Dorothy Dunnett, the best historical fiction writer few have read. Brilliant writing. Few fictional characres aming real figures. Game of Kings, 1500’s, 6 book series with best hero ever. Read the firs 100 pages and start again, because nothing you thought was happening is what happened.
My favorite reading material. Where do I begin? The Master & Commander series by Patrick O’Brian. The Awakening Land series by Conrad Richter. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. That’s for a start.
The Archer’s Tale by Bernard Cornwell – it’s the first in a trilogy about the 100 Years War. Engaging characters lead you on a quest for the Holy Grail.
I know. It took me a while before I could read anything else. I had to just meditate on them. The Twisted Sword just about did me in. I mourned for weeks.
I am just finishing Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge trilogy. Excellent! I was also reminded recently about James Michener’s books. I think they were the first historical fiction I read. They often start in prehistoric times and work (quickly) forward. They are all excellent … Centennial is a favourite as is The Source.
I liked Under the North Star-trilogy by Väinö Linna and Purge by Sofi Oksanen if I speak historical fiction for my homecountry. (Even though I think that the Egyptian by Mika Waltari is the book which almost every other in here will say if we thinks books with history and which are coming from Finland).
But Gone With the Wind (with books for Rhett and Scarlet also) and The Jewel of st. Petersburg and whole Russian Concubine-series by Kate Furnivall are my favorites. And also books by Sarah Lark are quite interesting and the same is with books by Lucinda Riley. Because I’m not sure that Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy will be like historical fiction. It is one one my top3 books but not sure if other sees it like historical fiction. Usual for examples War and Peace will be more like that genre/type, I think.
The Nightingale, Ken Follet’s Centuries Trilogy, Before We Were Yours, The Two-Family House, The Kitchen House, House Girl, The Underground Railroad (Colson Whitehead)
Our local libraries hosted Christina Baker Kline (Orphan Train) in the summer and her talk was very interesting. There’s a lot about her research in her blog:http://christinabakerkline.com/blog/my-next-novel/
I loved Grace Burrows series starting with “Too Scot to Handle.” YEs, romances, but each has a great twist to it that focuses on an issue of that era. And well-written.
Also “America’s First Daughter” about Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter called “Patsy.” And “The Hamilton Affair” which focuses on Alexander Hamilton’s wife.
I read mostly historical fiction and have many that I love. I have 2 that I always recommend … The Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meisner and Lisette’s List by Susan Vreeland.
Now reading Gateway to the Moon by Mary Morris. A very unusual topic and fascinating. It is about when the Jews were expelled from Spain at the time of Columbus’ voyage and how they settled in New Mexico!!
ANYTHING by Sharon K Penman and Edward Rutherford. Both are so historically accurate and Penman is a master at bringing historic characters to life. Love, love, love!!!!!
Elaine Smith I checked my copy and the genre on the back is “History”, so it is non-fiction, according to the publisher. We all agree, though, it’s a good book.
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund–about Marie Antoinette, great if you like descriptions of setting/clothes/etc, and a really compelling story. Also anything by Lisa See!
@Wandy My favorite was Centennial but all his books are wonderful. A personal favorite might be influenced by a love of or interest in a certain place.
As opposed to a completely made-up story with fictional characters set historically with references to real events that impact but are somewhat removed from the story line.
It’s fiction based on a true story as opposed to narrative non-fiction. Other examples of this type of biographical fiction include The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark T Sullivan, Depths of Glory by Irving Stone, and Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. All novels. All fiction. All based on real people and events. Deeply researched, but fictional dramatizations. If Lust for Life was not fiction, it would be called a biography.
Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. I used to love Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt/Philippa Carr books written by the same prolific authoress.
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert is among my favorite books in recent years. The Madonnas of Leningrad also had a big impact on me. And I learned a lot about the WASPS (women pilots in WWII) in The All-Girls Filling Station’s Last Reunion, and enjoyed Fannie Flagg’s great characters.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. Pretty much all of Ken Follett’s historical novels. A lot of Michener’s books, like Chesapeake. It’s my favorite genre, I can’t choose just one.
Dorothy Dunnett, the best historical fiction writer few have read. Brilliant writing. Few fictional characres aming real figures. Game of Kings, 1500’s, 6 book series with best hero ever. Read the firs 100 pages and start again, because nothing you thought was happening is what happened.
These Is My Words, by Nancy E. Turner.
This is one of my favorite books EVER!!!
America’s First Daughter.
The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice
Pillars of the Earth. My FAVORITE book!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5043.The_Pillars_of_the_Earth?ac=1&from_search=true
@Steve ME TOO!!!!!
and mine!
Mine too…Along with The Source!
@Steve , amazing series. I loved them all
@Steve loved this so much and the one that followed.
Katherine by Anya Seton. An oldie but goodie.
@Phyllis One of my favorites!!!!!
Outlander
My favorite reading material. Where do I begin? The Master & Commander series by Patrick O’Brian. The Awakening Land series by Conrad Richter. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. That’s for a start.
The Poldark series by Winston Graham. Love love love these books. He is so good at developing characters, I missed them when I wasn’t reading.
The Archer’s Tale by Bernard Cornwell – it’s the first in a trilogy about the 100 Years War. Engaging characters lead you on a quest for the Holy Grail.
@Brenda I am over half-way through Bella Poldark and I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m done.
I know. It took me a while before I could read anything else. I had to just meditate on them. The Twisted Sword just about did me in. I mourned for weeks.
The Constant Princess by Phillips Gregory
Bregdan chronicles
I am just finishing Ken Follett’s Kingsbridge trilogy. Excellent!
I was also reminded recently about James Michener’s books. I think they were the first historical fiction I read. They often start in prehistoric times and work (quickly) forward. They are all excellent … Centennial is a favourite as is The Source.
The One Man, Lilac Girls, The Girl From the Train, the Nightengale, Unbroken, Beneath a Scarlet Sky..
1632 by Eric Flint.
One Thousand White Women.
I loved that one.
It was so unexpectedly good.
Just put a hold on it!
@Denise on my top 10
@Denise so good!
All the Light We Cannot See. The Poldark series by Winston Graham.
I loved those!
@Jean loved Poldark
The Girl Who Wrote In Silk, Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen, and Next Year in Havana.
Blood Meridian…Cormac McCarthy
Ken Follett A Column of Fire
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
I loved that one.
Love all of Philippa Gregory’s books. Also just finished Lilac Girls, so good.
And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmeyer
The Nightingale
William F Buckley’ Blackford Oaks spy novels.
“Sarum” by Edward Rutherfurd
The Good Journey…actually, favorite book ever.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
Following
The Book of Negros.
Time & Again by Jack Finney
@Lynda I loved that book!
I borrowed Mum’s copy and then once I finished it, I just had to find my own so I could read it whenever I wanted to.
@Lynda There’s a sequel called From Time To Time that is quite good too!
Yeah I’ve only heard it on tape though… the person reading it was awful, but the storyline was fantastic!
@Lynda It’s good. Thriftbooks is my lifesaver!
I’ll have to ask at The Really Good Bookstore at Browns Plains to see if Wendy can get the second one in for me. 😀
Oooooh, that book is so, so good!
Aztec by Gary Jennings
and Journeyer about Marco Polo.
@Denise ooh! I must read that!
If you can find it and liked Aztec, you’ll love it.
The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff
Secrets is a charmed life
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
I liked Queen by Alex Haley & The Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes. Of course I read all of those in middle school, so………
Nightingale
The First Man in Rome series by Colleen McCullough. I love it.
Oh! Colleen McCullough! Did you read Creed for the 3rd Millennium?
@Heather no I didn’t. Honestly never heard of it. What is it about?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/182465
Ok…. so had I read this description, I’m not sure I would have read the book…..
@Heather lol. I looked it up elsewhere. Sounds interesting. I’ll have to put it in my to read pile.
The Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters.
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Also the Plantagenet series by Sharon Kay Penman.
The Book Thief
By far! Destiny of the Republic! And I e read many!!
Loved this too but it isn’t historical fiction.
Flashman by George MacDonald Frasier
At the moment it’s Cadfael by Ellis Peters
The Shoemaker’s Wife
I liked Under the North Star-trilogy by Väinö Linna and Purge by Sofi Oksanen if I speak historical fiction for my homecountry. (Even though I think that the Egyptian by Mika Waltari is the book which almost every other in here will say if we thinks books with history and which are coming from Finland).
But Gone With the Wind (with books for Rhett and Scarlet also) and The Jewel of st. Petersburg and whole Russian Concubine-series by Kate Furnivall are my favorites. And also books by Sarah Lark are quite interesting and the same is with books by Lucinda Riley. Because I’m not sure that Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy will be like historical fiction. It is one one my top3 books but not sure if other sees it like historical fiction. Usual for examples War and Peace will be more like that genre/type, I think.
The Traitors Wife by Allison Pataki
The Nightingale, Ken Follet’s Centuries Trilogy, Before We Were Yours, The Two-Family House, The Kitchen House, House Girl, The Underground Railroad (Colson Whitehead)
Sarah’s Key
All of Bernard Cornwell.???
The DaVinci Code!
Shanna
The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. New York by Edward Rutherford.
CS Harris Sebastian St. Cyr series
Quicksilver and the entire Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson
Also By Edward Rutherford m Paris and Russia.???
Tale of two cities
The Other Boleyn Girl
Jane Seymour The Haunted Queen – Alison Weir
Pam Jenhoff books!
Beneath a Scarlett Sky and The Invisible Bridge
The Abbots Tale. (English middle ages)
by Conn Iggulden
@Diane anything by Conn Iggulden
The Book Thief! Written beautifully.
And its not fiction but The Hiding Place is an incredible nonfiction/memoir!
F
Carolly Erickson writes some amazing historical fiction. Mostly with women characters!
Gabaldon “Outlander”
Anything from Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir or Anne O’Brien.
Following
Time’s Echo.
Devil in the White City
@Bev not fiction, still great
Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton. Regeneration by Pat Barker.
Loving Frank
The Book Thief
Orphan Train
I loved all of those!
@Karen I’ll keep thinking! I’ve read so many I loved and have no tracking method. Wish I had kept track of all the books I’ve read in my life! ?
Oh, me too!!
All good, esp. Orphan Train!
Loving Frank -yes !
Our local libraries hosted Christina Baker Kline (Orphan Train) in the summer and her talk was very interesting. There’s a lot about her research in her blog:http://christinabakerkline.com/blog/my-next-novel/
Ahab’s Wife
Following
I loved Grace Burrows series starting with “Too Scot to Handle.” YEs, romances, but each has a great twist to it that focuses on an issue of that era. And well-written.
Also “America’s First Daughter” about Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter called “Patsy.” And “The Hamilton Affair” which focuses on Alexander Hamilton’s wife.
My book club just read The Hamilton Affair and really enjoyed it. Thanks!
Hild
The Merry Millionaire by J.A. Wells
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet; just finished Becoming Mrs. Lewis.
@Susan I looooved Hotel ♥️
Bruce Holsinger.
I read mostly historical fiction and have many that I love. I have 2 that I always recommend …
The Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meisner and Lisette’s List by Susan Vreeland.
Now reading Gateway to the Moon by Mary Morris. A very unusual topic and fascinating. It is about when the Jews were expelled from Spain at the time of Columbus’ voyage and how they settled in New Mexico!!
I’ve never heard of Gateway to the Moon. Sounds very interesting. It’s now on my list. Thanks!
The Historian, Thread of Grace, Paris:a Novel
Really enjoying Lincoln in the Bardo atm by George Saunders.
ANYTHING by Sharon K Penman and Edward Rutherford. Both are so historically accurate and Penman is a master at bringing historic characters to life. Love, love, love!!!!!
Water for Elephants ???
Outlander!!❤️❤️
The Bear and the Nightingale—Medieval Russian w a fantasy/folklore element
The belle plantation series by Tamerea Alexander
Any of the many books by C.W. Gortner!
Michener. Rutherfurd. Penman.
The Nightingale ???
I also loved this book.
“Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco.
Julie garland was always fun
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
The Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki
doomsday book by Connie Willis
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
@Amy loved that book
Men To Match My Mountains, by Irving Stone.
City of Thieves, excellent book
Outlander series, Ken Follett books-Pillars of the Earth is a favorite, All the Light We Cannot See, too many to list! ?
I really liked the Ken Follett series, but I loved All the Light we Cannot See.
Loved both Ken Follett’s trilogies. Just finished All the Light We Cannot See! Excellent too.
America’s First Daughter by Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.
Some goodn’s I have read this year ?
Bloods game – Angus Donald
Giles Kristian – the bleeding land
Giles Kristian – Lancelot
Conn Iggulden – Dunstan
The royal physician’s visit – Per Olov Enquist
anything by Karen Maitland
Sharon Penman. Amazing
I enjoyed learning more about the history of Israel and the struggles of the Jewish people in Exodus by Leon Uris. And there’s a love story.
@Wandy Trinity is great also
@Wanda yep, I read Trinity when it was first published in the 70’s. I had forgotten it was by Uris as well. ?
@Wandy he wrote a kind of sequel to it. Wasn’t as good as Trinity, but it was good too.
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.
1000 White Women
The Devil in the White City!
@Rachel that’s not fiction…but it was a great book
Actually, it is fiction. Listed by the publisher as Historical Fiction. And I agree, a great book.
Elaine Smith I checked my copy and the genre on the back is “History”, so it is non-fiction, according to the publisher. We all agree, though, it’s a good book.
All time favorite book – Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Orphan Train is a close second.
@Terry, we must have very similar tastes in reading as those are mine too! Just picked up a used copy of the Lilac Girls and can’t wait to start it.
I liked Wolf Hall.
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund–about Marie Antoinette, great if you like descriptions of setting/clothes/etc, and a really compelling story. Also anything by Lisa See!
I just read The Alice Network and enjoyed it very much.
Loved it!
The Cathedral of the Sea / Catedral del mar by Idelfonso Falcones (14th C. Barcelona)
Following, because my TBR needs more books.
Diana Gabaldon Oulander series
Sharyn McCrum
No Angel part of a Trilogy By Penny Vincenzi set in England during WW1 and WW2
Burr by Gore Vidal
The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks.
Cane River and Red River, in that order by Lalita Tademy.
Anything re WWII
Secrets of a Charmed Life
Before We Were Yours
@Laurie ❤️this book
The Help
Anything By James Michener or Edward Rutherford. Same type of books.
@Laurie which is your favorite Michener? I’d like to try one.
Yes to Edward Rutherford!!
@Wandy My favorite was Centennial but all his books are wonderful. A personal favorite might be influenced by a love of or interest in a certain place.
@Lynn True, thanks for recommendation. I’ll def check it out. ?
Katherine by Anya Seton, because it led me to an interest in the medieval era.
@Elaine KATHERINE
Anything by Tracy Chevalier or Susan Vreeland.
The Century trilogy by Ken Follette
News of the World, Lonesome Dove, The Book Thief, The Reader
Ah! Lonesome Dove!
@Debra Talked my book group into reading it. They did so reluctantly but ended up loving it!
@Carolyn — good job. I wish that my son would believe me and read it!
Prairie Fires.
Forever Amber
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin; The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Excellent.
I wasn’t wild about The Paris Wife, but I loved Circling the Sun.
Philipa Gregory-Tudor Books
None— I hate historical fiction,
@Cordelia okie dokie, then
I love to feel like I’m learning about history while reading a good book.
Steven Saylor ..The Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series.
Currently definitely Lust for Life by Irving Stone.
It’s not actually fiction but it’s written in the form of a novel.
No, it’s a novel.
That’s what I said.
@Lindsey Novels are fiction. The book is fiction.
In what way? It is based on real life events according to the letters Vincent sent to his brother and interviews with friends and family members.
As opposed to a completely made-up story with fictional characters set historically with references to real events that impact but are somewhat removed from the story line.
It’s fiction based on a true story as opposed to narrative non-fiction. Other examples of this type of biographical fiction include The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, Beneath a Scarlett Sky by Mark T Sullivan, Depths of Glory by Irving Stone, and Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. All novels. All fiction. All based on real people and events. Deeply researched, but fictional dramatizations. If Lust for Life was not fiction, it would be called a biography.
The Great Alone
Dead Man’s Walk…Larry McMurtry
@Ken yasss!
I’ll have to check into that one. I loved Lonesome Dove.
All the Light We Cannot See!
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. I used to love Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt/Philippa Carr books written by the same prolific authoress.
I also love those two by Hilary Mantel.
Yellow Crocus, Laila Ibrahim is so wonderful, but heartbreaking. There’s a sequel as well.
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier! Absolute best historical fiction book that I have read
Loved it!
All the Light We Cannot See
The Beacon at Alexandria
Also, Birdsong.
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert is among my favorite books in recent years. The Madonnas of Leningrad also had a big impact on me. And I learned a lot about the WASPS (women pilots in WWII) in The All-Girls Filling Station’s Last Reunion, and enjoyed Fannie Flagg’s great characters.
Roots
The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice.
The first one I read: Alaska
Have to say i enjoy Bernard Cornwell and his Sharpe series but most of his historical ones are well researched from what i can find.
Roots, Midnight’s Children
@Sukanya definitely Roots!
The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George.
I don’t read much historical fiction these days, but when I was young I loved Jean Plaidy. Murder Most Royal was my favourite.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. Pretty much all of Ken Follett’s historical novels. A lot of Michener’s books, like Chesapeake. It’s my favorite genre, I can’t choose just one.
Shogun by James Clevell – Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters – Mary Russell series by Laurie King
O Pioneers! Willa Cather…
Snow Falling on Cedars; When the Emperor was Divine.
The Trees by Conrad Richter.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. This book got me interested in the Tudors and other English royalty.
Following
“The Nightingale”
by Kristin Hannah