The most recommended books about the city of Babylon

Who picked these books? Meet our 20 experts.

20 authors created a book list connected to Babylon, and here are their favorite Babylon books.
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Book cover of Scandal in Babylon

Poppy Frances

From Poppy's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Reader Nature lover Cat servant Analytical Campaigner

Poppy's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Poppy Frances Why did Poppy love this book?

I’ve long wished I could write such atmospheric scenes with so few words as Barbara Hambly manages, and to pack in so much detail while making it effortless for the reader.

The best scenes of all are multi-layered and hilarious. The base layer is being on a film set in a silent early Hollywood movie, with all the action of how it works, including the stars using lines that mean roughly what is on the cards between the scenes, but are far ruder. The next layer is a commentary on studio politics and rivalries, revenges and romances. The uppermost layer is Emma, the observer, and sometimes script writer, trying to solve the mystery while doing her job at the studio.

Awesome writing skill that I keep re-reading.

By Barbara Hambly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Scandal in Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“You shall never have a penny of my money. Leave me alone or I will shoot you dead!”

1924. After six months in Hollywood, young British widow Emma Blackstone has come to love her new employer, glamourous movie-star Kitty Flint – even if her late husband’s sister is one of the worst actresses she’s ever seen. Looking after Kitty and her three adorable Pekinese dogs isn’t work Emma dreamed of, but Kitty rescued her when she was all alone in the world. Now, the worst thing academically-minded Emma has to worry about is the shocking historical inaccuracies of the films…


Book cover of Babylon Berlin, German Visual Spectacle, and Global Media Culture

Sunka Simon Author Of German Crime Dramas from Network Television to Netflix

From my list on TV crime dramas.

Why am I passionate about this?

My mother called me a “television junkie.” In graduate school, where TV was not yet considered a worthwhile scholarly endeavor, I became enthralled by Twin Peaks and Roseanne. Rebelliously, I thought both had so much to say about gender studies and theories of postmodernism. Absent of an official curriculum, I started reading and writing about television history, medium specificity, genre theory and seriality. I got my PhD and published articles on film, TV, and my book. Since 1992, I have developed several television studies courses for our small media studies department: Crime Drama, Reality TV, Gender and Genre on Television, Transmedia Adaptations, and Media Rituals.

Sunka's book list on TV crime dramas

Sunka Simon Why did Sunka love this book?

It is not easy to find books in English about German television series, even if they are big hits on a globally accessible streaming platform. I love this book because it explores every facet of the rich audio-visual tapestry that is the period crime drama Babylon Berlin.

Given its complex narrative and allusion to specific events, the history buff in me wanted to know whether the specific atrocities (e.g., “Blood May”) were portrayed accurately, but I was similarly intrigued to read more about the pop music, club, and fashion scenes of Weimar era Berlin. The scholars’ different critical approaches enriched my viewing experience of the show’s third season immensely.

By Hester Baer (editor), Jill Suzanne Smith (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Babylon Berlin, German Visual Spectacle, and Global Media Culture as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The essays in this collection address the German television series Babylon Berlin and explore its unique contribution to contemporary visual culture. Since its inception in 2017 the series, a neo-noir thriller set in Berlin in the final years of the Weimar republic, has reached audiences throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas and has been met with both critical and popular acclaim. As a visual work rife with historical and contemporary citations Babylon Berlin offers its audience a panoramic view of politics, crime, culture, gender, and sexual relations in the German capital. Focusing especially on the intermedial and transhistorical dimensions of…


Book cover of Cold Moon Over Babylon

S. James McLaughlin Author Of The WVU Coed Murders: Who Killed Mared and Karen?

From my list on cleansing your true-crime palate.

Why am I passionate about this?

Lately, the state of the world is a big factor of negativity and rumination for me. To keep from getting jaded, I have to take periodic breaks from reading the news and researching crime cases. Fiction works as an escape, especially horror, which might sound like ugly-adjacent, but it’s cathartic. The characters aren’t real, so if anything happens to them, it’s not going to affect my psyche the way real families dealing with the murders of their loved ones does. Sometimes a perfectly-solved mystery or a revenge tale is a breath of fresh air compared to the unresolved loose ends of real life. 

S.'s book list on cleansing your true-crime palate

S. James McLaughlin Why did S. love this book?

I’ve been a fan of horror stories for as long as I could read.

(God bless those librarians who talked my mother into letting me bring home the books that I wanted to check out, or I wouldn’t be the person I am today.)

The scariest element of horror in my opinion, is a predator without boundaries in the physical world. Combining that element with rattlesnakes, uninterred graves, and river-soaked apparitions, you’ll get a southern gothic tale of revenge on a young girl’s murderer who usually finds himself immune to the law. 

By Michael McDowell, Mike Mignola (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cold Moon Over Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"The finest writer of paperback originals in America." - Stephen King

"Readers of weak constitution should beware." - Publishers Weekly

"McDowell has a flair for the gruesome." - Washington Post

Welcome to Babylon, a typical sleepy Alabama small town, where years earlier the Larkin family suffered a terrible tragedy. Now they are about to endure another: fourteen-year-old Margaret Larkin will be robbed of her innocence and her life by a killer who is beyond the reach of the law.

But something strange is happening in Babylon: traffic lights flash an eerie blue, a ghostly hand slithers from the drain of…


Book cover of Remembering Babylon

Katherine Johnson Author Of Paris Savages

From my list on "new" histories.

Why am I passionate about this?

I studied Human Zoos, the subject of Paris Savages, for my PhD. Tens of thousands of performers were transported to Europe and America for exhibition, reaching a peak in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. However, the stories of this time are largely Eurocentric. I sought to shine a light evocatively into this largely forgotten part of history, and to see it through fresh eyes. Paris Savages is an epic and very human tale that saw me reflect on teenage memories of exploring Fraser island. I also travelled to Europe to follow in the footsteps of the three Aboriginal performers the story is based on: Bonny, Jurano, and Dorondera.

Katherine's book list on "new" histories

Katherine Johnson Why did Katherine love this book?

The book provided instructive reading when I was researching my book. In particular, I was interested in Malouf’s way of approaching the story of colonisation in Australia through an ‘in-between’ character, Gemmy, modelled on a real-life ship’s boy cast ashore in northern Australia in the early nineteenth century. The boy is raised by Aboriginal people. He loses his mother tongue and, when confronted with white settlers, is treated as a ‘savage,' a theme the book explores through a range of points of view. Who are the true savages in the story was a question I was interested to pose in my own book

By David Malouf,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Remembering Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Originally published in 1996, this is a comprehensive and authoritative sourcebook packed with all the practical information parents need at every stage of their child's life, from before birth to age five years. Over 350 colour photographs and illustrations.


Book cover of Wonders Beyond Numbers: A Brief History of All Things Mathematical

Ian Stewart Author Of Flatterland: Like Flatland Only More So

From my list on to find out why math isn’t what you think.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a kid I read every popular math book I could lay my hands on. When I became a mathematician I wanted to do more than teaching and research. I wanted to tell everyone what a wonderful and vital subject math is. I started writing popular math books, and soon was up to my neck in radio, TV, news media, magazines... For 12 years I wrote the mathematical Recreations Column for Scientific American. I was only the second mathematician in 170 years to deliver the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, on TV with a live tiger. The University changed my job description: half research, half ‘outreach’. I had my dream job.

Ian's book list on to find out why math isn’t what you think

Ian Stewart Why did Ian love this book?

One of the friendliest routes into mathematics, for many people, is its history. In math, unlike many sciences, ideas last indefinitely. Pythagoras’s Theorem is about 4,000 years old, understood in ancient Babylon a thousand years before Pythagoras was born. It was true then, and it is still true today. The history of math tells of the construction of a towering edifice, with each new level built on top of the previous ones. There are many histories of mathematics, but none quite like this one. The author is a much-loved English TV personality, famous for his enthusiasm for math and his ability to make it entertaining for children of all ages. His book is a rollicking yarn, a wild ride that nonetheless remains true to its subject.

By Johnny Ball,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wonders Beyond Numbers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this book, Johnny Ball tells one of the most important stories in world history - the story of mathematics.

By introducing us to the major characters and leading us through many historical twists and turns, Johnny slowly unravels the tale of how humanity built up a knowledge and understanding of shapes, numbers and patterns from ancient times, a story that leads directly to the technological wonderland we live in today. As Galileo said, 'Everything in the universe is written in the language of mathematics', and Wonders Beyond Numbers is your guide to this language.

Mathematics is only one part…


Book cover of Fallen From Babel

Randy C. Dockens Author Of Mercy of the Iron Scepter

From my list on biblical prophecy in fiction format.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by science fiction and by Biblical Scripture. That may seem dichotomous to some, but not to me. I have a passion for science and for Scripture because both bring understanding about our world from the microcosm to the macrocosm. My writings are a mixture of science and mystery with a science fiction feel and a Christian perspective. I like stories that show how truth arises even from the dark, confusing, and ambiguity of life to help one discover something about God they may not have considered before, and at the same time enjoy a fun, fast-paced, and exciting journey as they read.

Randy's book list on biblical prophecy in fiction format

Randy C. Dockens Why did Randy love this book?

A man is teleported from modern times to ancient Babylon when he touches an artifact in a museum. While a lot of the Biblical narrative is not covered, it does allow one to really get a feel of what ancient Babylon would have been like and allows one to almost be a part of that culture. A truly intriguing storyline.

By T.L Higley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Fallen From Babel as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Peter Thornton doesn’t believe in God.

Or rather, he doesn’t believe in one God. “All paths are valid,” he teaches his university students.

One evening he ventures to the archaeology museum and touches an artifact recently discovered from ancient Babylon.

At the touch he is transported three thousand years back in time to Old Testament Babylon.

Somehow the people know him as Rim-Sin, sorcerer and high priest to the gods of Babylon. The moment he arrives he is accused of murder—a murder Rim-Sin committed—and he must run for his life.

Against the backdrop of Nebuchadnezzar’s court at its zenith, he…


Book cover of The Richest Man In Babylon

Monroe Mann Author Of The Theatrical Juggernaut: The Psyche of the Star

From my list on marketing books for aspiring professional actors, artists, and performers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have done some pretty cool things in the arts. To share a few, I’ve given TEDx talks, I have produced and co-starred in a film that made it to Cannes, I have written 11+ books (one of which was a Barnes & Noble # 1 best seller), I have spoken at SAG/AFTRA and Writer’s Guild, I am an entertainment attorney, and I have an album up on iTunes/Apple Music/Spotify, etc. I really love inspiring people, and helping them to achieve life dreams. I hope this list will help inspire some of you to go after your dreams, too, and with a passion!

Monroe's book list on marketing books for aspiring professional actors, artists, and performers

Monroe Mann Why did Monroe love this book?

Another book on money. I couldn’t have survived the leaner times as an actor without the lessons in this book about how important saving money is. It seems logical, but most people don’t do it or don’t do it correctly.

This book helped me to further increase my financial acumen. What happens to a successful actor who knows little about money? He loses his house and his car and loses out on great opportunities. I vowed never to be that type of actor. I vowed to be the entrepreneur that I know I am.

By George S. Clason,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Richest Man In Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Richest Man in Babylon, based on “Babylonian parables”, has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth.  In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys.  A celebrated bestseller, it offers an understanding and a solution to your personal financial problem.  Revealed inside are the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.

This original edition has the original language, content, and message from George S. Clason as intended in 1926.  It's all…


Book cover of The Postman

Christopher Farrar Author Of By the Waters of Babylon

From my list on fantasy and scifi about ethical and moral growth.

Why am I passionate about this?

My dad raised me on science fiction and fantasy. At first, it was enough for me to be entertained by stories of spaceflight, of rescuing maidens in distress, and of fighting bug-eyed monsters. But over the years, as I read more, I realized that I wanted stories with a moral or ethical center, stories where murder, mayhem, and war were to be avoided if possible, and where, if they couldn’t be avoided, the protagonists struggled deeply with the moral dimensions of the actions forced upon them. I wanted to see characters growing into their ethical consciousness.

Christopher's book list on fantasy and scifi about ethical and moral growth

Christopher Farrar Why did Christopher love this book?

I love this story of hope and the resurrection of civilization after a human-caused disaster. The story reminded me of the fundamental goodness of people and their need for connection, both to each other and to something bigger than themselves to which they can belong.

It’s also the story of a man who stumbles into a new life and of the growth within himself of his own sense of value and purpose. In the midst of all the darkness and malevolence around us, it speaks to us of the profound aspirations and truths of human life.

By David Brin,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Postman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • “A moving experience . . . a powerful cautionary tale.”—Whitley Strieber

He was a survivor—a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war.  

Fate touches him one chill winter’s day when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker to protect himself from the cold. The old, worn uniform still has power as a symbol of hope, and with it he begins to weave his greatest tale, of a nation on the road to recovery.

This is the story of a lie that…


Book cover of Babylon Rising

Allen Ballantine Author Of Knight of the Wood

From my list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to read, and a good story is one thing. But once you’ve read the story, you know how it ends. It’s the characters in the story that determine if you want to go back and read them again. These are stories that I enjoy reading over again, (some several times) although I know how the story ends. The characters in these stories have inspired me to write my own.

Allen's book list on fantasy characters that will keep you coming back

Allen Ballantine Why did Allen love this book?

Although this technically isn’t a fantasy book, it’s still one of my favorites. Dr. Michael Murphy is a biblical prophecy scholar and archaeologist. A modern-day Indiana Jones with a mysterious and dangerous benefactor who gives him clues to find ancient biblical artifacts while a diabolical cabal is intent on stopping him. A thrilling read that’s hard to put down.

By Tim LaHaye, Greg Dinallo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Babylon Rising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tim LaHaye created the Left Behind Series, which has become one of the most popular fiction series of all time. Those novels, with more that 50 million copies sold, presented a unique combination of suspense and substance drawn from his lifelong study of Biblical prophecy.

Now Tim LaHaye has created a new series that begins with Babylon Rising. The novels in this new series are even faster-paced thrillers based on prophecies that are not covered in the Left Behind books and that have great relevance to the events of today.

Babylon Risingintroduces a terrific new hero for our time. Michael…


Book cover of How to Say Babylon: A Memoir

C.C. Avram Author Of The Pianist and Min Jade

From my list on World books that introduce different cultures.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an intrepid traveler and appreciate the perspective that traveling affords and the humanity it can engender. I have had the good fortune of traveling to over 60 countries, and for all my books, I have not only traveled to the country or place where they have been set but spent time learning and living the culture. I am a book and world lover, and if I can’t physically go there, I can be transported there through books.

C.C.'s book list on World books that introduce different cultures

C.C. Avram Why did C.C. love this book?

I just could not put this book down. Apart from learning new things a mile a minute, my vocabulary increased. Sinclair takes a deep dive into the life and culture of Rastafarians, and since I love Bob Marley, this was especially intriguing. Most of all, she can write—I mean really write.

By Safiya Sinclair,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How to Say Babylon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With echoes of Educated and Born a Crime, How to Say Babylon is the stunning story of the author’s struggle to break free of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing, ruled by her father’s strict patriarchal views and repressive control of her childhood, to find her own voice as a woman and poet.

Throughout her childhood, Safiya Sinclair’s father, a volatile reggae musician and militant adherent to a strict sect of Rastafari, became obsessed with her purity, in particular, with the threat of what Rastas call Babylon, the immoral and corrupting influences of the Western world outside their home. He worried that…


Book cover of Scandal in Babylon
Book cover of Babylon Berlin, German Visual Spectacle, and Global Media Culture
Book cover of Cold Moon Over Babylon

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