Charts the underlying framework beneath recorded history revealing the important influences of geography, disease, and the chance distribution of domesticable plants and animals on the progress of civilization. Some might see it as debunking the Great Man thesis of history, I would not go so far but it is still an eye-opener if written in a somewhat academic way

An incisive, pacy, informed history of the WW2 Pacific Campaign.  Not simply a history of events but also a book that flags up key systemic errors by both sides such as the Japanese failure to convoy or use their submarine fleet against the long US supply lines.

One of his SF classics concerning aspects of an intergalatic war in the far future between an alien empire and a 'communist' human 'Culture' where anything goes and the super sentient ships all have cool names

Reads like a detective thriller whilst being solidly historical.  40 years of endeavour and enterprise leading to the destruction of two Japanese cities....sounds kind of whack but its a very good read

Cheating here as this is book 8 of the House of Niccolo series set in the 15thC during the Burgundian era.  It follows the somewhat far fetched adventures of a one-time Bruges dyers apprentice across most of the known world culminating in the death of the Grand Duke of the West.  Well written and atmospheric of the times

A double header with millions of pages.  Space opera SF with cool military technology, hostile aliens, an intergalatic manhunt and endless interesting plotlines and ideas like interstellar railways.  What more could you want?

Cheating again with 6 books by a famous French novelist but available in English.  Follows the history of the French Kings during the eventful 14thC.  Lots of skullduggery, sex, violence, etc and all true.  Some fantastic characters here perhaps especially Robert of Artois and his aunt Mahaut.  Read it and find out what I mean!

Four mesmeric, atmospheric crime novels set in the LA of the 1950's.  Full of hidden vice, driven characters, violence and interlocking plotlines where chance and random events can be terminal for some.  Sounds like a typical wargame perhaps?

A triumverate of thick history books but with lots of pictures, maps and graphs.  I cannot claim to have sat down and read even one of them from page 1 to whatever, but I have dipped into them endlessly and always found interesting snippets, pages and chapters.  Like Diamonds book I suppose this is a book that goes beyond history as events to history as process.  A bit like a primer for Hari Seldon from Asimov's Foundation Series ?