Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1980 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 2 | Communism | 1994 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 3 | London | 1995 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 4 | The Balkans | 2000 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 5 | The German Empire | 2000 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 6 | The Catholic Church | 2001 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 7 | Peoples and Empires | 2001 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 8 | Hitler and the Holocaust | 2001 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 9 | Law in America | 2002 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 10 | The American Revolution | 2002 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 11 | Inventing Japan | 2003 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 12 | The Americas | 2003 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 13 | The Boys’ Crusade | 2003 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 14 | The Reformation | 2003 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 15 | The Company | 2003 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 16 | The Age of Shakespeare | 2004 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 17 | The Age of Napoleon | 2004 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 18 | Infinite Ascent | 2004 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 19 | Evolution | 2004 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 20 | Nazism and War | 2004 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 21 | The City | 2005 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 22 | A Short History of Medicine | 2006 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 23 | Storm from the East | 2006 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 24 | Baseball | 2006 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 25 | The Hellenistic Age | 2007 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 26 | Prehistory | 2007 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 27 | The Renaissance | 2007 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 28 | Islam | 2007 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 29 | The Christian World | 2008 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 30 | Dangerous Games | 2008 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 31 | The Romantic Revolution | 2010 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
| 32 | The Korean War | 2010 | Ian Buruma | Buy |
The Modern Library Chronicles are short, accessible introductions to major historical subjects. Each volume is written by a recognized authority, and the series covers everything from the Catholic Church to baseball to the Renaissance.
Ian Buruma’s contribution, Inventing Japan (2003), traces the rapid modernization of Japan from the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1853 through the postwar reconstruction. The series is designed for general readers who want a concise, well-written overview of a broad topic.