Looking for recommendations for books that basically subvert traditional notions of history

What you mean by subversion is to subvert Marx's materialistic view of history?

Then I suggest you take a look at these books

Mr. Qian Mu's "Outline of the History of China", "The Political Gains and Losses of China Throughout the Ages", and Mr. Lu Simian's "History of China in the Vernacular", "The General History of China"

Both of them are very insightful, and I often feel enlightened when I read them.

As Mr. Qian Mu said, "In Western society, there are classes, but not grades. Chinese society has class, no class."

And as Mr. Lu Simian said, "There is only the individual who has discovered the conscience of heaven, not the class who has discovered the conscience of heaven; there is only the individual who has realized by himself, not the class who has realized by himself." "The first rich to lead the rich, I never believe."