Given that /his/ is practically brain dead, this board could be a better place to recommend history books.
I'll start: The Reformation in the Cities: the appeal of Protestantism to 16th century Germany and Switzerland by Steven Ozment
>>9132122
http://book4you.org/dl/2172414/1a793b
>>9132122
Sounds interesting. Thanks senpai.
I suggest Foucalt and Jared Diamond
Just finished this.
Exhaustive work, 1000 pages. Impressive that the author stays on course (his thesis is that the 19th century was defined by what amounts to a huge game of king of the hill amongst social progressives, jacobins, nationalists, and the faltering aristocracy, to say nothing of imperialists and entrepreneurs.
In this he argues that Protestantism was a relief from the burden of late medieval Catholicism. The evidence he uses is fascinating: pamphlets, questions asked in the confessionals, sermons etc. Really a great read.