Victor Davis Hanson is a popular American commentator, professor, and historian who has written several books on war, politics, the military, and history. Here, we’ll look at the best books by Victor Davis Hanson for your TBR list.
Who is Victor Davis Hanson?
Victor Davis Hanson is an American commentator, military historian, and writer. He was born in Fowler, California, and grew up on his grandfather’s raisin farm.
Hanson graduated from Selma High School and received his B.A. at Cowell College at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 1980, Hanson got his PhD in classics from Stanford University.
Five years later, Hanson began his academic career when California State University, Fresno, hired him to develop a classical studies program. He studied military history and became a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. Hanson retired early (in 2004) to focus on his writing.
Over the years, Hanson received numerous awards for his success. Some of these awards are American Philological Association’s Excellence in Teaching Award, National Humanities Medal, Eric Breindel Prize for opinion journalism, and the William F. Buckley Prize.
Hanson has worked as a commentator for the Wall Street Journal, National Review, The New Tork TImes, The Washington Times, and many others.
The best Victor Davis Hanson books
Here are short book reviews of the best Victor Davis Hanson titles:
An Autumn of War: What America Learned from September 11 and the War on Terrorism
This book is a collection of essays Hanson wrote from September to December 2001. Hanson wrote the first essays only hours after the September 11 attacks. He states that whether or not America likes it, they are at war and have to respond with force.
The essays stimulate readers to think about the attack and counterattack, their implications, causes, and consequences.
Warfare and Agriculture in Classical Greece
This is Hanson’s PhD thesis. In this book, Hanson tackles the relationship between agriculture and warfare in classical Greece. Based on his findings, Hanson argues that these two important aspects of life in ancient Greek communities were very much connected.
Hanson notes that attacks on agriculture in ancient Greece almost never resulted in famine, desolation, or rural depression. These were typically the result of changes in political structures, taxes, and different cultural values.
A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War
This book is an in-depth review of the Peloponnesian War fought between Athens and Sparta and the colossal absurdity that led to Sparta’s victory.
Henson details the guerilla tactics, sea battles, and siege operations and considers the war’s economic aspects. The writer also compares the Peloponnesian War to more recent conflicts like the Cold War and WWII.
Fields Without Dreams: Defending the Agrarain Ideal
As someone who came from a family of farmers, Hanson is deeply concerned with agrarianism and the way that Americans don’t seem to care about family farms. Hanson writes this book from his own perspective, relying on his and his neighbors’ experiences.
He reminds readers that the origins of the entire Western civilization stem from agrarianism and discusses the potential consequences of eliminating the family farm.
The author suggests ways to remedy the situation and help family farms succeed.
Ripples of Battle: How Wars of the Past Still Determine How We Fight, How We Live, and How We Think
Here, the author examines significant battles from the past and describes how they affect us today. He describes the battles in reverse chronological order, starting with more familiar ones and going back to ancient history.
The Dying Citizen: How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America
Here, the New York Times bestselling author describes how the idea of American citizenship has changed and warns of its decline. He says that American citizenship as we know it may soon disappear and describes the events and changes that are the cause.
Hanson claims there’s hope and says that Americans can rebuild what they’ve lost.
The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece
In this book, the author explains that the Greeks set the foundations and invented the central ideas for the development of Western warfare. The book offers detailed insight into the mechanics of Greek battles.
Hanson sites on a wide range of sources, from historical records to Greek poetry and drama.
The introduction was written by John Keegan, a famous military historian and author.
Who Killed Homer? The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom
This book was co-authored by Victor Davis Hanson and John Heath. The two classicists discuss the rapid demise of classical Greek learning in the west. They defend the more traditional approach to the classics and suggest how to recover Greek wisdom.
The Soul of Battle: From Ancient Times to the Present Day, How Three Great Liberators Vanquished Tyranny
Here, the author focuses on three liberators: Thebes, William T. Sherman, and George S. Patton, who stopped enemies considered indestructible at the time. He writes about how this is possible and digs deep into democracy.
According to the author, democracies can produce fierce killers and quickly exterminate what they consider evil. The question that remains is, “What was the true intent of the liberators?”
Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power
In this book, Hanson analyzes nine battles between Western and non-Western forces. He refrains from romanticizing the battles and portrays their brutality. Hanson mentions the technology-based lethality of the Western forces and the crucial differences between the Western individual initiatives and non-Western collectivist strategies.
Other books by Victor Davis Hanson you don’t want to miss are:
- The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won
- Mexifornia: A State of Becoming
- The End of Sparta: A Novel
- The Wars Of the Ancient Greeks and Their Invention Of Western Military Culture
- Between War and Peace: Lessons from Afghanistan to Iraq
- The Other Greeks: The Family Farm & the Agrarian Roots of Western Civilization
- Makers of Ancient Strategy: From the Persian Wars to the Fall of Rome
- The Case for Trump
- The Father of Us All: War and History, Ancient and Modern
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FAQ
Who is Victor Davis Hanson wife?
His wife is Cara Hanson.
Does Victor Davis Hanson have children?
Yes, Victor Davis Hanson has three children.
What is Victor Davis Hanson’s occupation?
He’s a writer, historian, professor, farmer, commentator, columnist, and journalist.
What is the name of Victor Davis Hanson’s first book?
His first book and PhD thesis is Warfare and Agriculture.
