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Booklists

The lists I keep.

106 lists, 1,324 books. Some are mine, hand-curated; the deep shelf at the bottom is a reference collection I've been hoarding. Every book has a "find it" link. Pick a list.

HISTORY 20

Narrative popular history — the world as it actually happened, no survey courses.

World History: The Big Picture 7 books Classical Antiquity: Greece & Rome 8 books Greek & Roman Classics 15 books Archaeology & Ancient Civilizations 13 books Medieval Through Renaissance (476–1600) 9 books US History 10 books The Americas: Canada, Mexico, Caribbean & Central America 6 books American West History 10 books The American South 20 books British History 8 books French History 9 books German & Central European History 9 books East Asian History 11 books South Asian History 8 books Middle East & Islamic History 18 books African History 10 books Australia, NZ & Oceania 8 books The Rest of Europe 8 books Political History & Power 13 books Labor History & the Working Class 12 books

WAR 4

Four wars, all fronts, every perspective.

World War I 15 books World War II 25 books The Cold War 11 books Global War on Terror (GWOT) 9 books

BIOGRAPHY 8

Lives worth knowing.

Military Leaders 14 books Explorers & Adventurers 14 books Artists & Writers 16 books Entrepreneurs & Builders 15 books Athletes 10 books Outlaws & Rogues 10 books Self-Made Men 9 books Hemingway: The Complete Arc 10 books

SPORTS 13

The game and what surrounds it.

Baseball 17 books Football 15 books Basketball 15 books Hockey 12 books Soccer 10 books Golf 10 books Tennis 8 books Boxing 9 books Auto Racing 7 books Martial Arts & Combat Sports 8 books Mountain & Rock Climbing 10 books Olympic Sports 15 books Fitness & Physical Culture 12 books

FICTION: GENRE 11

Stories organized by what they do.

Spy & Espionage Thrillers 15 books Pulp Adventure 26 books Gothic & Horror 21 books Science Fiction 24 books Sea & Nautical Fiction 23 books Legal Thrillers & Courtroom Drama 13 books Man vs. Nature 22 books American Fiction Classics 25 books World Fiction in Translation 23 books Graphic Novels for Serious Readers 12 books Chick Lit for Men 25 books

FICTION: THEMES 13

Stories organized by what they are about.

Fathers & Sons 15 books Friendship & Brotherhood 14 books Coming of Age 15 books Manly Tears Fiction 15 books Redemption & Second Chances 15 books Misery 10 books Dad Novels: 1960s 11 books Dad Novels: 1970s 12 books Dad Novels: 1980s 11 books Dad Novels: 1990s 12 books Dad Novels: 2000s 10 books Dad Novels: 2010s 11 books Road Trip Books 9 books

THE WRITTEN WORD 5

Essays, journalism, poetry, short fiction, criticism.

Essays & Longform Journalism 11 books New Journalism & Literary Nonfiction 12 books Short Story Collections 13 books Poetry Collections 12 books Comedy & Humor Writing 12 books

IDEAS & KNOWLEDGE 10

How the world works and why.

Economics & How the World Works 11 books Business 15 books Leadership 13 books Psychology & the Mind 12 books Popular Science 12 books Medical & Pandemic Nonfiction 15 books Space & Astronomy 14 books Religion & Faith 13 books Skill & Mastery 10 books Craft 10 books

OUTDOORS & ADVENTURE 5

The physical world and how to move through it.

Wilderness & Nature Writing 11 books Hunting & Fishing 9 books Survival Stories 11 books National Parks 8 books Motorcycles & Cars 12 books

CULTURE & LIFE 9

The texture of how people live.

Film & Cinema 13 books Travel Memoirs 14 books Whiskey & Spirits 12 books Drug Culture & the Counterculture 12 books What to Read While Getting High 9 books True Crime 10 books Fatherhood 9 books Women 12 books And More 10 books

HOLIDAYS & OCCASIONS 7

Reading for specific days and seasons.

MLK Day: The Civil Rights Reading List 7 books St. Patrick's Day & Irish History 12 books Halloween 13 books Thanksgiving 8 books Father's Day 11 books Labor Day 9 books Fourth of July 10 books

THE OVERFLOW SHELF 1

Good books that resist easy categories.

Overflow 10 books