History · Similar reads
Books like The Story of Art
The best books like The Story of Art are The Painted Word, Steal Like an Artist, and The Creative Habit. The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich is about art history, visual perception, style and tradition. If that's what drew you in, here are 12 books that share its DNA — each summarized on Superbook, and ready to chat with in the app.
- The Painted Word
01
Tom Wolfe · Philosophy
The Painted Word began as a provocation and became a minor classic.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - Steal Like an Artist
02
Austin Kleon · Self-help
Steal Like an Artist is Austin Kleon's short, illustrated guide to the creative process, built around the premise that nothing is truly original — all creative work is built from and inspired by what came before.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - The Creative Habit
03
Twyla Tharp · Self-help
The Creative Habit is legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp's account of how creativity works in practice — not as inspiration but as habit, discipline, and preparation.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary →
- Ways of Seeing
04
John Berger · Philosophy
Ways of Seeing began as a BBC television series in 1972 and was published the same year as a slim, deliberately designed paperback.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
05
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
Charles C. Mann · History
Charles Mann's 1491 sets out to correct a widespread misconception: that the Americas before Columbus were a mostly empty wilderness populated by small, isolated bands of hunter-gatherers living in gentle harmony with an untouched nature.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
06
1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
Charles C. Mann · History
Where 1491 ends, 1493 begins.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - 1776
07
David McCullough · History
David McCullough's 1776, published in 2005, covers a single year of the American Revolution — from the winter siege of Boston through Washington's crossing of the Delaware and the surprise victory at Trenton.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - A Man on the Moon
08
Andrew Chaikin · History
A Man on the Moon is Andrew Chaikin's exhaustive narrative history of the Apollo program, from the first lunar orbit of Apollo 8 in 1968 through the final mission, Apollo 17, in 1972.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - A People's History of the United States
09
A People's History of the United States
Howard Zinn · History
Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, first published in 1980, retells American history from the perspective of those who rarely appear in conventional textbooks: Native Americans, enslaved people, industrial workers, women, immigrants, and dissidents of various kinds.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk
10
Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk
Peter L. Bernstein · History
Against the Gods is Peter Bernstein's intellectual history of how humanity learned to measure, quantify, and manage risk — a story he traces from ancient gambling in the Mediterranean through the development of modern probability theory, statistics, and financial derivatives.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
11
Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
Ben Macintyre · History
Eddie Chapman was a safecracker, con man, and professional criminal who became Britain's most remarkable double agent during World War II.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary → - All Quiet on the Western Front
12
All Quiet on the Western Front
Erich Maria Remarque · History
All Quiet on the Western Front follows Paul Bäumer, a young German soldier who enlists with his classmates during the First World War after being swept up in patriotic speeches.
A kindred history read.
Read the summary →
Books like The Story of Art: quick answers
What are the best books like The Story of Art?
The best books like The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich are The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe, Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, Ways of Seeing by John Berger, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann, plus 7 more below. Each was chosen for themes it shares with The Story of Art, such as art history, visual perception, style and tradition.
What should I read after The Story of Art?
A natural next read after The Story of Art is The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe. A kindred history read. Other strong choices are Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, Ways of Seeing by John Berger.
What books are similar to The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich?
The Story of Art centers on art history, visual perception, style and tradition. Books with a similar feel include The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe, Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, Ways of Seeing by John Berger, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann — all free to read and chat with on Superbook.
