The Shelves

19th Century Books

A tight 19th century shortlist - built for quick decisions, not endless scrolling.

Last refreshed 2026-02-28. We keep tuning this list as new titles land and reader interest shifts.

1. Black Elk Speaks
John G. Neihardt, Black Elk
Black Elk Speaks: The Complete Edition
2. Killing Lincoln
Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever
3. The Indifferent Stars Above
Daniel James Brown
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party
4. Thomas Jefferson: the Art of Power
Jon Meacham
A History pick for readers exploring Thomas Jefferson: the Art of Power.
5. Destiny of the Republic
Candice Millard
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
6. Astoria
Peter Stark
Astoria: Astor and Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: a Tale of Ambition and Survival on the Early American Frontier
7. The Immortal Irishman
Timothy Egan
The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero
8. Manhunt
James L. Swanson
Manhunt: The 12-day Chase for Lincoln's Killer
9. Johnstown Flood
David McCullough
A History pick for readers exploring Johnstown Flood.
10. Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy
Karen Abbott
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
11. Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates
Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History
12. The Devil in the White City
Erik Larson
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
13. All That She Carried
Tiya Miles
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
14. Dr. Mutter's Marvels
Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
15. Alexis De Tocqueville: Democracy in America (LOA #147)
Alexis de Tocqueville, Arthur Goldhammer
Alexis De Tocqueville: Democracy in America (LOA #147): A New Translation by Arthur Goldhammer
16. The Great Bridge
David McCullough
The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
17. The Children's Blizzard
David Laskin
A History pick for readers exploring The Children's Blizzard.
18. Profiles in Courage
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
A History pick for readers exploring Profiles in Courage.

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