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Kenneth C. Davis

Kenneth C. Davis is a New York Times bestselling author best known for his "Don't Know Much About®" series, which revolutionized popular history writing by making complex subjects accessible and engaging. The series debuted with "Don't Know Much About® History," which spent 35 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold over 1.6 million copies. His works, including "America's Hidden History," "A Nation Rising," and "The Hidden History of America at War," combine rigorous research with compelling narratives to uncover overlooked aspects of American history. Publishers Weekly has praised Davis as "a go-to guy for historical insight and analysis."

Davis specializes in examining lesser-known historical narratives through meticulously researched yet approachable prose. His book "In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives" explores the complex relationship between slavery and the American presidency. Other notable works include "More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War" and "Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy," which was named among the best books of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews and the Washington Post. His 2022 release, "Great Short Books: A Year of Reading—Briefly," showcases his literary versatility as a celebration of concise literature.

Continuing his exploration of impactful writing, Davis is preparing to release "The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction" in October 2024. This forthcoming work reflects his commitment to making significant nonfiction accessible to general readers. Throughout his career, Davis has demonstrated a unique ability to transform historical scholarship into engaging narratives that resonate with both casual readers and history enthusiasts alike.
Don't Know Much About Books
# Title Year
1 Don't Know Much about History 1990
2 Don't Know Much About Geography 1992
3 Don't Know Much About the Civil War 1996
4 Don't Know Much About the Bible 1998
5 Don't Know Much About the Universe 2001
6 Don't Know Much about Planet Earth 2001
7 Don't Know Much About Space 2001
8 Don't Know Much About the American Presidents 2001
9 Don't Know Much about the Kings and Queens of England 2002
10 Don't Know Much About the Pilgrims 2002
11 Don't Know Much about George Washington 2003
12 Don't Know Much about Sitting Bull 2003
13 Don't Know Much About the Pioneers 2003
14 Don't Know Much About American History 2003
15 Don't Know Much about Abraham Lincoln 2004
16 Don't Know Much about Dinosaurs 2004
17 Don't Know Much About the 50 States 2004
18 Don't Know Much About the Solar System 2004
19 Don't Know Much About Rosa Parks 2005
20 Don't Know Much about Mummies 2005
21 Don't Know Much About Mythology 2005
22 Don't Know Much about World Myths 2005
23 Don't Know Much about Thomas Jefferson 2005
24 Don't Know Much about Martin Luther King JR. 2005
25 Don't Know Much About Anything 2007
26 Don't Know Much About Anything Else 2008
27 Don't Know Much About Literature 2009
28 Don't Know Much about Shakespeare 2010
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Two-Bit Culture: The Paperbacking of America (With: Joann Giusto-Davis) 1984
2 America's Hidden History 2008
3 A Nation Rising 2010
4 The Hidden History of America at War 2015
5 In the Shadow of Liberty 2016
6 More Deadly Than War 2018
7 Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of Democracy 2020
Kenneth C. Davis Anthologies
# Title Year
1 10 Common Core Essentials 2013
2 Great Short Books: A Year of Reading—Briefly 2022
3 The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction 2024