1.Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum 2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 3. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron and its sequel A Sparrow in Terezin 4. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne 5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 6. Second Hand Smoke by Thane Rosenbaum 7. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly 8. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay 9. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult 10. We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
Non WW2 historical fiction:
1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini 4. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Another great series of historical fiction is The Tea Rose Trilogy by Jennifer Donnelly. Late 1800’s East End London and New York City. And the Wilderness series by Sara Donati. Excellent!
The Help, The Tea Rose (trilogy), The Poisonwood Bible, The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Secret Life of Bees, Forever Amber, Memoirs of a Geisha.
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. You are primarily set in 18th century Scotland, France, the Caribbean and early America (the Revolution) but also get some 20th century exposure as well. Incredibly well researched and fun. You learn a lot and don’t even realize it due to the story.
I want to recommend The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, but I am only 3/4th of the way through. If the last 1/4 of the book is as good as the the first part, I can give it a full recommendation. So far it is very good.
I can give you so many…The Cousins and Tudor Series by Philippa Gregory, Ken Follett’s Kinghtbridge Trilogy, A Gentleman In Moscow FOR SURE, All The Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief….All the books by Lisa See…Edith Wharton’s books, A Well Behaved Woman…News of the World….and on and on..
The welsh prince trilogy by Sharon Kay penman. The first book is called Here Be Dragons. You need to persevere through about 180 pages and then ✨ ? ? ✨ magic!
Philippa Gregory and Ken Follett are the obvious ones, but I also really enjoyed ‘The Case of the Missing Bride’ by Carmen Radtke, loosely based on a true story.
Ooh and depending on just how historical you want to go(!) The Shadow of the Wind books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon are awesome, set during the facist era in Spain.
Definitely The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Ken Follett, Georgette Heyer for Romance, the Falco series by Lindsey Davis for Ancient Rome, Elizabeth Peters, Rhys Bowen, Ellis Peters, Kerry Greenwood…
Two works by James Clavell. SHOGUN focuses on the intrigue, customs, society, drama, loves and family sagas of Japanese Samurais and nobility modeled on the Tokugawa Shogunate ca. 1600 onwards, as a Dutch shipmaster finds himself shipwrecked in Japan (he was part of a massive fleet of ships attempting to cross the Pacific to read India). KING RAT was Clavell’s debut novel, and it is based on his own experiences as a WWII prisoner of war. Both entertaining and thoughtful, it focuses on the politics and games of survival by prisoners of war (Americans, Brits, Australians, and others) in a Japanese internment camp in China.
C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower series is an easy and wonderful introduction into naval fiction during the conflict between Great Britain and Bonaparte. It’s focus is the rise to prominence of Howrnblower who enters the navy at a late stage in life (late teens or so, when it was common for many to enter at the ages of 10-12) as a lowly mid-shipman, the pre-requisite stage of learning before becoming an officer. Hornblower is the prototypical hero, morally upright and brave, yet complex as he constantly struggles, psychologically, with the difficulties in doing his duty and attempting to hew to the course of right action even in morally ambiguous situations. Much of the time, this means some form of sacrifice from himself.
Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin books are also historical naval fiction that take place over the same period and conflict as C. S. Forester’s Hornblower books, but they are a little more difficult to read. In fact, O’Brian’s books are genre fiction but also high literature, but I think you might appreciate these more once you get through Forester’s Hornblower books, which are fabulous adventures in any case.
I also recommend George Fraser MacDonald’s Flashman Papers. Twelve volumes featuring a wretchedly selfish, bigoted, sexist, cowardly, philandering misanthrope and his adventures around the world during Victorian-era England as he ends up stumbling onto some of history’s more important moments. These books are bloody hilarious and a joy to read!
THE THREE MUSKATEERS and THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO are wonderful historical romances written by Dumas (pere). Absolute classics and must-reads!
The Pillars of the Earth, Seabiscuit, Snowflower and the Secret Fan, On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet, North and South by John Jakes, The Trilogy of Josephine B, Phillippa Gregory or Alison Weir for English Middle Ages, Amy Tan and Lisa See for Asian stories, Shogun
WW2 Historical Fiction:
1.Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
3. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron and its sequel A Sparrow in Terezin
4. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
6. Second Hand Smoke by Thane Rosenbaum
7. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
8. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
9. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
10. We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
Non WW2 historical fiction:
1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
4. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
@Lori love this list! Read all but 3! Thank you
Have you read the Bregdan Chronicles series? It has 12 books. I just read the first one and loved it. Revolves around the Civil War era.
Another great series of historical fiction is The Tea Rose Trilogy by Jennifer Donnelly. Late 1800’s East End London and New York City. And the Wilderness series by Sara Donati. Excellent!
The Alice Network and The Age of Light
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
Nightingale and Lilac Girls!
Salt to the Sea
??Before We Were Yours ??
The Gollum and the Jinny was a good one.
Dianna Galbadon, Outlander series
@Debbie one of my favourites wver
@Tamara I am waiting very patiently for book 9!
We were the Lucky Ones The lilac girls The Huntress the nightingale
The Help, The Tea Rose (trilogy), The Poisonwood Bible, The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Secret Life of Bees, Forever Amber, Memoirs of a Geisha.
Forever Amber is a true classic…
My Dear Hamilton
Yes….And also America’s First Daughter
The Lymond Chronicles. A series of 6 books by Dorothy Dunnett.
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. You are primarily set in 18th century Scotland, France, the Caribbean and early America (the Revolution) but also get some 20th century exposure as well. Incredibly well researched and fun. You learn a lot and don’t even realize it due to the story.
I want to recommend The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See, but I am only 3/4th of the way through. If the last 1/4 of the book is as good as the the first part, I can give it a full recommendation. So far it is very good.
I finished the book, and it was very good.
Following
Cane River was great
@Ileana one of my all-time favorites!
Beneath a scarlet sky. to me a lot like nightingale. prob liked it just as well.
@Kristal oh I liked it even more than the nightingale. Excellent book recommendation!
Daughter of A Daughter of a Queen
Sister Fidelma Mysteries is an amazing series!
Speaks the nightbird by Robert mccammon!! Amazing series!!❤❤❤
The light we cannot see, all the maisie dobbs books, the nightingale
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
@Beth one of my favorites ❤️
Ride the Wind by Cynthia Ann Parker
I can give you so many…The Cousins and Tudor Series by Philippa Gregory, Ken Follett’s Kinghtbridge Trilogy, A Gentleman In Moscow FOR SURE, All The Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief….All the books by Lisa See…Edith Wharton’s books, A Well Behaved Woman…News of the World….and on and on..
agree!!!!
The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen
He Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Burial Rights
A Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain ?
Czar of Love and Techno
I love everything by Ken Follett.
@Moana I have these on my to be read pile.
Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo. It’s a huge book. I’ve read it about 5 times.
Everything by James Mitchner
As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner. All of her books are good.
The welsh prince trilogy by Sharon Kay penman.
The first book is called Here Be Dragons. You need to persevere through about 180 pages and then ✨ ? ? ✨ magic!
@Patty mentioned the tudor series by Philippa Gregory I enjoyed ‘The Constant Princess’ with my book club & would now like to read more of her novels
Phillipa Gregory, Bernard Cornwell are very good
Presumably you’ve read Hilary Mantel – Wolf Hall etc
The book of love Kathleen McGowan
Only Woman in the room by Marie Benedict
The Dovekeepers
I’m just re-reading the Thornbirds – sooo good.
Edward Rutherfurd’s books.
The Last Asylum
The Bronze Horsemen trilogy by Paulina Simmons
London an absolutely brilliant book
The Morland Dynasty series by Cynthia Harrod Eagles is excellent
@Roberta I could not agree more. Especially the early books.
All Quiet on the Western Front
@Sean one of the best books I’ve ever read.
@Tamara me too, excellent book. 5/5
Lady Of Hay by Barbara Erskin .. made big impression on me a few years back ?
Outlander series
Katherine by Anya Seton
I’ve read this book 3 times since it was published and each time I love it more and more. https://amzn.to/2VkfHHO
Philippa Gregory and Ken Follett are the obvious ones, but I also really enjoyed ‘The Case of the Missing Bride’ by Carmen Radtke, loosely based on a true story.
Ooh and depending on just how historical you want to go(!) The Shadow of the Wind books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon are awesome, set during the facist era in Spain.
Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett), the Other Boleyn (Phillipa Gregory), Wolf Hall (Hilary Mantel)
C j Sansom.
Definitely The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Ken Follett, Georgette Heyer for Romance, the Falco series by Lindsey Davis for Ancient Rome, Elizabeth Peters, Rhys Bowen, Ellis Peters, Kerry Greenwood…
The last Concubine by Lesley Downer
Two works by James Clavell. SHOGUN focuses on the intrigue, customs, society, drama, loves and family sagas of Japanese Samurais and nobility modeled on the Tokugawa Shogunate ca. 1600 onwards, as a Dutch shipmaster finds himself shipwrecked in Japan (he was part of a massive fleet of ships attempting to cross the Pacific to read India). KING RAT was Clavell’s debut novel, and it is based on his own experiences as a WWII prisoner of war. Both entertaining and thoughtful, it focuses on the politics and games of survival by prisoners of war (Americans, Brits, Australians, and others) in a Japanese internment camp in China.
C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower series is an easy and wonderful introduction into naval fiction during the conflict between Great Britain and Bonaparte. It’s focus is the rise to prominence of Howrnblower who enters the navy at a late stage in life (late teens or so, when it was common for many to enter at the ages of 10-12) as a lowly mid-shipman, the pre-requisite stage of learning before becoming an officer. Hornblower is the prototypical hero, morally upright and brave, yet complex as he constantly struggles, psychologically, with the difficulties in doing his duty and attempting to hew to the course of right action even in morally ambiguous situations. Much of the time, this means some form of sacrifice from himself.
Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin books are also historical naval fiction that take place over the same period and conflict as C. S. Forester’s Hornblower books, but they are a little more difficult to read. In fact, O’Brian’s books are genre fiction but also high literature, but I think you might appreciate these more once you get through Forester’s Hornblower books, which are fabulous adventures in any case.
I also recommend George Fraser MacDonald’s Flashman Papers. Twelve volumes featuring a wretchedly selfish, bigoted, sexist, cowardly, philandering misanthrope and his adventures around the world during Victorian-era England as he ends up stumbling onto some of history’s more important moments. These books are bloody hilarious and a joy to read!
THE THREE MUSKATEERS and THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO are wonderful historical romances written by Dumas (pere). Absolute classics and must-reads!
What part and local in history?
The Magnetic Girl – out by Hubcity Press (local book that probably won’t get national attention)
11/22/63
Shogun
The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor
Skeletons at The Feast by Chris Bojahallan
Katherine, Anya Seton
Anne Jones one of my favorites
The Pillars of the Earth, Seabiscuit, Snowflower and the Secret Fan, On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet, North and South by John Jakes, The Trilogy of Josephine B, Phillippa Gregory or Alison Weir for English Middle Ages, Amy Tan and Lisa See for Asian stories, Shogun
Anything by Ken Follett, James Michener, Phillipa Gregory or Stephanie Dray to name just a few.
Wilbur Smith and Bernerd Cornwell also write historical fiction
Molokai and Honolulu by Alan Brennert
OMG IF I BUY ONE MORE BOOK MY HUSBAND WILL KILL ME !! LOL
I have to read three I have TBR now ?
The Taster
Wind of the Carolinas
The Fargo Adventures by Clive Cussler. Truly an adventure and has historical fiction and nonfiction throughout each of the stories/
this series https://www.amazon.com/Honorable-Knight-Fellowship-Ancient-Covenant-ebook/dp/B01GOXWAHC/
Thank you everyone!
Just waiting for this one to arrive in the mail
Lorna Doone
Dragon Springs Road and Three Souls by Janie Chang
1929 series by ML Gardner
@Raul