One of my all time favorites, which I've actually read 3 times.  "The Arctic Grail:  The Search For The Northwest Passage" by Pierre Berton.  Magnificent accounts of the travails of Franklin, Amundsen, and the others as they tried to push the route across to the Pacific over the top of Canada.

Six Frigates by Ian Toll.  It's about the early days of the US Navy.

Mark

Shelby Foote's Civil War: A Narrative.  Have read them a couple of times.  Not for everyone but I enjoy them.

Oh! I'd like to read that. I loved Shelby Foote's commentary on Ken Burns' Civil War series for PBS. I can hear his voice now... Rest in peace, Mr. Foote.

"Lincoln's Cavalry", a look at the North's cavalry forces during the Civil War

"Bowerman And The Men of Oregon", 'nuff said.

"Running With The Buffaloes", a year with the CU cross country team. 

Several others, mostly related to military history. 

Just finishing up Art and Beauty in the Middle Ages.

And just starting History of Beauty.

Both by Umberto Eco.

I have this habit of starting a new book before I finish the previous one.  It's kind of a cross fade effect.  

Some recent GREAT reads, with links:

In Harm's Way: The Story of the USS Indianapolis about the sailors who deliver "The Bomb" during WWII and got torpedoed into shark-infested waters. Incredible story f courage and heroism.

Ghost Soldiers (!!!!) One of the best books I have ever read. I don't think I ever cried at the end of a book, until I read this. It's the story of the soldiers who survived the Bataan Death March, and their near-improbable rescue by the Army Rangers in the Phillipines during WWII.

In the Heart of the Sea: The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex gives great insight into the whaling culture f Nantucket as well as an INCREDIBLE read.

Endurance, about the Shackelton adv enture/disaster/rescue from a South Pole voyage is absolutely fascinating.

Just picked up The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors...review to come.

The Polish Underground Army, the Western Allies, and the Failure of Strategic Unity in World War II: by Michael Alfred Peszke, Piotr Stefan Wandycz, Piotr S. Wandycz

Ever since I went to Poland last summer I am like a sponge for Polish history.  Auschwitz was thee most chilling place I've ever visited.  I'm always mesmerized talking with my DW's parents and listening to their first hand accounts of life in Poland during/after WWII. Heartbreaking listening to them tell the stories of every able-bodied male (including their fathers/older brothers) being rounded up and executed or taking away to never be seen again.  My wife's cousins even got very animated with me about how the USA betrayed the Polish people and nation.  These are things I never learned in our slanted view of history...(btw:the USA did give the shaft to the Polish people after WWII).

To me one of the greatest benefits of the internet is the access to the "other side" of the story and I am enjoying reading about history from a perspective other than a USA perspective.

Just got done re-reading "Two Years Before the Mast" by RH Dana.

It is probably one of the very few books written during the time of "Pre-Gold Rush" California. He gives excellent descriptions of many California Coastal Towns including San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara and San Diego. (When many of those places were just a few shacks on the hillside)

He visited here after Mexican Independence but before the Mexican American War and California was still "Alta California", a part of Mexico. (Inhabited by Californios)

I'm currently reading Space Systems Failures: Disasters and Rescues of Satellites, Rockets, and Space Probes by Harland and Lorenz. Very interesting read on all of the types of failures. It also ties into my work, since many failures are due to contamination. Another favorite is The Measure of All Things by Adler which is about Delambre's and Mechain's meridian expedition to determine the length of the meter.

I'm into the tech-geek history.

Current: A Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich

I've also read Night, The Gretest Generation, and John Adams by David McCullough. I see a few books mentioned that I am going to have to add to my "must read" list. I love threads about books!

Right now:

Theodore Roosevelt, A Strenuous Life

and

Common Sense

Alistair Horne's Seven Ages of Paris (a history of Paris and how it fits into the broader history of western civilization) and--not sure if this quite counts as history--David Kamp's The United States of Arugula: The Sun Dried, Cold Pressed, Dark Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution (essentially a history of food and food culture in America).

Foote's Civil War stuff is on the "would like to read" list, as is Guns of August. But really, I'm enough of a history buff that anytime I see or hear about anything remotely interesting it gets added to the list. I'll probably bookmark this thread for ideas.

By the Sword - a history of swordplay

Theodor Rex

The Art of Warfare in the Ancient World

I read lotso history.  Mainly as source material for my nerd writing.

Moon of Popping Trees  Rex Alan Smith. It's ostensibly about the Battle of Wounded Knee, but it's a great account of "the death spasm of the stone age hunter, vanquished by the industrial age farmer." and how both groups were "poles apart culturally" yet "identical in their humanity." Highly recommended.
 

I just finished "HP and the Deathly Hallows" last night. I expected it to be good, but I was surprised at just how good it really was.

No lie, C!

Also, How the Irish Saved Civilization, about how my people saved us from ignorance at best and certain destruction at worst, by preserving civilization during the Dark Ages and disseminating it after.

Ditto..... or should I say I've delved into Number 1... a couple times.  haven't gotten through it.

I actually bought #2 years ago, excited after seeing him on Ken Burns docu., then opened the book and said "WTF??? this is number TWO of THREE????"  These books are big 'uns.

I have that book! Read it many years ago.