Best non-fiction historical book

[Wanttocry]

What is the best non-fiction historical book you’ve read? I quite like reading non-fiction sometimes, really enjoyed The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir, but I’m not only interested in Tudor history (or even UK history). But it’s hard to know what will be good reading for a non-expert, in depth enough to be interesting, but not so detailed that I need to know lots before starting.
Any recommendations? Don’t really have a preference on time period or country, but would prefer pre-1900.

Gentleman's Blood: A history of Dueling

This was really interesting, lots of examples of famous historical figures who fought in duels and the etiquette around it.

It's not a dense dry book either, there's a good sense of humour that I enjoyed for a subject that is quite grim when you think about it.

Killers of the King by Charles Spencer.
Its a study of the lives of the men who condemned Charles I after the trial. It didn''t end well for most of them.

I thought The Five by Hallie Rubenhold was really good.
Also, the Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell and The Victorians by AN Wilson.

Ooh I was going to recommend the Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell but @weebarra has beaten me to it. It's more modern history but their lives were extraordinary.

Those who liked the Mitford Girls - try The Viceroy's Daughters by Anne de Courcy.

Same type of era and brushing shoulders with the same people. These are the three daughters of Lord Curzon and I ended up pitying their lives, really. But very interesting.

I really enjoyed The Moneymaker and The Arcanum by Janet Gleeson. About the founder of paper money and the invention of porcelain.

Not historical but another winner for me was Fermat's Last Theorum by Simon Singh (OK, perhaps historical maths).

My favourites are
Elizabeth the Queen by Alison Weir love love love this book, have read it about 10 times.
A Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer, basically written like a travel guide explains where to stay, what to eat, work, leisure. There's even a section on jokes. So rich with detail.
Wild Swans by Jung Chang (the story of her grandmother who had bound feet, mother who was in the communist party and herself who was seriously into the cult of Mao).
This is going to Hurt by Adam Kay, junior doctor memoir.
Winter King by Thomas Penn ( biography of Henry VI).
Also included a couple of autobiographies- I am very selective with them as the writer has to have either a great writing style or a fascinating life but preferably both!
American Prince by Tony Curtis, warts and all surprisingly honest autobiography.
Lastly David Niven autobiographies Bring on the Empty Horses and The Moon's a Balloon. I love his warm, chatty style of writing, it's almost like you are sat at the bar while he regales you with tales of Hollywood's golden age.

**In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larsen - the blurb says
“Berlin, 1933. William E. Dodd is a mild-mannered academic from Chicago who becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany. This book tells the true stroy of love, intrigue and emerging terror at the American embassy in Berlin during the tumultuous 12 months that witnessed Hitler's rise to power.”

I loved this book and often think about it years after reading it.

Another book I enjoyed is The Mystery of King John's Treasure by Shirley Charters. It's a day by day account of King John's journey across The Wash and what could have happened to the treasure.