Book cover of Ukraine: The Forging of a Nation

Book description

'Both pioneering and fundamental. This is the essential history of Ukraine, from one of the greatest Ukrainian thinkers and scholars.'
Timothy Snyder #1 New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of On Tyranny

'Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak's vivid, sweeping book lays bare the enduring pride that persuaded his…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Ukraine as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I think Hrytsak’s book–which was a bestseller in Ukraine when it first appeared–is the best single-volume history of Ukraine available in English. I heard Hrytsak speak in Lviv, Ukraine, in 2011, where he teaches at the Ukrainian Catholic University, and was taken by his ability to mix the broad sweep of history with telling anecdotes.

This book showcases Hrytsak’s abilities and reveals how Ukraine emerged over the centuries, how Ukrainian identities developed, and how Ukrainians have created a civic nation since communism’s collapse.

I particularly like his “interludes,” in which Hrytsak breaks up the chronological narrative with short essays about…

If you love Ukraine...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like Ukraine?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Ukraine.

Browse books like Ukraine

Book cover of In the Midst of Civilized Europe: The Pogroms of 1918-1921 and the Onset of the Holocaust
Book cover of Children of Rus': Right-Bank Ukraine and the Invention of a Russian Nation
Book cover of The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

166

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Ukraine, you might also like...

Book cover of Sexy Selfie Nation: Standing Up for Yourself in Today's Toxic, Sexist Culture

Sexy Selfie Nation by Leora Tanenbaum,

The problem is not with the actions young women take but with the toxic, sexist conditions they are responding to.

Tanenbaum found, based on six years of interviews with young people ages 14-30, that young women are navigating a culture littered with gendered dress codes, revenge porn, and sexually explicit…

Book cover of In This Together: Connecting with Your Community to Combat the Climate Crisis

In This Together by Marianne E. Krasny,

In This Together explores how we can harness our social networks to make a real impact fighting the climate crisis. Against notions of the lone environmental crusader, Marianne E. Krasny shows us the power of "network climate action"—the idea that our own ordinary acts can influence and inspire those close…

5 book lists we think you will like!