Entry Level Books for Non-Western History?

[Jacob]

My wife - bless her - has recently gotten on a history kick, starting with a "survey of world history" book from the "world history = western history, with a small detours to India and China" school. It's targeted at kids. It's great. She's pulling my oldest along with her too, which warms my history nerd heart.

However she's looking to expand a bit after she finishes the current book (she's reading a chapter for the boy a few times a week, with me providing additional colour and "well actually" commentary on occasion ).

Can anyone recommend any good accessible books the covers places and eras outside of the old Western canon? She looked for a book on African history, but quickly got lost in "the Pharaohs were actually black" type books, which are perhaps a bit early and a bit overly specific for the current intention. A lively, accessible writing style is probably more important than the specific topic but ideally something closer to "the general consensus among scholars" than "brave new controversial perspectives".

Any suggestions?

[frunk]

I know you are talking about more adult reading, but one series that I plan to expose my daughter to in a couple of years is the Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick.  Volume 1 focuses mainly on the origins of the universe and Western History.  Volumes 2 and 3 take deep dives into other parts of the world, including big chunks of their mythological origins.

[Valmy]

This has always been a real challenge to me. In my experience many of the non-Western history books have huge sections just bitching about why westerners have wrong thoughts about this area...and frankly I don't really care what the wrong ideas are about this area I want to learn what the author thinks are the right thoughts to have.

I was pretty excited when "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World" became a big deal back in...2006 or so. But man was that book loaded with that kind of thing, ranting about how the West was brainwashed by Persian and Chinese elites into thinking the Mongols were bad when in fact they were the champions of the little people. Why? Why make apologia just because you think the West has too negative of an opinion?

It isn't like when you open a history of France, you are going to see the author spend lots of pages about anti-French views spread by evil Francophobic Anglophones and then go on to just ignore French colonialism and imperialism and hit you with rapturous apologia. Well at least not in English 

So I would love to just have a great source talking about Persia or whatever without some agenda to establish some narrative in a western context. And if you ARE going to do that, at least don't bore me with it. Maybe mention that in the forward or something.

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe an encyclopedia?  That's what I read as a kid.

[Sheilbh]

For Africa maybe Golden Rhinoceros on Africa in the Middle Ages. Relatively short - each chapter is about 6-8 pages talking about a single find or object which then illuminates different bits of stories across Africa. But might not be readable enough.

In a similar style - but also it's a physically beautiful book - Neil MacGregor's A History of the World in 100 Objects. He wrote it when he was Director of the British Museum (I think he's now Director of the Humboldt Museum so he has a type) and it was a joint project with the BBC so I think they're all there (for now).

It's just out and I've not read it but Simon Sebag Montefiore's The World: A Family History has had good reviews. It is massive (seen it in bookshops).

In terms of narrative history, it's a specific moment and (sort of) outside the Western canon, but I think Freedom at Midnight is an incredibly gripping read about Indian independence. It's not strictly narrative but I also found 1491 about pre-Columbian Americas really enjoyable and a bit more of a sweep.

And maybe have a look - especially with a kid (though maybe check first for content) at some of the history in comic/graphic novel. Obviously there's Maus or Persepolis, but I've also really enjoyed Showa telling the story of the Showa period semi-autobiographically through a manga.

[Jacob]

I know you are talking about more adult reading, but one series that I plan to expose my daughter to in a couple of years is the Cartoon History of the Universe by Larry Gonick.  Volume 1 focuses mainly on the origins of the universe and Western History.  Volumes 2 and 3 take deep dives into other parts of the world, including big chunks of their mythological origins.

My boy might love those!

[Jacob]

Maybe an encyclopedia?  That's what I read as a kid.

You know, the treatment is actually pretty good but the form factor is a bit of an obstacle... 

[Jacob]

For Africa maybe Golden Rhinoceros on Africa in the Middle Ages. Relatively short - each chapter is about 6-8 pages talking about a single find or object which then illuminates different bits of stories across Africa. But might not be readable enough.

In a similar style - but also it's a physically beautiful book - Neil MacGregor's A History of the World in 100 Objects. He wrote it when he was Director of the British Museum (I think he's now Director of the Humboldt Museum so he has a type) and it was a joint project with the BBC so I think they're all there (for now).

It's just out and I've not read it but Simon Sebag Montefiore's The World: A Family History has had good reviews. It is massive (seen it in bookshops).

In terms of narrative history, it's a specific moment and (sort of) outside the Western canon, but I think Freedom at Midnight is an incredibly gripping read about Indian independence. It's not strictly narrative but I also found 1491 about pre-Columbian Americas really enjoyable and a bit more of a sweep.

And maybe have a look - especially with a kid (though maybe check first for content) at some of the history in comic/graphic novel. Obviously there's Maus or Persepolis, but I've also really enjoyed Showa telling the story of the Showa period semi-autobiographically through a manga.

Thanks for the recommendations

The local comic shop has a series on Greek gods which I'll be getting soon... my boy just read all the Asterix comics which made me happy. As for the books, I'll look them up

[Jacob]

This has always been a real challenge to me. In my experience many of the non-Western history books have huge sections just bitching about why westerners have wrong thoughts about this area...and frankly I don't really care what the wrong ideas are about this area I want to learn what the author thinks are the right thoughts to have.

I was pretty excited when "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World" became a big deal back in...2006 or so. But man was that book loaded with that kind of thing, ranting about how the West was brainwashed by Persian and Chinese elites into thinking the Mongols were bad when in fact they were the champions of the little people. Why? Why make apologia just because you think the West has too negative of an opinion?

It isn't like when you open a history of France, you are going to see the author spend lots of pages about anti-French views spread by evil Francophobic Anglophones and then go on to just ignore French colonialism and imperialism and hit you with rapturous apologia. Well at least not in English 

So I would love to just have a great source talking about Persia or whatever without some agenda to establish some narrative in a western context. And if you ARE going to do that, at least don't bore me with it. Maybe mention that in the forward or something.

Yeah I agree. There are probably good reasons for it, but it'd be nice if it was different.

[garbon]

Not exactly it as covers whole world but the History of the World series by Susan Wise Bauer gives you touch points on a lot of different histories around the world.

[The Brain]

Doesn't DK have various big history books with pics and stuff that are fairly equal coverage? Like History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present Day (I checked a title). NB: I don't know for a fact that it does include non-Western stuff to the degree desired, but my impression is that it might.

[Jacob]

Not exactly it as covers whole world but the History of the World series by Susan Wise Bauer gives you touch points on a lot of different histories around the world.

I don't necessarily need it all in one book. An accessible "History of pre-modern Indonesia" or whatever would be just fine.

[Jacob]

Doesn't DK have various big history books with pics and stuff that are fairly equal coverage? Like History: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present Day (I checked a title). NB: I don't know for a fact that it does include non-Western stuff to the degree desired, but my impression is that it might.

I've been looking for books like those every time I'm in a book store, but they don't seem to be around that much. Looking online, they have a few books but their range of topics is pretty narrow alas.

[Sheilbh]

I know you want non-Western canon. But for something that would interest  a boy - especially with your background - have you considered loads of Viking stuff?

[The Brain]

Is Japanese history of any interest?