The first is “1453”, which is about the Siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks and the end of the Byzantine Empire. The second is called “Empires of the Sea”. It is a kind of follow up, looking at the clash between Christians(primarily Spain) and Muslims(primarily Turks) in the Mediterranean during the 16th Century.
Both are very well written nonfiction that read like novels.
I'd also throw out “Causes Lost, Won, and Forgotten” by Gary Gallagher. The main theme is how the Civil War has been portrayed in movies since Birth of a Nation.
I love nonfiction that read like novels, it’s like you’re enjoying two different genres at the same time. Thank you for those, they sound very interesting.!