Rakuten Kobo

The Idea Machine

How Books Built Our World and Shape Our Future

by Joel J. Miller ...

Books are our first and most lasting form of information technology. Books preserve ideas, yes, but they also provoke new ones— they are true tools for thinking. In The Idea Machine, Joel J. Miller shows that books are one of the most important but overlooked factors in the making of our contemporary world. And they still have lessons to teach us.Polls indicate reading is on the decline, but as we ... Read more

Was $22.99 USD Now $1.99 USD

Books are our first and most lasting form of information technology. Books preserve ideas, yes, but they also provoke new ones— they are true tools for thinking. In The Idea Machine, Joel J. Miller shows that books are one of the most important but overlooked factors in the making of our contemporary world. And they still have lessons to teach us.Polls indicate reading is on the decline, but as we
... Read more
Salt

A World History

by Mark Kurlansky ...

**“Kurlansky finds the world in a grain of salt.” - New York Times Book ReviewAn unlikely world history from the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World**Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a ... Read more

$14.99 USD

**“Kurlansky finds the world in a grain of salt.” - New York Times Book ReviewAn unlikely world history from the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World**Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a
... Read more
Knowing What We Know

The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic

by Simon Winchester ...

“A delightful compendium of the kind of facts you immediately want to share with anyone you encounter . . . . Simon Winchester has firmly earned his place in history . . . as a promulgator of knowledge of every variety, perhaps the last of the famous explorers who crisscrossed the now-vanished British Empire and reported what they found to an astonished world.” — New York TimesFrom the creation of ... Read more

Was $14.99 USD Now $2.99 USD

“A delightful compendium of the kind of facts you immediately want to share with anyone you encounter . . . . Simon Winchester has firmly earned his place in history . . . as a promulgator of knowledge of every variety, perhaps the last of the famous explorers who crisscrossed the now-vanished British Empire and reported what they found to an astonished world.” — New York TimesFrom the creation of
... Read more
Cities

The First 6,000 Years

by Monica L. Smith ...

"A revelation of the drive and creative flux of the metropolis over time."--Nature"This is a must-read book for any city dweller with a voracious appetite for understanding the wonders of cities and why we're so attracted to them."--Zahi Hawass, author of Hidden Treasures of Ancient EgyptA sweeping history of cities through the millennia--from Mesopotamia to Manhattan--and how they have propelled ... Read more

$1.99 USD

"A revelation of the drive and creative flux of the metropolis over time."--Nature"This is a must-read book for any city dweller with a voracious appetite for understanding the wonders of cities and why we're so attracted to them."--Zahi Hawass, author of Hidden Treasures of Ancient EgyptA sweeping history of cities through the millennia--from Mesopotamia to Manhattan--and how they have propelled
... Read more
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

A New History of a Lost World

by Steve Brusatte ...

"THE ULTIMATE DINOSAUR BIOGRAPHY," hails Scientific American: A thrilling new history of the age of dinosaurs, from one of our finest young scientists."A masterpiece of science writing." —Washington PostA New York Times Bestseller • Goodreads Choice Awards Winner • **A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Smithsonian, *Science Friday,***The Times (London), <st... ... Read more

Was $7.99 USD Now $5.99 USD

"THE ULTIMATE DINOSAUR BIOGRAPHY," hails Scientific American: A thrilling new history of the age of dinosaurs, from one of our finest young scientists."A masterpiece of science writing." —Washington PostA New York Times Bestseller • Goodreads Choice Awards Winner • **A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Smithsonian, *Science Friday,***The Times (London), <st...
... Read more
Apocalypse

How Catastrophe Transformed Our World and Can Forge New Futures

by Lizzie Wade ...

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book of May 2025 • A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated History Book of the Year • A The Millions Most Anticipated Spring Book of the YearA richly imagined new view on the great human tradition of apocalypse, from the rise of Homo sapiens to the climate instability of our present, that defies conventional wisdom and long-held stories about our deep past to reveal how ... Read more

Was $12.99 USD Now $4.99 USD

A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Book of May 2025 • A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated History Book of the Year • A The Millions Most Anticipated Spring Book of the YearA richly imagined new view on the great human tradition of apocalypse, from the rise of Homo sapiens to the climate instability of our present, that defies conventional wisdom and long-held stories about our deep past to reveal how
... Read more
1177 B.C.

The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated

by Eric H. Cline ...

Series series Turning Points in Ancient History
A bold reassessment of what caused the Late Bronze Age collapseIn 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and ... Read more

$14.39 USD

A bold reassessment of what caused the Late Bronze Age collapseIn 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and
... Read more
Embers of the Hands

Hidden Histories of the Viking Age

by Eleanor Barraclough ...

**Shortlisted for the Wolfson History PrizeLonglisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-FictionA New York Times Book Review Editor’s ChoiceA Times (UK) Best History Book of the Year“Endlessly fascinating, authoritatively informative and, above all, great fun.” —Heather O’Donoghue, Times Literary SupplementA “brilliantly written, brilliantly conceived” (Tom Holland) history of the Viking Age, from ... Read more

$15.09 USD

**Shortlisted for the Wolfson History PrizeLonglisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-FictionA New York Times Book Review Editor’s ChoiceA Times (UK) Best History Book of the Year“Endlessly fascinating, authoritatively informative and, above all, great fun.” —Heather O’Donoghue, Times Literary SupplementA “brilliantly written, brilliantly conceived” (Tom Holland) history of the Viking Age, from
... Read more
The Master and His Emissary

The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

by Iain McGilchrist ...

A pioneering exploration of the differences between the brain’s right and left hemispheres and their effects on society, history, and culture—"one of the few contemporary works deserving classic status” (Nicholas Shakespeare, The Times, London)“Persuasively argues that our society is suffering from the consequences of an over-dominant left hemisphere losing touch with its natural regulative ... Read more

$14.39 USD

A pioneering exploration of the differences between the brain’s right and left hemispheres and their effects on society, history, and culture—"one of the few contemporary works deserving classic status” (Nicholas Shakespeare, The Times, London)“Persuasively argues that our society is suffering from the consequences of an over-dominant left hemisphere losing touch with its natural regulative
... Read more
Sapiens [Tenth Anniversary Edition]

A Brief History of Humankind

by Yuval Noah Harari ...

New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21**st** CenturyThe tenth anniversary edition of the internationally bestselling phenomenon that cemented Yuval Noah Harari as one of the most prominent historians of our time—featuring a new afterword from the author.One hundred thousand years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo s... ... Read more

$17.99 USD

New York Times Readers’ Pick: Top 100 Books of the 21**st** CenturyThe tenth anniversary edition of the internationally bestselling phenomenon that cemented Yuval Noah Harari as one of the most prominent historians of our time—featuring a new afterword from the author.One hundred thousand years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo s...
... Read more
The Dawn of Everything

A New History of Humanity

by David Graeber, David Wengrow ...

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike—either free ... Read more

$12.99 USD

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution—from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality—and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation.For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike—either free
... Read more
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Modern Library Collection (Complete and Unabridged)

by Edward Gibbon ...

Series series The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
This Modern Library eBook edition collects all three volumes of Edward Gibbon’s towering masterpiece of classical history The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire—complete and unabridged.Edward Gibbon’s magnum opus narrates the history of the Roman Empire from the second century A.D. to its collapse in the west in the fifth century and in the east in the fifteenth century. Alongside the ... Read more

$15.99 USD

This Modern Library eBook edition collects all three volumes of Edward Gibbon’s towering masterpiece of classical history The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire—complete and unabridged.Edward Gibbon’s magnum opus narrates the history of the Roman Empire from the second century A.D. to its collapse in the west in the fifth century and in the east in the fifteenth century. Alongside the
... Read more
The Silk Roads

A New History of the World

by Peter Frankopan ...

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Far more than a history of the Silk Roads, this book is truly a revelatory new history of the world, promising to destabilize notions of where we come from and where we are headed next."A rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.” —The Wall Street JournalFrom the Middle East and its political instability to China and its economic rise, the vast ... Read more

$13.99 USD

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Far more than a history of the Silk Roads, this book is truly a revelatory new history of the world, promising to destabilize notions of where we come from and where we are headed next."A rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.” —The Wall Street JournalFrom the Middle East and its political instability to China and its economic rise, the vast
... Read more
Proto

How One Ancient Language Went Global

by Laura Spinney ...

Named a Best Book of 2025 by the Guardian and Scientific American"The story of how one language left the steppes of Ukraine and became the earth's dominant language family has become clearer and more exciting than ever before. Hooray for a book where the author's curiosity, diligence, and literary craft gets it all down in what will stand as the go-to source for a generation.” - John McWhorter, ... Read more

$17.29 USD

Named a Best Book of 2025 by the Guardian and Scientific American"The story of how one language left the steppes of Ukraine and became the earth's dominant language family has become clearer and more exciting than ever before. Hooray for a book where the author's curiosity, diligence, and literary craft gets it all down in what will stand as the go-to source for a generation.” - John McWhorter,
... Read more
Radiant Terminus

by Antoine Volodine ...

Translated by Jeffrey Zuckerman ...

A scathing critique of humanity set in a nuclear wasteland following the fall of the Second Soviet Union. ... Read more

$8.69 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

A scathing critique of humanity set in a nuclear wasteland following the fall of the Second Soviet Union.
... Read more
Magisteria

The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion

by Nicholas Spencer ...

Most things you ‘know’ about science and religion are myths or half-truths that grew up in the last years of the nineteenth century and remain widespread today.‘A deeply researched history of the interplay between the two ways of understanding the world.’ ECONOMIST, BEST BOOKS OF 2023The true history of science and religion is a human one. It’s about the role of religion in inspiring, and ... Read more

Was $11.99 USD Now $0.99 USD

Most things you ‘know’ about science and religion are myths or half-truths that grew up in the last years of the nineteenth century and remain widespread today.‘A deeply researched history of the interplay between the two ways of understanding the world.’ ECONOMIST, BEST BOOKS OF 2023The true history of science and religion is a human one. It’s about the role of religion in inspiring, and
... Read more
Capitalism

A Global History

by Sven Beckert ...

**A New York Times Notable Book • A Financial Times Best Book of the Year*"*A learned, formidable and vivid story… Readers around the world will study and ponder this monumental work of history, agreeing and arguing with it, all the while affirming its generational importance, for decades to come." — Marcus Rediker, The New York Times“Epic… Read this book and you will learn innumerable things you ... Read more

$24.99 USD

**A New York Times Notable Book • A Financial Times Best Book of the Year*"*A learned, formidable and vivid story… Readers around the world will study and ponder this monumental work of history, agreeing and arguing with it, all the while affirming its generational importance, for decades to come." — Marcus Rediker, The New York Times“Epic… Read this book and you will learn innumerable things you
... Read more
The American Plague

by Molly Caldwell Crosby ...

In this account, a journalist traces the course of the infectious disease known as yellow fever, “vividly [evoking] the Faulkner-meets-Dawn of the Dead horrors” (The New York Times Book Review) of this killer virus.Over the course of history, yellow fever has paralyzed governments, halted commerce, quarantined cities, moved the U.S. capital, and altered the outcome of wars. During a single summer ... Read more

Was $10.99 USD Now $1.99 USD

In this account, a journalist traces the course of the infectious disease known as yellow fever, “vividly [evoking] the Faulkner-meets-Dawn of the Dead horrors” (The New York Times Book Review) of this killer virus.Over the course of history, yellow fever has paralyzed governments, halted commerce, quarantined cities, moved the U.S. capital, and altered the outcome of wars. During a single summer
... Read more
Nexus

A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

by Yuval Noah Harari ...

**#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Sapiens comes the groundbreaking story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world.“Strikingly original . . . A historian whose arguments operate on the scale of millennia has managed to capture the zeitgeist perfectly.”—The Economist“This deeply important book comes at a critical time as we all think through the implications of ... Read more

$14.99 USD

**#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Sapiens comes the groundbreaking story of how information networks have made, and unmade, our world.“Strikingly original . . . A historian whose arguments operate on the scale of millennia has managed to capture the zeitgeist perfectly.”—The Economist“This deeply important book comes at a critical time as we all think through the implications of
... Read more
Babylon

The Biography of a Metropolis

by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones ...

A vibrant, colorful, and authoritative exploration of the world's first and most illustrious metropolis.'Babylon' is a name that has a double life: it denotes the great ancient Mesopotamian city with a long and complex history, and it is also a fictive allusion with a wide variety of connotations, from the Hebrew bible's Tower of Babel, through the New Testament's 'Whore of Babylon' to the iconic ... Read more

$26.99 USD

A vibrant, colorful, and authoritative exploration of the world's first and most illustrious metropolis.'Babylon' is a name that has a double life: it denotes the great ancient Mesopotamian city with a long and complex history, and it is also a fictive allusion with a wide variety of connotations, from the Hebrew bible's Tower of Babel, through the New Testament's 'Whore of Babylon' to the iconic
... Read more
The Abolition of Man

by C. S. Lewis ...

C.S. Lewis’s Classic Work that Is Number 7 on National Review’s List of “100 Best Nonfiction Books of the Twentieth Century”In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as courage and honor in contemporary society. Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man is one of the most debated of Lewis’s ... Read more

$14.99 USD

C.S. Lewis’s Classic Work that Is Number 7 on National Review’s List of “100 Best Nonfiction Books of the Twentieth Century”In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as courage and honor in contemporary society. Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man is one of the most debated of Lewis’s
... Read more
Nomads

The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World

by Anthony Sattin ...

**“Sattin is a terrific storyteller.” —David Farley, New York TimesThe remarkable story of how nomads have fostered and refreshed civilization throughout our history.**Moving across millennia, Nomads explores the transformative and often bloody relationship between settled and mobile societies. Often overlooked in history, the story of the umbilical connections between these two very different ... Read more

$12.99 USD

**“Sattin is a terrific storyteller.” —David Farley, New York TimesThe remarkable story of how nomads have fostered and refreshed civilization throughout our history.**Moving across millennia, Nomads explores the transformative and often bloody relationship between settled and mobile societies. Often overlooked in history, the story of the umbilical connections between these two very different
... Read more
A History of the World

by Andrew Marr ...

Fresh, exciting and vividly readable, this is popular history at its very best.Our understanding of world history is changing, as new discoveries are made on all the continents and old prejudices are being challenged. In this truly global journey, political journalist Andrew Marr revisits some of the traditional epic stories, from classical Greece and Rome to the rise of Napoleon, but surrounds ... Read more

$12.99 USD

Fresh, exciting and vividly readable, this is popular history at its very best.Our understanding of world history is changing, as new discoveries are made on all the continents and old prejudices are being challenged. In this truly global journey, political journalist Andrew Marr revisits some of the traditional epic stories, from classical Greece and Rome to the rise of Napoleon, but surrounds
... Read more
The Origin of Empire

Rome from the Republic to Hadrian

by David Potter ...

Series Book 4 - History of the Ancient World
Beginning with the Roman army’s first foray beyond its borders and concluding with the death of Hadrian in 138 CE, this panoramic history of the early Roman Empire recounts the wars, leaders, and social transformations that lay the foundations of imperial success.Between 264 BCE, when the Roman army crossed into Sicily, and the death of Hadrian nearly three hundred years later, Rome became one of ... Read more

$25.19 USD

Beginning with the Roman army’s first foray beyond its borders and concluding with the death of Hadrian in 138 CE, this panoramic history of the early Roman Empire recounts the wars, leaders, and social transformations that lay the foundations of imperial success.Between 264 BCE, when the Roman army crossed into Sicily, and the death of Hadrian nearly three hundred years later, Rome became one of
... Read more

eReaders

Apps

Accessories

Shopping Cart

You're getting the VIP treatment!

Your Shopping Cart is empty

Available:

1 audiobook monthly

+ FREE 30-day trial

Available:

1 audiobook monthly

+ FREE 30-day trial

Recommended For You

Civilization eBooks

Show: