The Pursuit of Power by William H McNeill (1982))

I normally don't enjoy these dense, phonebook-long history textbooks with too many names, dates.  But this book is fantastic; there is never a dull moment.  It is deeply insightful and posits the author's theories of larger, sociological nation-state behaviors not only of the leaders but the populations.  5/5 Stars.  I am grateful someone at work recommended the book.