Extra Reading

This document consists of great books or articles on World History. Some are here because there is a course covering the same material; some are just great books that you should read at some point in your career.

Once you have made it through most of the curriculum, knowing whether a book is worth your time will become easier. Or, if you are struggling in one of the courses, perhaps reading a book on the subject will help.

Big Picture and Global Perspectives

Name Author(s)
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Yuval Noah Harari
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Jared Diamond
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World Peter Frankopan
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed Jared Diamond

Thematic and Regional Supplements

Name Author(s)
A History of the World in 100 Objects Neil MacGregor
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World Jack Weatherford
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity David Graeber and David Wengrow
A Little History of the World E.H. Gombrich