Books History and Reference Guide

History books

History books can cover a period, place, event, person or theme in very different levels of detail. Before buying, check the time period and geographic scope, the author's approach and the publication date. A general introduction can be useful for orientation, while a specialist work may focus on a narrower question. Contents pages, publisher descriptions and reliable reviews can help establish whether a title matches the intended purpose.

Reference books^★

Reference works are designed to provide information that can be consulted rather than necessarily read from beginning to end. Dictionaries, encyclopaedias, directories, manuals, atlases and subject-specific reference works all serve different purposes. Check whether the information needs regular updating. For subjects that change quickly, publication date and edition can be especially important.

Choosing an edition

If a particular edition is required, check title, author or editor, publisher, publication date, format and ISBN. The International ISBN Agency explains that ISBNs identify specific publications and formats within the book supply chain. For children, BookTrust^★ recommends giving readers a broad choice of genres and formats, including non-fiction, so history and reference material can be selected around genuine interests.