NathanDavis]

I'm making history...

[chrissykerdock]

not really history

[WhitneySnow]

I love history

[NicholasRedone]

I don't read much of anything quote. 📚 🪞

[Cubus]

Less than I would like to, due to time.

[Graptemys79]

I enjoy reading a little bit of everything.

[beefcakebradybatson]

I ALWAYS read history books.

[jimmy2]

You don't know history you will repeat history

[BCRanger10]

I'd like to.

[FunkyMonkee]

Beatles history.