historical-fiction
about
Historical fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. Historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of people living in that time period.
In some historical fict...more
In some historical fict...more
popular historical-fiction books (showing 1-50 of 17,151)
The Other Boleyn Girl (Paperback)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 1121 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.99 — 60,071 ratings — published 2001
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Memoirs of a Geisha (Hardcover)
by Arthur Golden (shelved 699 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.94 — 199,253 ratings — published 1997
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The Pillars of the Earth (Paperback)
by Ken Follett (shelved 653 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.12 — 48,255 ratings — published 1989
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The Book Thief (Hardcover)
by Markus Zusak (shelved 641 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.37 — 53,716 ratings — published 2005
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The Red Tent (Hardcover)
by Anita Diamant (shelved 621 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.12 — 50,147 ratings — published 1997
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Girl with a Pearl Earring (Paperback)
by Tracy Chevalier (shelved 617 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.69 — 30,606 ratings — published 1999
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The Boleyn Inheritance (Hardcover)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 502 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.73 — 15,101 ratings — published 2006
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Outlander (Outlander, #1)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 489 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.07 — 40,220 ratings — published 1991
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The Queen's Fool (Paperback)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 480 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.69 — 14,148 ratings — published 2003
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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Hardcover)
by Mary Ann Shaffer (shelved 454 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.18 — 37,838 ratings — published 2007
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Gone With The Wind (Paperback)
by Margaret Mitchell (shelved 444 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.19 — 88,226 ratings — published 1936
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The Constant Princess (Paperback)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 443 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.68 — 13,581 ratings — published 2003
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The Virgin's Lover (Paperback)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 378 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.53 — 11,178 ratings — published 2004
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Year of Wonders (Paperback)
by Geraldine Brooks (shelved 354 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.89 — 12,455 ratings — published 2001
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Water for Elephants (Paperback)
by Sara Gruen (shelved 342 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.01 — 118,992 ratings — published 2006
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Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Paperback)
by Lisa See (Goodreads author) (shelved 340 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.97 — 37,125 ratings — published 2005
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Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 312 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.30 — 14,335 ratings — published 1998
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Number the Stars (Mass Market Paperback)
by Lois Lowry (shelved 311 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.12 — 25,733 ratings — published 1989
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The Historian (Paperback)
by Elizabeth Kostova (shelved 306 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.64 — 27,488 ratings — published 2005
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The Birth of Venus: A Novel (Paperback)
by Sarah Dunant (shelved 291 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.68 — 10,287 ratings — published 2003
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World Without End (Hardcover)
by Ken Follett (shelved 287 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.07 — 15,718 ratings — published 2006
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Voyager (Outlander, #3)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 268 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.33 — 12,842 ratings — published 1993
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The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth' Children #1)
by Jean M. Auel (shelved 264 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.87 — 14,908 ratings — published 1980
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Cold Mountain (Paperback)
by Charles Frazier (shelved 261 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.61 — 20,190 ratings — published 1997
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The Kite Runner (Paperback)
by Khaled Hosseini (shelved 257 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.21 — 249,058 ratings — published 1999
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Atonement (Paperback)
by Ian McEwan (shelved 252 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.71 — 53,987 ratings — published 2001
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Drums of Autumn (Outlander, #4)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 249 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.27 — 11,575 ratings — published 1996
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Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey (Hardcover)
by Alison Weir (shelved 245 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.82 — 3,772 ratings — published 2006
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People of the Book (Hardcover)
by Geraldine Brooks (shelved 234 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.83 — 14,527 ratings — published 2008
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Mass Market Paperback)
by Elizabeth George Speare (shelved 232 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.91 — 12,667 ratings — published 1958
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The Other Queen (Hardcover)
by Philippa Gregory (shelved 230 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.19 — 6,570 ratings — published 2008
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The Name of the Rose: Including Postscript (Paperback)
by Umberto Eco (shelved 224 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.05 — 14,569 ratings — published 1980
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The Fiery Cross (Outlander, #5)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 222 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.17 — 11,060 ratings — published 2001
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The Killer Angels (Mass Market Paperback)
by Michael Shaara (shelved 220 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.12 — 8,536 ratings — published 1974
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To Kill a Mockingbird (Paperback)
by Harper Lee (shelved 208 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.27 — 336,004 ratings — published 1960
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Fever 1793 (Paperback)
by Laurie Halse Anderson (Goodreads author) (shelved 207 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.89 — 6,126 ratings — published 2000
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The Poisonwood Bible (Paperback)
by Barbara Kingsolver (shelved 207 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.97 — 125,529 ratings — published 1998
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A Thousand Splendid Suns (Hardcover)
by Khaled Hosseini (shelved 203 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.31 — 113,593 ratings — published 2006
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A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander, #6)
by Diana Gabaldon (shelved 199 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.36 — 9,892 ratings — published 2005
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A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)
by Libba Bray (shelved 195 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.76 — 18,847 ratings — published 2003
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The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, #1)
by Caleb Carr (shelved 192 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.97 — 11,728 ratings — published 1994
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March (Paperback)
by Geraldine Brooks (shelved 184 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.67 — 10,170 ratings — published 2005
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Pope Joan: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donna Woolfolk Cross (Goodreads author) (shelved 182 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.02 — 6,579 ratings — published 1996
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The Lady and the Unicorn (Paperback)
by Tracy Chevalier (shelved 178 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.49 — 4,887 ratings — published 2003
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Shogun (Mass Market Paperback)
by James Clavell (shelved 175 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.22 — 8,146 ratings — published 1975
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Hardcover)
by John Boyne (shelved 175 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.98 — 11,940 ratings — published 2006
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The Valley of Horses (Earth' Children #2)
by Jean M. Auel (shelved 173 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.85 — 7,124 ratings — published 1980
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The Heretic's Daughter (Hardcover)
by Kathleen Kent (shelved 167 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.74 — 3,986 ratings — published 2008
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Katherine (Paperback)
by Anya Seton (shelved 165 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 4.18 — 3,375 ratings — published 1954
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Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1)
by Ariana Franklin (shelved 164 times as historical-fiction)
avg rating 3.88 — 3,831 ratings — published 2007
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More quotes...
"'When the procession formed up before the emperor, she saluted him. The priest and the virgins surrounded her, and urged her to pay reverence to the statue of Diana.
Pointing to her parents, they implored her for their sake to recant. Pale as death, she shook her head quietly. " I cannot deny the Lord who died for me," she said. Nero himself rose from his seat. "Maiden," he said, "if not for your own sake, for the sake of those who love you, I pray you to cease from your obstinacy. How can a child like you know more than the wisest heads of Rome? How can you deny the gods who have protected and given victory to your country? I would fain spare you."
"I am but a child, as you say Caesar," Ennia replied. "I have no strength of my own, but I am strong in the strength of Him I worship. He gave His life for me-it is not much that I should give mine for Him."
-Beric the Briton, ch. XV, "The Christians to the Lions""
— G.A. Henty (G.A. Henty on CD ROM)
Pointing to her parents, they implored her for their sake to recant. Pale as death, she shook her head quietly. " I cannot deny the Lord who died for me," she said. Nero himself rose from his seat. "Maiden," he said, "if not for your own sake, for the sake of those who love you, I pray you to cease from your obstinacy. How can a child like you know more than the wisest heads of Rome? How can you deny the gods who have protected and given victory to your country? I would fain spare you."
"I am but a child, as you say Caesar," Ennia replied. "I have no strength of my own, but I am strong in the strength of Him I worship. He gave His life for me-it is not much that I should give mine for Him."
-Beric the Briton, ch. XV, "The Christians to the Lions""
— G.A. Henty (G.A. Henty on CD ROM)
""What, did you think," she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, "that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?"
"I did not think anything about it," Malchus said; "I saw you pushed in and followed without thinking at all."
Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in his face.
"I thank you," she said, "just the same as if you had saved my life. You meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde will never forget.""
— G.A. Henty (The Young Carthaginian: A Story of The Times of Hannibal)
"I did not think anything about it," Malchus said; "I saw you pushed in and followed without thinking at all."
Although they imperfectly understood each other's words the meaning was clear; the girl put her hand on his shoulder and looked frankly up in his face.
"I thank you," she said, "just the same as if you had saved my life. You meant to do so, and it was very good of you, a great chief of this army, to hazard your life for a Gaulish maiden. Clotilde will never forget.""
— G.A. Henty (The Young Carthaginian: A Story of The Times of Hannibal)
