Currently reading 1177BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed. The Sea Peoples have longed been blamed for the collapse of the Bronze Age civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean. Historians and archaeologists for decades have been trying to identify who these Sea Peoples, first discussed in Egyptian sources, were and where they came from. As one might expect the story is quite a bit more complex than the story of invaders from afar and the picture that is developing has gained much from continuing excavations as well as DNA analysis.
Recently finished Fears of a Setting Sun. Wonderful counterweight to the notion of the so-called wisdom of the founding fathers. Of course, all were flawed men and they all knew the constitution, being a product of compromise, was a flawed document. Turns out, however, all save Madison, were profoundly disillusioned at the end of their lives about the country and didn't expect the country to hold together much past their lifetimes. Spoiler alert, save Jefferson, all thought the problem was TOO MUCH democracy.
I thought I needed a break from my extended rambles in the 15th and 16th centuries and as the Python's say "and now for something completely different" I picked up Alan Lightman's The Horde
