Parts of "A Town like Alice," by Nevil Shute, are set during World War II and I just personally think it is a wonderful novel, very readable and involving. I loved two nonfiction books by Erik Larson. Each of them are a fascinating intertwining of a "straight" event in history and a "true crime" story. "Thunderstruck" is about Marconi's development of radio, and about the Crippen murder case. The murderer was trying to escape on a fast ocean liner and had no idea he was being chased by a Scotland Yard detective in a faster ocean liner... and that the Marconi operator was radioing back details, and people were reading about him and the chase in newspapers as it was actually happening.. "The Devil in the White City" is about a horrifying murder cases that took place during the time of the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, which he justifiably calls "The Fair that Changed America."

I think that most people that age in my country read online, rather than reading 'real' books any more. What's more, young people often move around, and there might be some temptation to leave books behind when he moves. Perhaps something with good illustrations? A good detailed photograph in a book is often a lot more detailed and more impressive than pictures on a screen.

Yes, art history, politics of the two world wars etc.

What kind of history does he read? (art, politics, European, Chinese...)