Ken Follett has a couple of family sagas. Pillars of Earth is one (although its actually about the church) but there is another that starts with Fall of Giants I liked better.
It’s a major commitment but Cynthia Harrod Eagles writes a series that follows one family through time. It starts in the 1500’s and goes to the 1930’s so far. Fantastic historical fiction
The Big House: A Century in the Life of a Summer Home by George Howe Colt Run-down yet romantic, The Big House stands not only as a cherished reminder of summer’s ephemeral pleasures but also as a powerful symbol of a vanishing way of life.
The Thorn Birds by by Colleen McCullough…Roots by Alex Haley…Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh…Giant by Edna Ferber…The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tam…East of Eden by John Steinbeck…Pachinko by Min Jin Lee…The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri…The Forsyte Saga by John Galworthy…The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende…The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett…
Kerry Bujak , the other series of her “Savannah ” stories is just wonderful. I read them when I lived in Savannah. . It was so much fun visiting the real characters graves and homes. I hope you’ve read them all. Each one is fantastic.
@Kerry, Savannah is the first one. I believe there are 3 more in the saga. Bright Captivity is one title I remember. You’ll have to Google. She also has a series set in St. Simon’s Island. Don’t get them mixed up.
@Kerry, it is SO much fun. I lived on the island and Savannah. What a treat! If you like these reads, have you read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil? John somebody wrote it. I knew one of those characters even.
Mazo de la Roche—-there are 16 books in the series….they’re on Kindle…I got them all as a special deal once so you can watch to see if they offer that again sometime
The Spoils of Time trilogy by Penny Vincenzi. It runs from 1981 to the 1960s and follows a family who run a publishing house in London. Absolutely brilliant!
whoa! a woman of my heart! read Centennial twice.. watch the mini series a couple times a year. just yesterday finished winds of war (why did i wait so long) and war and remembrance to be started tomorrow!
First three compose a saga based on true events in one family from 1898-1998. The las5 one is not part of the saga but is a focused memoir by the same author.
Jane Smiley’s Hundred Years Trilogy – Some Luck, Early Warning, and Golden Age, or Pachinko by Min Jin Lee are the best I’ve read in the last couple of years
Roots by Alex Haley is another one but I couldn’t finish it. Not because it was bad. Because it broke my heart so many times. I was too emotionally engaged in it.
@Lynda definitely! I still have it book marked and intend to continue when I’m ready. Its beautifully written but the way the suffering and slavery is depicted did shock me. It brought me down to tears.
The book is so much more powerful. I watched the miniseries when it came out, after having read the book. And while, for its time, they captured the essence of the characters, the book is so much more painful, informational and riveting. I think everyone should read it.
@Lynda I watched the series as well and while I did enjoy it, the book, I have to say was better. The series was well done but the book is something else…It was way better, in my opinion.
minority opinion. when i first read it liked it in the 70s, read it again 30 plus years later not so much. have read more powerful books in the interim.
Jeffrey Archer’s Clifton Chronicles! I LOVED it, and it’s complete, so you won’t have to wait for the next book!?
@Kris my suggestion too.
I was so sad when this series was completed! I loved the Clifton Chronicles.
@Lisa me too! I really enjoyed his newest book, Heads You Win, though!
@Kris putting it on my list now!
Blackwater by Michael McDowell. It’s horror and a family saga that follow a family over several generations. It’s incredible. I recommend it on audio.
Try VC Andrews early books. I think they are YA, but they are some of my favorites.
The Thorn Birds
Ken Follett has a couple of family sagas. Pillars of Earth is one (although its actually about the church) but there is another that starts with Fall of Giants I liked better.
It’s a major commitment but Cynthia Harrod Eagles writes a series that follows one family through time. It starts in the 1500’s and goes to the 1930’s so far. Fantastic historical fiction
I love this series. Still got four to go but I’ve packed myself.
I agree with Jana Gantt Those two series are my favorites. I also like the Roses series.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517zhjjxIBL.jpg
Wilbur Smith has at least one saga covering The Courtneys. Read them in order as found on Wikipedia- chronological rather than by publication date
Pachinko
@Orange That’s on my to-read list. I hope to get to it in 2019.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Middlesex
last night in twisted river
On Gold Mountain by Lisa See (nonfiction saga)
Pillars of the Earth
You Bring the Distant Near
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33155334-you-bring-the-distant-near
Pachinko
The Kensington trilogy by Ken Follett
Penmarric
The Potato Factory series from Bryce Courtenay… begins in England and spans generations of English/Australian/Maori/Chinese cultures mingling.
The Big House: A Century in the Life of a Summer Home by George Howe Colt Run-down yet romantic, The Big House stands not only as a cherished reminder of summer’s ephemeral pleasures but also as a powerful symbol of a vanishing way of life.
The Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer. I think there are 7 ? in the series.
The Thorn Birds by by Colleen McCullough…Roots by Alex Haley…Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh…Giant by Edna Ferber…The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tam…East of Eden by John Steinbeck…Pachinko by Min Jin Lee…The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri…The Forsyte Saga by John Galworthy…The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende…The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett…
Roots
The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy.
Baxter Family series by Karen Kingsbury! Read it twice!
Pillars of the Earth
The mayfair witches. Sebastian Barry’s books series.
Middlesex
Savannah by Eugenia Price
Kerry Bujak , the other series of her “Savannah ” stories is just wonderful. I read them when I lived in Savannah. . It was so much fun visiting the real characters graves and homes. I hope you’ve read them all. Each one is fantastic.
@Minda what is the other series?
@Kerry, Savannah is the first one. I believe there are 3 more in the saga. Bright Captivity is one title I remember. You’ll have to Google. She also has a series set in St. Simon’s Island. Don’t get them mixed up.
@Minda ohhhh yes. I did read them all in the savannah series. I loved that series and cried when it was over. ?
The history was amazing. I knew nothing about the Pulaski sinking. I loved 90% of the characters were real. I was sad when the author died.
@Minda is love to get down there someday to visit all of the locations.
@Kerry, it is SO much fun. I lived on the island and Savannah. What a treat! If you like these reads, have you read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil? John somebody wrote it. I knew one of those characters even.
So many, I love family stories. This is how it always is by Laurie Frankel and The Greatest Cook in the world by Rick Bragg are great.
Bad Games by Jeff Menapace, great thrillers focusing on two families. Rough content though.
The Stone Diaries
The Godfather by Muro Puzo, Roots by Alex Haley
Ken Follette
The Hare with Amber Eyes, by Edmund de Wall. Fascinating true story of five generations of the author’s family.
The Forsyte Saga
Penny Vincenzi
Baby teeth lol, before I let you go Kelly rimmer
The Clifton series by Jeffery Archer.
It’s kind of an oldie, but “The Thorn Birds” is wonderful.
Courtney Series by Wilbur Smith
Pachinko
Everything I never told by celestine
The Clifton Chronicles.
Commonwealth or Saints for Every @Day
“The Tea Rose” trilogy
The Thorn Birds
Following
Kent family Chronicle by john Jake’s
Jalna series–
@Barbara
I yeah I ha en’t read those since 50’ can you find them here? Author?
Mazo de la Roche—-there are 16 books in the series….they’re on Kindle…I got them all as a special deal once so you can watch to see if they offer that again sometime
I love Sherryl Wood’s Chesapeake Shores series
One hundred years of solitude
Coming Home by Rosemund Pilcher
Especially if you are looking for something a bit lighter over the holidays. Coming Home and Shell Seekers are fabulous.
Pachinko!
The Immigrants by Howard Fast.
@Kay, SO good!
Kristenlavransdatter, Sigred Undset…
The Spoils of Time trilogy by Penny Vincenzi. It runs from 1981 to the 1960s and follows a family who run a publishing house in London. Absolutely brilliant!
@Vikki I loved this series! Good to know someone else has found it.
The Asian Saga by James Clavell, starting with Shogun. My favorite series.
Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer.
We were the Mulvaneys
The Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth!
East of Eden John Steinbeck. A multigenerational saga and Steinbeck ‘s most ambitious work
Pachinko
The Forsythe Saga
One of the best!!!
Mitford series for a light hearted, feel good saga.
The Cazelet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard.
Bitter Grounds by
Sandra Benitez
Centennial, James Michener or Winds of War, Herman Wouk.
whoa! a woman of my heart! read Centennial twice.. watch the mini series a couple times a year. just yesterday finished winds of war (why did i wait so long) and war and remembrance to be started tomorrow!
Loved Centennial so much. Waiting for my 9 y.o to be old enough to appreciate the mini series.
F
“And Ladies of the Club” by Helen Hooven Santmyer 🙂
@Miriam that’s been on my TBR list for years! 2019 for sure
The Frozen Heart by Almudena Grandes https://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Heart-Almudena-Grandes/dp/0753823136
Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer, great read!!
Pachinko
@Tina I’m reading Pachinko now. Loving it!
Ken Follet – The Century Trilogy
First three compose a saga based on true events in one family from 1898-1998. The las5 one is not part of the saga but is a focused memoir by the same author.
Th Corrections, Jonathan franzen
Jane Smiley’s Hundred Years Trilogy – Some Luck, Early Warning, and Golden Age, or Pachinko by Min Jin Lee are the best I’ve read in the last couple of years
A Thousand Acres.
The Forsyte Saga — a true classic.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Ken Follett’s “Century Trilogy”
Edward Rutherfurd’s New York or any of his novels really. Also someone I havent’ heard of in a while, Adriana Trigiani’s Big Stone Gap series
The thorn birds by Coleen McCullough
Roots by Alex Haley is another one but I couldn’t finish it. Not because it was bad. Because it broke my heart so many times. I was too emotionally engaged in it.
Woah! I have a copy of Roots… should I read it?
@Lynda definitely! I still have it book marked and intend to continue when I’m ready. Its beautifully written but the way the suffering and slavery is depicted did shock me. It brought me down to tears.
I watched the tv series, but I have a feeling it missed out on so much more.
The book is so much more powerful. I watched the miniseries when it came out, after having read the book. And while, for its time, they captured the essence of the characters, the book is so much more painful, informational and riveting. I think everyone should read it.
@Lynda I watched the series as well and while I did enjoy it, the book, I have to say was better. The series was well done but the book is something else…It was way better, in my opinion.
minority opinion. when i first read it liked it in the 70s, read it again 30 plus years later not so much. have read more powerful books in the interim.
Winds of War and War and Remembrance
Pachinko
@Catherine that’s already on my tbr list
@Tina I really liked it.
I second Jane Smiley’s Hundred Years Trilogy. Or, British, there’s Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles.
The North And South trilogy by John Jakes.
Roses by Leila Meacham
Pachinko
Cloud Street
I really enjoyed this book. Very gritty and poignant.
The Cazalet Chronicles Mary Jane Howard
The Wheel of Fortune
by Susan Howatch
Homegoing by Yaa Gaasi
https://ew.com/books/2018/12/18/20-best-american-family-novels-post-obama-era/
This might help
@Jennifer this actually did.. thank you so much…
The house of the spirits by Isabelle Allende.