Journal jd's Journal: History books can be fun (but usually aren't and this is a Bad Thing) 2
Most people have read "1066 and all that: a memorable history of England, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 good things, 5 bad kings and 2 genuine dates" (one of the longest book titles I have ever encountered) and some may have encountered "The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody", but these are the exceptions and not the rule. What interesting - but accurateish - takes on history have other Slashdotters encountered?
Only Yesterday (Score:3)
This book [virginia.edu] was required reading in an undergrad general studies history class I took in the '70s. It's the best read I was ever assigned in any class, well written. I re-read it recently, and was amazed at the similarities between the 1920s and the 2000s. Housing bubble, drug prohibition gang wars, Republican Presidents (I know you're probably British considering the histories you pointed to, but this book really is a good read), stock market frenzies, deregulation... then the market crashed.
I highly recommend it. BTW, the whole text is online at the link I provided (I still have the paperback I bought when I took the class at SIU).
History Reading (Score:2)
I quite enjoyed _Lies My Teacher Told Me_ (James Loewen).