10 Beach Reads for History Buffs

This recently published biography reveals the fascinating double life of Jazz Age anti-hero Arthur Barry, who, during the 1920s, charmed and befriended many of New York’s highest profile figures with just one aim in mind: to steal their most expensive jewelry. Evading capture for over seven years, Barry displayed a softer side to his character when he eventually fell foul of the law. He confessed to dozens of burglaries to protect his wife and accomplice, Anna, and when she was subsequently diagnosed with cancer, he staged a dramatic prison break to be by her side. 

Jobb’s “delectably entertaining” account (New York Times Book Review) will appeal to fans of exhilarating true crime stories and stylish narrative nonfiction alike.

In this unique take on culinary history, Bee Wilson investigates how the utensils and implements used for cooking and eating have influenced our approach to food from prehistoric times to the present day. The British food expert takes her reader on an informative and entertaining journey through time and place to explore the development of cooking around the world, from the basic stone flints of the Stone Age to today’s high-tech kitchen devices. In exploring our changing relationship with food and cooking, Wilson also shines a fascinating light on what this reveals about our evolution from prehistoric cave dwellers to sophisticated 21st century foodies.

When Rudolf Diesel vanished without a trace on the eve of World War I, his disappearance caused a stir and made headlines. The multi-millionaire German engineer was famous throughout the world because of his most famous invention, the internal combustion engine. Yet the circumstances behind his disappearance, whilst on a steamship travelling from Belgium to England, have never been fully explained.

In this “dynamic detective story” (New York Times), Douglas Brunt takes a fascinating fresh look at Diesel’s life and times. He explores the German inventor’s key relationships with some of the world’s most powerful men before producing his own eye-opening theory as to what actually happened to Diesel.

Laura Cumming’s New York Times bestseller explores the remarkable story of John Snare and his obsession with a long-lost painting of the young King Charles I. When he discovers it by chance at a 19th-century country house auction, the English bookseller from Reading sets out to prove that the portrait was painted by the Spanish artist, Diego Velázquez, only to face personal and financial ruin as a consequence. 

The author intertwines Snare’s own story with that of Velázquez himself to produce a compelling multi-layered book, combining an intriguing cold-case mystery with art history, personal biography and a study of obsession. 

In The Wright Brothers, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough reveals the inspirational behind-the-scenes story of the two brothers who are credited with introducing the world to flight. He chronicles the lives of the two seemingly ordinary and unassuming bicycle mechanics from Ohio who were prepared to risk their lives in the pursuit of their dream to take to the skies. 

The popular historian was given unparalleled access to the Wright family archive to research this book and provides some fascinating insight into the remarkable support given to the brothers by other family members. The end product is “a story of timeless importance, told with uncommon empathy and fluency” (New York Times Book Review).

In the book that inspired the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name, Margot Lee Shetterly vividly brings to life the previously untold stories of the dedicated African American female mathematicians who worked for NASA during the space race. 

60 or 70 years ago, women including Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan were employed to perform the complex mathematical calculations required to launch rockets into space with the aid of nothing more than a pen, paper and slide rule. Yet these brilliant women were largely denied the credit they deserved until Shetterly’s “inspiring and enlightening” account (Kirkus Reviews) shed a welcome light on their remarkable achievements.

This short essay collection from Elle magazine’s fashion features director, Véronique Hyland, provides insightful and witty commentary on the fashion industry and why we dress the way we do. She delves deep into its history to cover a wide variety of topics, ranging from the reasons behind the popularity of bloomers in the 19th century to the influence of social media on 21st-century attitudes to dress. This New Yorker Magazine Best Book of 2022 will appeal not only to fashionistas but also those with a broader interest in cultural and social history.

The New York Times Book Review describes Mark Forsyth’s light-hearted look at humankind’s longstanding obsession with alcohol and inebriation as “an entertaining bar hop through the past 10,000 years”. The British author adopts a humorous approach to his subject, but there is plenty of fascinating social history to enjoy along the way as he looks at the role played by alcohol in an interesting variety of world cultures spanning many centuries.

In Pandora’s Jar, Natalie Haynes offers a fresh and witty take on 10 women in Greek mythology, whose stories have for so long been told from a predominantly male perspective. Haynes sets out to revolutionize the way in which we view mythic female characters like Helen of Troy, Medusa and Pandora by re-examining the manner in which they were portrayed in Ancient Greek literature. Along the way, she sparks an interesting debate as to why these women have in the past been so often reduced to vengeful monsters, even though their full stories are more complex than that.

Bill Bryson excels at making even the most seemingly mundane of topics appear fascinating and this history of the English language is no exception. In this “vastly informative and vastly entertaining” book (Los Angeles Times), he traces the transformation of the tongue once spoken by Anglo-Saxon peasants into the world’s most dominant language. First published in 1991, Bryson’s approach is more anecdotal than academic, but makes perfect summer reading for those who take pleasure in the complexities and eccentricities of the English language.