5. ’The Pirate Menace: Uncovering the Golden Age of Piracy’
By Angus Konstam
There is hardly a more enticing topic than the pirates of the Caribbean. Novels and movies have given these sea-scouring criminals an alluring appeal. But how did these scourges of the Caribbean come to be? Angus Konstam sails through the history of the rise and fall of the pirates. They did not simply spring up from the ocean with an insatiable lust for gold, a ship at their command, and a black flag hoisted high. No, these sailors got their start by permission of the British government.
With a mission to harass and loot ships of the enemy empires of Spain and France, these privateers roamed the seas. When peace was made between the empires, pirating became outlawed. The choice was to abide by the new maritime order or pursue the life of a pirate. Most chose the latter, primarily because they knew nothing else. But as “The Pirate Menace” contends, these privateers became pirates because the choice offered them adventure, the possibility of riches, and the freedom of the sea in a truly democratic environment.
Konstam presents history’s most famous pirates, such as Blackbeard and Black Bart, a wealth of 18th-century maritime history, and some of the most fun reading you’ll come across. It’s pirates! What’s not to like?
4. ’A World Safe for Commerce: American Foreign Policy from the Revolution to the Rise of China’
By Dale C. Copeland
Dale C. Copeland makes one of the most convincing arguments in his book “A World Safe for Commerce,” and it hinges on this sentence: “In the vast majority of cases, it was declining trade expectations that propelled U.S. leaders into conflict.”
Copeland presents his case by using case studies of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the Oregon Territory dispute with Great Britain, the Spanish–American War, World War I, World War II, and the Cold War conflicts of the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, the Iran Crisis of 1951–1953, the Suez Canal crisis, the Berlin Crisis of 1961, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is an exhaustive list, although not exhausting reading; more importantly, the work is illuminating. It gives the reader a view of foreign policy through a different lens. Interestingly, this work goes perfectly with my favorite book of 2023, “We May Dominate the World” by Sean Mirski.
Copeland’s scholarly work makes for smooth reading. With war in the background, the topic of economics and trade maintains its aura of intrigue. This book helps explain not only how America works, but the world in general. We live and die by trade and commerce, and the sooner we understand this truth, the faster we will better understand the world.
3. ’The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq’
By Steve Coll
Beginning with the rise of the ruthless Baath Party, of which Saddam Hussein was a member, then following Hussein’s rise within Iraqi politics, and then the meandering and distrustful relationship between the United States and Iraq, Coll presents a situation almost certain to devolve into military conflict—an outcome that happened multiple times. The author takes the reader into the violent and strange world of Hussein’s power scope. It is a world that seems so insane as to not be real. But as the saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction.
Coll presents a story that reads like a thriller. What makes “The Achilles Trap” even more thrilling—and tragic at the same time—is that it is all too true. This book is absolutely necessary for anyone trying to gain understanding of why the United States went to war in Iraq.
2. ’The House of War: The Struggle between Christendom and the Caliphate’
By Simon Mayall
For recounting the 1,000-year-old religious conflict, Simon Mayall has indeed done the miraculous by his detailed, yet considerably brief book. In sweeping grandeur, “The House of War” gives the history of Christianity and Islam and their ensuing and seemingly inevitable clash.
Readers will be given a glimpse into how these two religions endured internal schisms before what the book describes as “the struggle between Christendom and the caliphate.” The savagery and the beauty of this book is displayed in the battlefield scenes. The savagery because of the obvious—the stabbing, crushing, and annihilation of enemy soldiers, along with the looting and burning of cities. The beauty because of the bravery that these soldiers from both sides consistently demonstrated, and the growing respect each side possessed for each other because of this bravery.
Despite the brutality of war originating from religious conflict, there is a common thread throughout the book, which is the awe-inspiring chivalry that these great leaders, knights, and soldiers showed toward each other. “The House of War” is a brisk read, chock-full of important historic places and people. Mayall writes with grace and an appreciation for those who fought and often died for their dearest-held beliefs. It nearly made my top pick for this year because I simply could not put it down. One of the most engrossing reads you will encounter.
1. ’Alexandria: The City That Changed the World’
By Islam Issa
There are few cities in the world with a more historic founding. Many famous and ancient cities, such as Rome, have a more mythical rather than historically accurate origin story. Alexandria, on the other hand, has a rather definitive historical record, along with a mythical origin. From the historic side, there is no question that it was founded by one of history’s greatest figures, Alexander the Great. From the mythical side, Alexander the Great was considered by many during and after his time to be a demigod. Islam Issa guides the reader from this intriguing start through its 2,000-plus years of history. Despite such a founding, it’s not even the most interesting part of its history.
Alexandria proves to be a city with so many fascinating stories to tell, and Issa incontrovertibly does the grand city justice with his research and elegant writing style. The book is indeed about the history of the city, but it is much more than that. It is a conduit for telling the history of the world over the past two millennia. Issa notes, “Alexandria is living proof of the kaleidoscopic relationship between history and cultural mythology.”
Issa’s book proves a true labor of love. It is a true literary achievement. I was captivated by this book, and I am certain that you will be, too.
Honorable Mentions
I list these in no particular order.’The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America’
By Jeff Rosen
Constitutional scholar, Jeffrey Rosen, has endeavored to unearth the virtues that America’s founders pursued in order to become the men capable of founding the Great Republic. A necessary read for our modern times.
’1217: The Battles That Saved England’
By Catherine Hanley
An entertaining mix of a terrible king, incredibly durable castles, and three battles that proved a turning point for England’s salvation. Pure fun.
