The 18 Best History Books of 2023 So Far

The Story of Art Without Men

A beautifully rendered and expansive reassessment of art history through the biographical lens of women from the 16th to the 21st century. As a starred rating from Kirkus Reviews states, The Story of Art Without Men is "an overdue upending of art historical discourse."

A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them

From a Pultizer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author comes a page-turning investigation into the peak years of the KKK's shockingly immense power and the magnetic leader at the head of it all, David C. Stephenson.

Black Ball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood, and the Generation That Saved the Soul of the NBA

Blending social commentary and historical analysis, Runstedtler explores how racial politics affected the NBA from the segregated '50s to the '70s, when a new league of Black players with their improvisational playing style stepped onto the court — and made it the game we know and love today.

The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church

The role of the Catholic Church in American slavery makes for a grim story — and for an important puzzle piece in American history. NYT journalist Rachel Swarns exposes the Church's decision to sell 272 enslaved people in order to get the funds needed to grow into the largest religious denomination — as well as the cascading effects on the descendants of the enslaved.

Revolutionary Spring: Europe Aflame and the Fight for a New World, 1848-1849

The year 1848 was one of revolution. It helped create the political landscape of modern Europe. Clark analyzes that pivotal year with both granular detail and a pan-European perspective, and draws a chilling connection between the unrest of that period and today's tense political atmosphere.

Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry, and Hope

From Petrarch in 14th-century Southern Italy to modern-day proponents of AI, Sarah Bakewell breaks down the thinking behind humanism through the people who shaped it.

Road to Surrender: Three Men and the Countdown to the End of World War II

Talk about being in the room where it happens. Author Evan Thomas recounts in riveting detail the moments leading up to the decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan during WWII, drawing on exclusive diary entries of three leaders facing a decision that would alter global history.

A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till

The last living witness of the events leading to Emmett Till's death recalls what happened that summer in 1941. In this heart-wrenching and critically insightful account, Rev. Wheeler Parker seeks to rectify the decades-long misinformation campaign surrounding his cousin.

Gays on Broadway

Cultural critic Ethan Mordden draws back the curtain to showcase queer culture's impact on musical theater through the 20th century. Any theater lover will find it hard to put down this juicy, well-researched read filled with decade-by-decade commentary and intimate portraits of iconic LGBTQ+ figures.

Anansi's Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World

In this engrossing investigation into Ghana's "hidden wealth," West Africa-based reporter Yepoka Yeebo uncovers how a tangled web of lies allowed one con man to scam thousands of people out of hundreds of millions of dollars.