History Nerds Popular Books
History Nerds Biography & Facts
A nerd is a person seen as overly intellectual, obsessive, introverted, or lacking social skills. Such a person may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, little known, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical, abstract, or relating to niche topics such as science fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Additionally, many so-called nerds are described as being shy, quirky, pedantic, and unattractive. Originally derogatory, the term "nerd" was a stereotype, but as with other pejoratives, it has been reclaimed and redefined by some as a term of pride and group identity. Etymology The first documented appearance of the word nerd is as the name of a creature in Dr. Seuss's book If I Ran the Zoo (1950), in which the narrator Gerald McGrew claims that he would collect "a Nerkle, a Nerd, and a Seersucker too" for his imaginary zoo. The slang meaning of the term dates to 1951. That year, Newsweek magazine reported on its popular use as a synonym for drip or square in Detroit, Michigan. By the early 1960s, usage of the term had spread throughout the United States, and even as far as Scotland. At some point, the word took on connotations of bookishness and social ineptitude. An alternate spelling, as nurd or gnurd, also began to appear in the mid-1960s, or early 1970s. Author Philip K. Dick claimed to have coined the "nurd" spelling in 1973, but its first recorded use appeared in a 1965 student publication at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Oral tradition there holds that the word is derived from knurd (drunk spelled backwards), which was used to describe people who studied rather than partied. The term gnurd (spelled with the "g") was in use at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by the year 1965. The term "nurd" was also in use at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as early as 1971. According to Online Etymology Dictionary, the word is an alteration of the 1940s term "nert " (meaning "stupid or crazy person"), which is in itself an alteration of "nut" (nutcase). The term was popularized in the 1970s by its heavy use in the sitcom Happy Days. Culture Stereotype Because of the nerd stereotype, many smart people are often thought of as nerdy. This belief can be harmful, as it can cause high-school students to "switch off their lights" out of fear of being branded as a nerd, and cause otherwise appealing people to be considered nerdy simply for their intellect. It was once thought that intellectuals were nerdy because they were envied. However, Paul Graham stated in his essay, "Why Nerds are Unpopular", that intellect is neutral, meaning that you are neither loved nor despised for it. He also states that it is only the correlation that makes smart teens automatically seem nerdy, and that a nerd is someone that is not socially adept enough. Additionally, he says that the reason why many smart kids are unpopular is that they "don't have time for the activities required for popularity." Stereotypical nerd appearance, often lampooned in caricatures, can include very large glasses, dental braces, buck teeth, severe acne and pants worn high at the waist. Following suit of popular use in emoticons, Unicode released in 2015 its "Nerd Face" character, featuring some of those stereotypes: đ€ (code point U+1F913). In the media, many nerds are males, portrayed as being physically unfit, either overweight or skinny due to lack of physical exercise. It has been suggested by some, such as linguist Mary Bucholtz, that being a nerd may be a state of being "hyperwhite" and rejecting African-American culture and slang that "cool" white children use. However, after the Revenge of the Nerds movie franchise (with multicultural nerds), and the introduction of the Steve Urkel character on the television series Family Matters, nerds have been seen in all races and colors as well as more recently being a frequent young East Asian or Indian male stereotype in North America. Portrayal of "nerd girls", in films such as She's Out of Control, Welcome to the Dollhouse and She's All That depicts that smart but nerdy women might suffer later in life if they do not focus on improving their physical attractiveness. In the United States, a 2010 study published in the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication indicated that Asian Americans are perceived as most likely to be nerds, followed by White Americans, while non-White Hispanics and African Americans were perceived as least likely to be nerds. These stereotypes stem from concepts of Orientalism and Primitivism, as discussed in Ron Eglash's essay "Race, Sex, and Nerds: From Black Geeks to Asian American Hipsters". Some of the stereotypical behaviors associated with the "nerd" stereotype have correlations with the traits of Asperger syndrome or other autism spectrum conditions. Pride The rise of Silicon Valley and the American computer industry at large has allowed many so-called "nerdy people" to accumulate large fortunes and influence media culture. Many stereotypically nerdy interests, such as superhero, fantasy and science fiction works, are now international popular culture hits. Some measures of nerdiness are now allegedly considered desirable, as, to some, it suggests a person who is intelligent, respectful, interesting, and able to earn a large salary. Stereotypical nerd qualities are evolving, going from awkwardness and social ostracism to an allegedly more widespread acceptance and sometimes even celebration of their differences. Johannes Grenzfurthner, researcher, self-proclaimed nerd and director of nerd documentary Traceroute, reflects on the emergence of nerds and nerd culture: I think that the figure of the nerd provides a beautiful template for analyzing the transformation of the disciplinary society into the control society. The nerd, in his cliche form, first stepped out upon the world stage in the mid-1970s, when we were beginning to hear the first rumblings of what would become the Cambrian explosion of the information society. The nerd must serve as comic relief for the future-anxieties of Western society. ...The germ cell of burgeoning nerdism is difference. The yearning to be understood, to find opportunities to share experiences, to not be left alone with one's bizarre interest. At the same time one derives an almost perverse pleasure from wallowing in this deficit. Nerds love deficiency: that of the other, but also their own. Nerds are eager explorers, who enjoy measuring themselves against one another and also compete aggressively. And yet the nerd's existence also comprises an element of the occult, of mystery. The way in which this power is expressed or focused is very important. In the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds, Robert Carradine worked to embody the nerd stereotype; in doing so, he helped create a definitive image of nerds. Additionally, the storyline presaged, and may have helped inspire, the "nerd pride" that em.... Discover the History Nerds popular books. Find the top 100 most popular History Nerds books.
Best Seller History Nerds Books of 2024
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Stuff Every Geek Should Know
Quirk BooksPacked with tips, articles, and howtos on everything from performing Jedi mind tricks to creating your own cosplay gear to wooing the geek of your dreams, Stuff Every Geek Sho...
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Out of Captivity
Marc Gonsalves, Tom Howes, Keith Stansell & Gary Brozekâ[A] remarkable storyâŠ.An honest and harrowing memoir of a lifechanging ordeal.â Arizona RepublicThe spellbinding New York Times bestseller, Out of Captivity is the amazing true st...
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The Golden Ratio
Mario LivioThroughout history, thinkers from mathematicians to theologians have pondered the mysterious relationship between numbers and the nature of reality. In this fascinating book, M...
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God Save Texas
Lawrence WrightNATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST The Pulitzer Prizewinning author of The Looming Towerand a Texas nativetakes us on a journey through the most controversial state in Am...
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Know the Past, Find the Future
Various AuthorsFrom Laurie Anderson to Vampire Weekend, Roy Blount, Jr., to RenĂ©e Fleming, Stephen Colbert to Bill T. Jonesmore than 100 luminaries reflect on the treasures of Americaâs favorite ...
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Korea
Simon WinchesterIn the late 1980s, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester set out on foot to discover the Republic of Korea from its southern tip to the North Korean border ...
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Delta Force
Charlie A. Beckwith & Donald KnoxThe only insiderâČs account ever written on AmericaâČs most powerful weapon in the war against terrorism
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Careless People
Sarah ChurchwellKirkus (STARRED review)"Churchwell... has written an excellent book... sheâs earned the right to play on [Fitzgerald's] court. Prodigious research and fierce affection illumine eve...
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Hidden Valley Road
Robert Kolker#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER OPRAHâS BOOK CLUB PICK ONE OF GQ's TOP 50 BOOKS OF LITERARY JOURNALISM IN THE 21st CENTURY The heartrending story of a midcentury American fami...
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The Monk of Mokha
Dave EggersNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER âA gripping, triumphant adventureâ (Los Angeles Times) from the bestselling author of The Circlethe incredible true story of a young Yemeni American man,...
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The Origin Of Species
Charles Darwin & Julian HuxleyCharles Darwinâs classic that exploded into public controversy, revolutionized the course of science, and continues to transform our views of the world.Few other books have created...
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The Mosquito
Timothy C. WinegardThe instant New York Times bestseller.An international bestseller.Finalist for the Lane Anderson AwardFinalist for the RBC Taylor AwardâHugely impressive, a major work.âNPRA pionee...
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The Measure of a Man
Sidney Poitier"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite the contrary, I began this book as an explorat...
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SuperFreakonomics
Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. DubnerFreakonomics lived on the New York Times bestseller list for an astonishing two years. Now authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with more iconoclastic insights and...
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Hunting the Falcon
John Guy & Julia FoxâA fierce, scholarly tourdeforce. . . . Hunting the Falcon brilliantly shows how time, circumstance and politics combined to accelerate Anneâs triumph and tragedy." ...
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Clouds of Glory
Michael KordaNew York Times Bestseller"Lively, approachable, and captivating. Like Lee himself, everything about Clouds of Glory is on a grand scale." Boston GlobeMichael Korda, the acclaimed b...
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Moonwalking with Einstein
Joshua FoerThe blockbuster phenomenon that charts an amazing journey of the mind while revolutionizing our concept of memoryâHighly entertaining.â Adam Gopnik, The New YorkerâFunny, curious, ...
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Area 51
Annie JacobsenThis "compellingly hardhitting" bestseller from a Pulitzer Prize finalist gives readers the complete untold story of the topsecret military base for the first time (New York Times)...
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The Bright Ages
Matthew Gabriele & David M. Perry"The beauty and levity that Perry and Gabriele have captured in this book are what I think will help it to become a standard text for general audiences for years to comeâŠ.The Brigh...
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World War Z
Max Brooks#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER âPrepare to be entranced by this addictively readable oral history of the great war between humans and zombies.âEntertainment Weekly We...
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A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawkingâs book explores such profound questions as: How di...
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Foundation and Earth
Isaac AsimovThe fifth novel in Isaac Asimovâs classic sciencefiction masterpiece, the Foundation seriesTHE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATIONGolan Trevize, former Cou...
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The Bastard Brigade
Sam KeanFrom New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes the gripping, untold story of a renegade group of scientists and spies determined to keep Adolf Hitler from obtaining the ulti...
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The Man Who Loved China
Simon WinchesterIn sumptuous and illuminating detail, Simon Winchester, the bestselling author of The Professor and the Madman ("Elegant and scrupulous"New York Times Book Review) and...
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Marco Polo
John Man"I have read everything written on Marco Polo, and John Man's book is, by far, my favorite work on the subject. It's not only an overdue and important historical study, it's an ent...
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Drown
Junot DĂazFrom the beloved and awardwinning author Junot DĂaz, a spellbinding saga of a familyâs journey through the New World. A comingofage story of unparalleled power, Drown introd...
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The Third Gate
Lincoln ChildNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An archaeological expedition digging where it shouldnât ... A crown so powerful it is rumored to be cursed ... And the one man who can explain it all ......
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Jungle of Stone
William CarlsenThe acclaimed chronicle of the discovery of the legendary lost civilization of the Maya. Includes the history of the major Maya sites, including Palenque, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Tulo...
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Eaters of the Dead
Michael CrichtonFrom the bestselling author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes an epic tale of unspeakable horror. It is 922 A.D. The refined Arab courtier Ibn F...
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The Woman Who Smashed Codes
Jason FagoneNational Bestseller NPR Best Book of the YearâNot all superheroes wear capes, and Elizebeth Smith Friedman should be the subject of a future Wonder Woman movie.â The New York ...
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The Mansions of Limbo
Dominick DunneBestselling author Dominick Dunne, who chronicles the escapades, excesses, and eccentricities of high society for Vanity Fair, offers fifteen provocative portraits of some of the m...
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The Mockingbird Next Door
Marja MillsTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the best loved novels of the twentieth century. But for the last fifty years, the novelâs celebrated author, Harper Lee, has said almo...
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How Not to Be Wrong
Jordan EllenbergâWitty, compelling, and just plain fun to read . . ." Evelyn Lamb, Scientific AmericanThe Freakonomics of matha mathworld superstar unveils the hidden beauty and logic of...
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Slash
Slash & Anthony BozzaFrom one of the greatest rock guitarists of our era comes a memoir that redefines sex, drugs, and rock 'n' rollHe was born in England but reared in L.A., surrounded by the leading ...
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Alexander the Great
Norman F. Cantor"Alexander's behavior was conditioned along certain lines heroism, courage, strength, superstition, bisexuality, intoxication, cruelty. He bestrode Europe and Asia like a supernat...
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A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier
Joseph Plumb Martin, Thomas Fleming & William Chad StanleyWith a new afterword by William Chad Stanley Here a private in the Continental Army of the Revolutionary War narrates his adventures in the army of a newborn country.
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Just Kids
Patti SmithWINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path o...
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Ali in Wonderland
Ali WentworthMix 1 oz. Chelsea Handler, 1.5 oz. Nora Ephron, finish with a twist of Tina Fey, and you get Ali in Wonderland, the uproarious, revealing, and heartfelt memoir from acclaimed actre...
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The Fabric of the Cosmos
Brian GreeneNATIONAL BESTSELLER From one of the worldâs leading physicists and author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe, comes âan astonishing rideâ through the universe (Th...
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To Rescue the Constitution
Bret BaierInstant New York Times Bestseller#1 New York Times bestselling author Bret Baier reveals how George Washington saved the Constitutionâand the American experiment"To...
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The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor RooseveltA candid and insightful look at an era and a life through the eyes of one of the most remarkable Americans of the twentieth century, First Lady and humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt.T...
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Lost to the West
Lars BrownworthFilled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals...
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To Explain the World
Steven WeinbergA masterful commentary on the history of science from the Greeks to modern times, by Nobel Prizewinning physicist Steven Weinberga thoughtprovoking and important book by one of the...
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In Search of a Kingdom
Laurence BergreenâFASCINATING . . . Dramatic and timely.â New York Times Book Review, Editors' ChoiceIn this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan and Columb...
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Anne Frank
Francine ProseâProseâs book is a stunning achievement. . . . Now Anne Frank stands before us. . . a figure who will live not only in history but also in the literature she aspired to create.â...