Book recommendations - various subjects...

[Astraeus]

I know it's a niche area to target but I was wondering if this community could hand over some recommendations on books on the following subjects:

- astronomy (as an absolute novice)
- the 16th century exploration and discovery period (Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci etc..)
- European history
- history of architecture

I don't want any of them to be too academic. I loved reading Empire of the Seas (don't know if anyone has read it) and found the story-telling approach to history to be ideal.

Any recommendations are much appreciated!

 

[lawrie29]

I don't know if it is specifically within your topics, but "longitude" isa story about the guy who invented the worlds first accurate clock that could be used at sea. It was on TV and I really enjoyed it, not read the book, but it is also supposed to be very good, won some awards and is done in the story telling approach.

 

[who?]

- the 16th century exploration and discovery period (Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci etc..)

Looked at buying the original journals? Amazing how much stuff is available if you trawl around. Marco Polo is easy to find but not actually the most interesting read. I've picked up all sorts of stuff from memoirs, letters and State Papers through to the journals of conquistadors. Takes a little while to get your head around the style of language but often very satisfying reads.

The folio society have published quite a bit and while I wouldn't buy from them at their prices, you often find a 2nd hand bookshop with a wide range of their stuff in it.

European History? Where to begin? Europe by Norman Davis is a good and wide ranging book that covers the bits of europe that we dont tend to think about too often.

Architecture - The Pevsner series are excellent and worth having your local copies on the shelf.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Not European but A Social History of England by A S A Briggs is a great read. It covers prehistory to modern times and covers what happened to real people rather than Kings, parliament etc. I first read it when the Bosnian conflict was going on and the similarities between that and the English civil war were a real eye opener.

 

[who?]

minor pedant - it's Asa Briggs (ie the Asa is his name, not a set of initials)