10 Tips for Getting Into the History Genre

This is a blog post I've debated publishing here to my blog. I publish so many tips and suggestions posts here. I thought this type of post would be a bit redundant and repetitive given similar posts in the past. However, as I started thinking about it (and after a few messages over on my Bookstagram about this), I thought this may be a nice type of post to draft and publish. So today, tomorrow, and Saturday, I'll focus on tips for getting into certain genres that I read a lot.

Here are 10 tips for getting into the history genre.

Tip 1: Start off with smaller and/or shorter books.

This may seem like a confusing tip, especially if you're used to reading longer or bigger books. However, books within the history genre can be genres in and of themselves: you have biographies, autobiographies/memoirs, countries, wars, military, groups of people/tribes, artifacts, and so much more within a single genre. This is why starting off with smaller and/or shorter books is the first and foremost tip I give. You can dip your toes into the water of the specific history you're reading about before getting a plethora of information.

Tip 2: Look for history books on topics you're interested in.

A lot of people make the misstep of "I'll just pick up a history book and read it." This isn't an outright mistake, and it is something I do recommend. However, if you're not interested in that specific history the book is relaying - a person, place, a group of people, building, etc. - then you're not going to be interested in the book. That's why you should choose history books on topics you're actually interested in.

Tip 3: Look into the book's author and see what their specialty is.

This isn't a huge deal most of the time. However, it is a good idea to look into the author. Do they have a specific area of history they specialize in, or do they study any and all history? Additionally, do they have a Ph.D. in history? These aren't huge deals, but it's good to know some of the author's background.

Tip 4: Don't rush your reading.

This may seem like another "obvious" tip. However, this is especially true when you're reading history books. If you're reading from any other genre, it can be okay if you accidentally miss a detail or two. However, this can really trip you up with history books. A single detail, even a small one, can lead to a bigger detail or event later on in the book. Additionally, if it's mentioned again in passing (and not explained since an explanation was given earlier), you may not understand what it means.

Tip 5: Try to not be in a distracting environment.

I included this tip for similar reasons to Tip 4. If you're in a distracting environment, you can miss details, forget them if something else catches your attention, and so many other reasons.

Tip 6: Take notes.

Your notes don't have to be very detailed or pages upon pages. It can simply be definitions of words you don't understand or anything else that catches your attention. But this way, it's easier for you to remember specific details or just the book in general.

Tip 7: Have Wikipedia, Google, etc. easily accessible.

This may seem unusual, especially if you've had teachers or professors say to avoid things like Wikipedia or Google. However, if there's something you're unsure about, then that's why Wikipedia and Google come in really handy.

Tip 8: Understand that bias is in everything.

You hear the argument of "But isn't [insert topic] biased?" However, bias is something that's everywhere. You just have to be able to sort through the bias, by asking the following questions:

• Who is the text written by?
• Who is the text's intended audience? (I.e. you are not the intended audience - so try to know who is.)
• When was the text written?
• Why was the text written?

Tip 9: It's okay to read older history books, but be aware that the information may be a bit dated.

I feel like there's a bit of a stigma around older history books since they are dated. However, I think it's okay to do so. You just need to sort through the bias that'll be there and understand that some information may be dated. This is where Tips 7-8 come into handy.

Tip 10: Read multiple biographies on a single person.

No single biography is the end all be all of a person. As a result, it's a good idea to read 2 or more biographies on the person and try to make sure the biographies are by different people. That way, you can get a more rounded image of the person. (If an author's biography of someone has a newer edition, it's okay to read that. Just don't rely on only that author's interpretation,)