The Histories.
George Rawlinson, translator.
Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1952.
(Series: Great Books of the Western World, Volume 6.)
A disadvantage of George Rawlinson's translation is that it is old (completed in 1860); the contemporary reader may find its British English somewhat archaic.
Other Translations:
- David Grene, University of Chicago Press, 1988 (Amazon).
Note: Grene has provided commentary to an edition of Thomas Hobbes' translation of Thucydides, The Pelopenesian War, University Of Chicago Press, 1989 (Amazon). - Walter Blanko, Norton Critical Edition, 1992 (Amazon).
This is very readable; however, that Norton edition omits some of Herodotus' text. The Norton edition includes about 150 pages of "Backgrounds" (selected excerpts from ancient Greeks and Romans) and "Commentaries;" I found some of the Commentary essays useful.
If I had more time I would read these Commentaries:
- Herodotean Inquiries by Seth Benardete. St. Augustine's Press, 1999. (Amazon)
- The World of Herodotus by Aubrey de Selincourt. Phoenix Press, 2001. (Amazon)
Links:
Update, 13 Aug 2012:
Editions:
The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Robert B. Strassler, editor. Andrea L. Purvis, translator. New York: Pantheon, 2007.
[Publisher; Google Books; Amazon.com.]