Good for you, Cathie! Happy reading!

You've made me think of Howard Fast for US Historical fiction. His Immigrants series was superb.

For a couple of good US historical fiction writers I would have to say John Jakes and Sara Donati, I love both of these authors.

I am thankful for this thread. I just started reading The White Queen by Philippa Gregory and I really enjoy it. I learned about that author in this group and am excited to read the Boleyn series.

Lisa wrote: "Any time I read an historical fiction book, I like to do some research into what really happened as well. For instance in The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory turned the birth order of the Boleyn girls around among changes she made to history. Sometimes this really frustrates me but other times it's clear why the fiction author did it to enhance the story..."

I think the birth order of the Boleyn girls has always been historically ambiguous - there is no clear evidence in primary sources either way for which of them was born first.

Although I do agree with your general point about the way authors 'play' with history to suit their own plots! - I think Hollywood is worse for that though! - if the book doesn't match history and the film doesn't match the book then history is truely out of the window isn't it! LOL

Ally

Here's a pretty good definition of historical fiction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_...

My favorite historical novel, if you can call it that (I've heard this definition: it's historical fiction if the events take place 50 years or more from when the piece was written)... Anyway, the one I love is "The Book of Salt" by Monique Truong. It's very different from what's being discussed here. It's about the world of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas told from the point of view of their chef, a Vietnamese immigrant to France (a character created by Truong). The voice is amazing, and it's so much fun to learn about these two women and the time period from a completely different angle.

Any time I read an historical fiction book, I like to do some research into what really happened as well. For instance in The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory turned the birth order of the Boleyn girls around among changes she made to history. Sometimes this really frustrates me but other times it's clear why the fiction author did it to enhance the story.

I finished Wolf Hall last week. I admit, it took some time for me to get used to the style, but once I did, I was hooked.

AJ wrote: "The book The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America was incredibly engross..."

I loved that book, and it reads like a good novel. However, it is non-fiction. I think the author's normal approach is to have two stories juxtaposed within its covers, very entertaining.

Another author on historical fiction among other things, is Edith Pargeter, who also wrote under a number of pseudonyms. She wrote the Brother Cadfael medieval murder mysteries that were eventually made for TV. Many of her books are out of print, but I've found them used on Amazon. I recently found the "Heaven Tree Trilogy."

What about US historical fiction? Anyone have any ..."


The book The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America was incredibly engrossing and very interesting from a historical perspective.

Also, The Alienist combines old school NYC and some early forensic psychology together for those that like that sort of thing!

And finally, Cheat and Charmer A Novel - a bit hollywood trash and mccarthyism thrown together -- it's like a more political "Valley of the Dolls."

Oh dear, I was thinking about buying Wolf Hall, but I really dislike books written in the present tense. They have to be really good to make me forget my annoyance with that. Maybe I should get it from the library, just in case.

When it was announced that Wolf Hall won the booker, I looked it up and rushed straight out to get it because it sounded amazing. But I still haven't started it, because it's such a beast of a book, I think I need to set aside a big chunk of time to read it! Maybe over the Christmas break. Really looking forward to reading it though :)

Ally, I've heard of Wolf Hall, but my library doesn't have it yet. I hadn't heard that it was told in present tense, that must be interesting.

What about US historical fiction? Anyone have any good recommendations there?

Another author I enjoyed years ago is Norah Lofts. How Far to Bethlehem? told the story of Mary from Mary's point of view. She is glorified in Christianity, but she was unwed and pregnant. Scent of Cloves about Anne Boleyn. I haven't read Phillipa Gregory, so maybe not as good, but I did enjoy it. There were a few others of Norah Lofts I read, too. I learned something about history with these comparatively light reads.

Elizabeth wrote: "You might like Sena Jeter Naslund: Abundance A Novel of Marie Antoinette "

Thanks Elizabeth - I have had the Abundance book on the shelf for a while and may have to push it ahead. You are usually spot on in your recommendations!

Hi all, I just joined but wanted to jump right in on Historical Fiction. It is some of my favorite.

Love, Victoria Holt(JP, PC). Read Phillippa Gregory.

One of my favs though is Anya Seton, she wrote Kathryn, Green Darkness, Dragonwyck, The Winthrop Woman, The Turqoise. Some really great books.

I also like Robin Maxwell. She has several about the Tudors, plus some on the Plantegenets.

I am really interested in Michelle Moran. Her books sound really interesting. Waiting on coupons to buy them, LOL.

Well - I'm currently reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - its a bit strange as its told in the present tense, which is jarring with the fact that its actually 1529! - its the Henry Viii story but not - its told from the persepctive of Cromwell and completely turns all your notions of history on its head - Cromwell is nice and Thomas More is awful (...thats different to how my catholic education put it!!!! LOL).

Anyway - I also picked up a copy of Jean Plaidy's book The Captive of Kensington - I haven't started it yet but I really want to know more about Queen Victoria's life and I think sometimes a good story can take you directly into the period in a way that non-fiction just cannot do. - When I start it I'll let you know what I think!

As for The Other Boleyn Girl - it completely blew me away - I still LOVE that book and re-read it every couple of years. BUT - I think it spoiled me for Gregory's other books as I don't think she's reached the same heights with any of her other books. I did enjoy them, they just weren't in the same class as TOBG - just my opinion though.

Thanks for the other great suggestions in this thread - As soon as I have spare reading time I'm going to follow up on some of those!

Ally

Paige wrote: "oh man! What a GREAT thread! Just got done reading The Other Bolelyn Girl and I think I am addicted! Who would have thought! Thanks for all the great suggestions!"

It was The Other Boleyn Girl that got me hooked on Historical Fiction too :) I LOVE it!

Jo wrote: "I really have to re-read it soon. A word of caution to those who may read it: Don't let curiosity get the better of you! Don't Google around while reading it or you may spoil things for yourself a..."

I second that too Jo.

Jo wrote: "I adored Loving Frank A Novel. I've never been a big fan of historical fiction but this book was an incredible read!"

I totally agree Jo, this was a really good one.

Thanks to this thread I snagged a Jean Plaidy book at Goodwill the other day for $.50! I think it's The Scottish Bridegroom, or something similar.

Can't wait to finish my library books so I can get started. Thanks for all the great recommendations!

You might like Sena Jeter Naslund. I have read Ahab's Wife Or, The Star-gazer A Novel and Abundance A Novel of Marie Antoinette. I thought Ahab's Wife the better of the two, but both were good. Abundance was interesting in that it was written in the first person, so we see the world through the eyes of Marie Antoinette, rather than looking at her.

oh man! What a GREAT thread! Just got done reading The Other Bolelyn Girl and I think I am addicted! Who would have thought! Thanks for all the great suggestions!

I really have to re-read it soon. A word of caution to those who may read it: Don't let curiosity get the better of you! Don't Google around while reading it or you may spoil things for yourself as you get towards the end. And I will leave it at that! :-)

Jo wrote: "I adored Loving Frank A Novel. I've never been a big fan of historical fiction but this book was an incredible read!"

I agree, Jo. This was excellent!

I adored Loving Frank A Novel. I've never been a big fan of historical fiction but this book was an incredible read!

Mandy Sue wrote: "I never read those. I really enjoyed and recommend Sarah's Key."

Heh hum... Isn't a certain someone supposed to mail that to me...? :~)

Sheila wrote: "Just want to quickly add that Michelle Moran also writes wonderful historical fiction (I'm a big fan!).

And I would also like to remind everyone who likes historical fiction that we are discussi..."

Thanks for the reminder, Sheila! I'm going to start on it today so I can join in, how exciting!

Thanks for the link, I am thinking of joining up too, but with other challenges I plan on doing will have to see if I could combine them, lol.

I love historical fiction and recently ran across a challenge for 2010 if anyone's interested.

http://lurvalamode.wordpress.com/2009/10...

I think I may join up!

Jean Plaidy is someone whose work I've been wanting to read. I have read books under her other pseudonym Victoria Holt, however.

Jennifer Donnelly is currently my favorite historical fiction writer. I also love the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy by Sandra Gulland. I still need to read the final installment.

Sarah wrote: "I'm looking forward to reading that one Sheila! I'm going to start The Heretic Queen A Novel soon too!"

You're gonna love it!

I'm looking forward to reading that one Sheila! I'm going to start The Heretic Queen A Novel soon too!

Just want to quickly add that Michelle Moran also writes wonderful historical fiction (I'm a big fan!).

And I would also like to remind everyone who likes historical fiction that we are discussing Michelle's book Cleopatra's Daughter here on Chicks On Lit starting December 1st. Michelle Moran herself will also be joining us for the discussion, to answer any of our questions, and we'd love to have anyone interested join in!

Sarah Waters writes some really gritty Victorian historical fiction. I'm currently reading Affinity, have already read Fingersmith, and have Tipping the Velvet in my TBR pile (I've seen the movie so I'm already familiar with the story). Just FYI, there is a lesbian orientation to most of her books so anyone who may find that sort of thing offensive had best avoid this writer.

Harriet wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Harriet wrote: "The only historical fiction I've read by Jean Plaidy is The Sixth Wife The Wives of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed that, and would definitely recommend it..."

I don't remember - I think I've blocked it out! I remember that before I even saw the movie, I was apprehensive because Eric Bana was playing Henry VIII. Who thought that was a good idea? Henry VIII was fair-haired, good-looking in his youth, and then enormous and grotesque later in life - does that bring Bana to mind at all?


We should have known - such a great book is always bound to be way better than the movie!

Sarah wrote: "Harriet wrote: "The only historical fiction I've read by Jean Plaidy is The Sixth Wife The Wives of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed that, and would definitely recommend it. I also have ..."

I know! I was really excited about it and then sat complaining the whole way through. I've only seen it once, but I remember thinking that there was no mention of Mary's first husband dying... maybe I missed a bit, or did you or anyone else notice that that was missing as well?

The Darling A Novel by Russell Banks is a more modern historical fiction. Involving weathermen and Liberia and Charles Taylor it is a pretty amazing book although hard to read in certain parts.

Harriet wrote: "The only historical fiction I've read by Jean Plaidy is The Sixth Wife The Wives of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed that, and would definitely recommend it. I also have [book:Uneasy Lie..."

I agree Harriet, TOBG is such a fantastic book, and the movie was just terrible. I was so disappointed...

Oooo fun!
I love Philippa Gregory's books about the Tudor era. I know they're not the most accurate, but they are great stories.

Margaret George is another great historical fiction author. I read The Autobiography of Henry VIII With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers and Helen of Troy and they were both very good.

And some random ones are The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, and of course - the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (though it has romance and sci-fi in it too).

I've heard that The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a good one, but haven't read it yet.

Harriet wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "John Jakes, gosh I'd forgotten about his books. I loved his series from a long time ago. Here are some of my other favorites from other authors:


I adored The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The ending made me cry. The movie was very good, which surprised me. I am not sure if I had young children if I would think it is appropriate reading. Not that children should not know what occurred, but that book is so real, you feel like you are right there....

Kathryn wrote: "John Jakes, gosh I'd forgotten about his books. I loved his series from a long time ago. Here are some of my other favorites from other authors:


Prayers for Sale by [a:Sa..."

I reallly liked The Boy in the Striped Pajamas I think the film really does it justice as well, have you seen that? After I read it, I was in a big chain bookshop and noticed it in the children's chart section... I still can't decide if I agree with it being classed as a childrens book or not...?

John Jakes, gosh I'd forgotten about his books. I loved his series from a long time ago. Here are some of my other favorites from other authors:


Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas
Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
Angela's Ashes by Angela's Ashes
Boy In the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Enemy Women A Novel by Paulette Jiles
The Handmaid and the Carpenter A Novel by Elizabeth Berg

Love me some historical fiction, this is going to be a dangerous thread for me to follow (dangerous for my TBR list, that is).
I've read Victoria Holt, but for the life of me I don't remember them, so they must not have made an impression (my mom loves her writing, though).

I should say, I consider historical fiction to be a book that takes place at least half of the book in a time before I was born, some people have different definitions.

People of the Book Geraldine Brooks (European Jews)
19th Wife David Ebershoff(Mormons)
Fever 1793 Laurie Halse-Anderson (YA) (Yellow fever colonial America)
The Twentieth Wife Indu Sandaresan (India)
Song Yet Sung James McBride (highly recommended in audio form) (pre Civil War)
East Wind, Rain Caroline Paul (WWII)
Raising Holy Hell Bruce Olds (Harper's Ferry)
Snow Falling on Cedars David Guterson (WWII)
Red Tent Anita Diamant (early Jewish history)
Code to Zero and Jackdaws Ken Follett (Cold War and WWII)
Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver (colonial Africa)
Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden (20th century Japan)

That's just perusing my "read" shelf.

I have Jean Plaidy's Victoria Victorious The Story of Queen Victoria on my shelf to read.

I am also a fan of Philippa Gregory, right now I have Earthly Joyson my shelf to read, but there are many more I want to read.

I have many historical fiction books on my shelf to read. I can list some of them for you.

The Memoirs of Cleopatra and Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George
A Rose for the Crown A Novel by Anne Easter Smith
The Fool's Tale A Novel by Nicole Galland
The Borgia Bride A Novel by Jeanne Kalogridis
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland
Banners of Gold, The Prince of Poison A Novel, and Shield of Three Lions by Pamela Kaufman
One Thousand White Women The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus

I am also a big John Jakes, Diana Gabaldon, and Sara Donati fan

The only historical fiction I've read by Jean Plaidy is The Sixth Wife The Wives of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed that, and would definitely recommend it. I also have Uneasy Lies the Head and Katharine, The Virgin Widow to read of hers though if anyone has any reviews of those?
I've read quite a few of Philippa Gregory's novels (mainly her Tudor Court novels) and I absoluetly loved them. It was The Other Boleyn Girl that got me hooked on historical fiction in the first place! Shame about the film though...

^^That's why, when I read historical fiction I also like to read nonfiction about the same time period and, if possible, the same people. Of course it's impossible to know what Anne Boleyn or any other distant historical figure was really like but you can get a pretty well-rounded idea.

Jean Plaidy is also known as Victoria Holt or Phillippa Carr. I have read My Enemy The Queen, The Rose Without a Thorn, and The Lady in the Tower.

I love Phillippa Gregory's books, such as The Boleyn Inheritance, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Constant Princesss, and The Queen's Fool.

There are some differences in Jean and Phillippa G's books about Anne Boleyn; I'm not sure which portrayal was correct.