8 Exciting New History Books to Usher in Spring 2023

In 1740, a British ship called HMS Wager left England to chase a Spanish vessel rumored to be traveling with treasure. But before the men could claim their gold, Wager crashed on an uninhabited island off the coast of Patagonia. There were only 30 men who survived and after being stuck on the island for months, the team of men crafted a ship and sailed home. After hundreds of days of traveling, they made it to Chile and were crowned heroes upon arrival.

But this story took a twist when several months later three castaways landed in Chile with a completely different story of what happened on Wager. They claimed that the first group were not heroes but rebels who refused to obey the captain. While the crew was stranded on the island, they engaged in a violent battle over the uninhabited land. Unable to determine which side held the truth, the Admiral called for a court to decide which party was guilty and who would be hanged.

This is a highly detailed dive into the history of how humans acquire, process, and retain knowledge. From the ancient writings of Babylon to modern education and how technology continues to reshape our learning habits, Simon Winchester leaves no stone unturned. 

Throughout this journey of human learning, Winchester makes us wonder where the future of knowledge is going. With technology giving us all the answers, will humans no longer need to think for themselves?

Space is the new frontier. It is the latest hub for exploration and the future of human conquest. But with it comes geopolitics, which is just as important in space as it is on the ground below.

In this gripping read, Tim Marshall explores the politics of space exploration. From space wars and weapons to new technology and military strategy, Marshall provides essential insight into the future of space and humanity.

The New Makers of Modern Strategy is an exploration into the history and future of war strategies. This new volume includes insight from the greatest scholars who have analyzed political and military strategy, from ancient times to the Cold War and the post-9/11 world. As global disorder continues to rise, this is an ever-relevant collection of essays that must be read, discussed, and applied to find solutions to the challenges we are facing today.

From the bestselling author of Ali: A Life comes another brilliantly researched biography, this one about Martin Luther King Jr. In this enlightening portrait, we come to know MLK in a way we never have before. With firsthand access to recently declassified FBI files, intimate interviews, and exhaustive outside research, Eig gives us a new perspective on King's life and relationships. 

Follow King through his early days of activism to his marches in the South and mourn the loss of one of our nation's greatest minds all over again. King: A Life is a pleading reminder of the racial and political issues that still persist today.

In 1938, two remarkable women, Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter, set off on an adventure. Alongside them were a travel guide, a zoologist, and two boatmen to navigate the dangerous waters of the Colorado River. No one would have thought this ragtag group would survive the harrowing journey, nevermind that they would be the first group of explorers to survey the Grand Canyon's plant life.

With intimate letters and personal journals from the two botanists, Melissa Sevigny follows their brave trek down the river while detailing the important plants they discovered. Clover and Jotter’s fearless work forever changed botanical research and proved the tenacity and strength of women at a crucial moment in American history.

Fashion historian and museum curator Kate Strasdin came across a young Victorian woman’s diary from the 1800s. Her name was Anne Sykes and she had collected textile scraps, adding each one to her diary along with a detailed description. 

Strasdin spent several years tracing Anne's life journey through her travels abroad and the people she meets along the way. The fragments of cloth serve as a lens through which to view the fascinating and often complex world of Victorian society. She wrote down her findings, giving us this intimate glimpse into an ordinary girl’s daily life, an account unknown in most historical reporting.

This is Drago Dzieran's autobiography of his extraordinary life journey and military accomplishments. Born in Poland under communist rule, he served a stint in prison for protesting before immigrating to the United States and enlisting in the Navy. Now a retired Navy SEAL, Dzieran takes readers on a chronological trip from his impoverished childhood, to being a political prisoner, through his 20 years of serving in the military.