Books on U.S. History

Explore national history with this collection of study guides for fiction and non-fiction texts covering events, key figures, and viewpoints that have shaped the United States over the centuries. A sampling of topics within this collection includes the Puritans, Indigenous peoples, the successes and failures of the country's founders, U.S. presidents, war, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and more.

Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Class, History: World, Biography

The Yellow House is a nonfiction memoir published in 2019 by the American author Sarah M. Broom. In a narrative centered around her childhood home, “The Yellow House,” Broom chronicles the history of New Orleans through three generations of her family. The Yellow House won the 2019 National Book Award for Nonfiction and the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize for best debut book.Plot SummaryIn 1961, Broom's mother, Ivory Mae, becomes a widow at the... Read The Yellow House Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Femininity

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Civil War, American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World


Publication year 1968

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Politics / Government, Russian Literature, History: U.S., Military / War, History: World, Biography

Thirteen Days is Robert Kennedy’s personal account of the Cuban missile crisis.As the Attorney General of the United States and President’s Kennedy’s brother and most trusted confidant, Robert Kennedy played a significant role in that critical period. The first-person narrative is organized into titled sections, rather than chapters, and proceeds chronologically, describing the meetings, conversations, developments, and decisions that shaped the American response to the crisis.The chronicle begins on the morning of Tuesday, October 16... Read Thirteen Days Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Agriculture, Anthropology, Business / Economics, History: European, History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: World, Journalism, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Food


Publication year 2015

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, History: U.S., American Literature


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, Grief / Death, History: World

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War is a nonfiction book published in 2008 by Drew Gilpin Faust, an American historian and the first woman to serve as president of Harvard University. A finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, This Republic of Suffering details how mass death affected the lives of survivors during and after the Civil War. Other works by Drew Gilpin Faust include Mothers of... Read This Republic of Suffering Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Bullying, Black Lives Matter, Education

Through My Eyes is the autobiography of Ruby Bridges. In 1960, Bridges became the first African American child to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana following a court mandate for the state to desegregate its public school system. Louisiana trailed segregation effort in neighboring states, such as the nine Black high school students known as the “Little Rock Nine” who integrated a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.Bridges’s autobiography, published in... Read Through My Eyes Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Economics

Tags History: U.S., Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1964

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1968

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography

To Be a Slave is a nonfiction children’s book written by Julius Lester and published in 1968. In 1969, the book was named a John Newbery Honor Book in recognition of its important contribution to children’s literature.The book focuses on the history of enslavement in the United States. Julius Lester compiled slave narratives and wrote his own historical commentary to accompany them. Lester was writing in the context of the civil rights movement of the... Read To Be a Slave Summary


Publication year 1937

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class, Society: Economics

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Class, Disability, Poverty, Great Depression, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World

Ernest Hemingway’s best-selling yet poorly reviewed 1937 novel, To Have and Have Not, reflects his growing disillusionment with the world following his experiences in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Written in piecemeal format during his travels, the novel was originally published as two separate short stories and a novella, and this disjointed formation is apparent in the continuity of the plot. Featuring Hemingway’s classic minimalism, the novel offers both the story of Harry Morgan... Read To Have And Have Not Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags History: U.S.

Published in 1997, Tera W. Hunter’s To ‘Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women’s Lives and Labors after the Civil War is a history of working-class African-American women’s lives in Atlanta, Georgia, from Emancipation to World War I. The text examines the interplay between the racial repression African-American women faced during this time and the resistance they enacted as they sought to exercise their freedom as laborers. The book is winner of several awards, including: the... Read To 'Joy My Freedom Summary


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, American Revolution, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2020

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Politics / Government, Psychology, History: U.S., History: World, Psychology, Biography


Publication year 1831

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community

Tags Social Justice, Race / Racism, History: U.S.


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Crime / Legal


Publication year 1992

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., WWII / World War II, Crime / Legal, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1947

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Cold War


Publication year 1910

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Community

Tags Sociology, Poverty, Industrial Revolution, Social Justice, History: U.S., History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation, Society: Community

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy