The most popular history books of 2026

History books explain how the world came to be the way it is. Empires, revolutions, wars, inventions and everyday lives are all here, from the ancient world to recent decades. Whether you want a sweeping overview or one remarkable year in detail, you will find narrative history that reads like a story. This list shows the ones first published in 2026.

Cover of Hammer of the Gods

Hammer of the Gods

Don Hollway

Published 2026

400 pages

Cover of Treasures of the Vikings (Amazing Places [Portrait format])

Treasures of the Vikings (Amazing Places [Portrait format])

Tom Horne

Published 2026

224 pages

Cover of Space Ace

Space Ace

Robert Gibson

Published 2026

288 pages

Cover of Custody The Secret History of Mothers

Custody The Secret History of Mothers

Lara Feigel

Published 2026

336 pages

Cover of Behind Caesar's Back

Behind Caesar's Back

Caillan Davenport

Published 2026

392 pages

Cover of Baseball's Shining Season

Baseball's Shining Season

Martin W. Sandler, Craig Sandler

Published 2026

192 pages

Cover of Amplify!

Amplify!

Dion Lim

Published 2026

272 pages

Cover of Unlearning Jewish Anxiety

Unlearning Jewish Anxiety

Caryn Aviv

Published 2026

157 pages

Cover of Absent Minds

Absent Minds

Madeleine Pownall

Published 2026

320 pages

Cover of Common Sense (1776), Addressed to Today's Citizens of America

Common Sense (1776), Addressed to Today's Citizens of America

Crystal Simone Smith

Published 2026

104 pages

Cover of Born of Struggle, Living in Hope

Born of Struggle, Living in Hope

Nick Soulsby

Published 2026

208 pages

Cover of NATO After Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

NATO After Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Jason W. Davidson

Published 2026

276 pages

Cover of James Joyce

James Joyce

Frank Callanan

Published 2026

944 pages

Cover of Lee Miller

Lee Miller

Robin Muir, Amber Butchard, Ami Bouhassane

Published 2026

164 pages

Cover of Why Machiavelli Matters Now (Interfaces)

Why Machiavelli Matters Now (Interfaces)

Alexander Lee, Stephen Bowd

Published 2026

224 pages

Cover of 52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest

52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest

Kara Patajo

Published 2026

272 pages

Cover of The Powerful Primate

The Powerful Primate

Roland Ennos

Published 2026

367 pages

Cover of Italian MAS & MS Boats 1915–49

Italian MAS & MS Boats 1915–49

Enrico Cernuschi

Published 2026

48 pages

Cover of We Run 313

We Run 313

Lance Woods, Joe Robinson

Published 2026

216 pages

Cover of Octavia

Octavia

Beth Andrea Severy-Hoven

Published 2026

288 pages

Cover of Tales of Spirit Rising and Sometimes Falling

Tales of Spirit Rising and Sometimes Falling

Rabbi Arthur Ocean Waskow

Published 2026

254 pages

Cover of Since You Weren't There & Other Memories

Since You Weren't There & Other Memories

Denise Thompson-Slaughter

Published 2026

229 pages

Cover of Strike! Twenty Days in 1970 When Minneapolis Teachers Broke the Law

Strike! Twenty Days in 1970 When Minneapolis Teachers Broke the Law

William D. Green

Published 2026

224 pages

Cover of The Second Oldest Profession

The Second Oldest Profession

Barbara Zucker

Published 2026

180 pages

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