From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe history booksthe history booksthe record of past events Mozart’s genius earned him a place in the history books. → history
Examples from the Corpus
the history books• Where does the dividing line come between yesterday's news and the history books?• Democrats want a convention for the history books.• Every New Hampshire presidential primary is one for the history books.• The blighters have even been immortalised in the history books.• The battle is important in the history books as one of the final skirmishes in that war, as Gen.• Alas, like so many things which get into the history books, it wasn't quite like that.• And straight into the history books at Royal Belfast Academical Institution.• Moms have always worked, but it was a big secret left out of the history books. 