Although I enjoyed learning about History when I was in school, it was one of the more teacher-dependent topics. Poor teachers who did not bring any enthusiasm to the subject could make it unbearable. Those who seemed even somewhat interested could hook me. The downside of history was that I often felt overwhelmed by the amount of it. After finishing school, I'd sometimes joke with friends that I couldn't wait until retirement so I could become a history buff.

Digging into history requires one to be selective. Since there is too much of it out there for anyone to get their head around, one must pick a few specific areas to explore. I've been thinking about this even though I still don't have enough time to do much more than that. I have been asking myself what Historical Events or periods I'd like to start with if I had time to pick up a few books. I've come up with two ideas so far, and both of them are relevant to atheism.