bokonist

The Power Broker is awesome. One of the finest books for understanding the 20th century.

The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig - will make you nostalgic for the days of monarchy

America's Great Depression by Murray Rothbard - very different from the story you get in school. Is he right?

another great book on urban themes is City: Urbanism and its End, by Doug Rae.

The Triumph of Conservatism by Gabriel Kolko - the book for understanding the rise of corporate serfdom

the single best book for understanding globalization that I have read.