American Historical Fiction discussion
Introductions
Chris wrote: "Harold, Andersonville is one of those too powerful books I started way back when but didn't finish. The only POW books I recall appreciating/finishing are Clavell's King Rat, And Ralph Graves Share of Honor."
I haven't read either Andersonville or Share of Honor but Clavell's King Rat was simply superb! I can't stress enough what an impact it had on me.
I haven't read either Andersonville or Share of Honor but Clavell's King Rat was simply superb! I can't stress enough what an impact it had on me.
Hi, I'm Gabrielle and we have a little book club going here in the middle of nowhere in northern california. we are about to start reading the following. I'll see if I can create a thread on the book discussion section if anyone has comments about this period/book.(American Revolution) Our plan is to slowly read through to modern times.Tempest At Dawn
Hi Gabrielle!That book looks interesting... Although I'm in Ohio, I may read it later!
Susan
Hi Gabrielle, you'll find lots of good ideas for books here. Welcome.
Hi Gabrielle,Thanks for mentioning this book. I had not seen it. It sounds great.
This past week, I traveled two days to attend a school reunion and two days to return. We only drove through Indiana, Ohio, W. VA, VA, NC, and SC, but I was amazed at how vast this country is—ex. Ohio is larger than some European countries. I've traveled by car and by plane throughout America as well as Europe, but it hit me again just how brave our ancestors had to be to set out in wagons to explore and settle the wilderness. They didn't have rest stops and/or restaurants! How glad--thankful-- I am that our history and literature detail their treks, trials, and adventures. Thanks goodness for letters, diaries, journals, and books!
Mary wrote: "I'm interested in American southern history, the Mississippi Delta--history and fiction, late 1800s to present. Also interested in experiences of Buffalo soldiers, especially during WW II, and the..."Interesting. How long did it take you to write your novel? Sounds like a book I'd enjoy reading.
I am interested in southern historical fiction 1700's to present. I also enjoy reading about the American Revolution. I have enjoyed reading all of the post and have added several books to my "to read list". I just finished a book called the "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom.
Hi, I'm Jo Ann Butler, and I've just joined this group. My 2011 novel Rebel Puritan: A Scandalous Life is set in 17th-century New England, my favorite time period and place for historical fiction. Anya Seton's The Winthrop Woman made me fall in love with the genre, and my interest has never faded.
Mod
I'm so glad I found this group! I'm very interested in early settlements in America and the people who lived and loved and worked here. I like books if they begin in England or Europe and end up in America. For example, Anya Seton's "The Winthrop Woman" is a favorite of mine.
Mod
Cathy, I'm with you! I love to watch characters decide to uproot themselves, then see how they create new lives, whether they cross the ocean or take a trail westward.
Cathy, I recently finished a 4-book series about a group of Swedish families comming to America in the 1840s to settle in Minnesota witten in the 1950s named Vilhelm Moberg. The first is "Emigrants", and the first half of this book is life in Sweden and why they wanted to leave (being under the thumb of landlords and no freedom of religion). The second half is the trip over. Following books continue the story. Once I started, I had to read all 4.
I really enjoyed "A Pioneer's Search for an Ideal Home" by Phoebe Judson. Though it is a retrospective account, Phoebe describes her family's journey on the Oregon Trail and building homes in the Washington wilderness in detail. I wondered if she had kept a journal, but Ms. Judson was also a gifted writer.
JoAnn wrote: "Cathy, I'm with you! I love to watch characters decide to uproot themselves, then see how they create new lives, whether they cross the ocean or take a trail westward."JoAnn wrote: "Cathy, I'm with you! I love to watch characters decide to uproot themselves, then see how they create new lives, whether they cross the ocean or take a trail westward."
JoAnn I'd love to read your book! Anyone like Beverly Swerling?
That's great, Cathy! The physical Rebel Puritan is available through my website at www.rebelpuritan.com/ and I am just now getting it added to Amazon's Kindle program. As for Beverly Swerling, I'm not familiar with her work but the City of Dreams saga sounds interesting.
For those fans of Moberg's novels, there is a group of Swedish settlements north of Minneapolis called the Swedish Circle. In the town of Lindstrom you will find Moberg's stories celebrated and statues of Karl Oskar and Kristina.
Mod
Jenny wrote: "Cathy, I've read Swerling's Shadowbrook and have the first two in the New York trilogy on my TBR shelf. I wasn't overly crazy for the characters in Shadowbrook, but I thought her historical detail ..."Jenny wrote: "Cathy, I've read Swerling's Shadowbrook and have the first two in the New York trilogy on my TBR shelf. I wasn't overly crazy for the characters in Shadowbrook, but I thought her historical detail ..."
Jenny wrote: "Cathy, I've read Swerling's Shadowbrook and have the first two in the New York trilogy on my TBR shelf. I wasn't overly crazy for the characters in Shadowbrook, but I thought her historical detail ..."
Jenny wrote: "Cathy, I've read Swerling's Shadowbrook and have the first two in the New York trilogy on my TBR shelf. I wasn't overly crazy for the characters in Shadowbrook, but I thought her historical detail ..."
Jenny wrote: "Cathy, I've read Swerling's Shadowbrook and have the first two in the New York trilogy on my TBR shelf. I wasn't overly crazy for the characters in Shadowbrook, but I thought her historical detail ..."
Hi everyone! I'm so happy to have found the group, I've been enjoying reading through the older posts and adding your suggestions to my TBR list. :) I've been a fan of historical fiction since I was young - and now, at 36 years old, I am finally going to give writing one of my own a try. The spark for it came when I started researching my family tree, and discovered I have an ancestor who fought with Daniel Boone in the early days of Kentucky, who has a wife that no one knows anything about. The mystery of it has me wanting to give her a story - we'll see how I do! ;)I've been trying to track down as much pioneer Kentucky fiction as I can, so far I haven't found a lot - the works of Janice Holt Giles, which I am really enjoying, and I have a couple Laura Frantz novels that are on my nightstand to read once I am doing with book #3 in the Outlander series (which I love - along with the Wilderness series by Sara Donati, which I am also working my way through this year).
Any suggestions for other early Kentucky fiction and also Revolutionary War era Virginia fiction are most appreciated!
Mod
Hi! I cam late to loving historical fiction, but now I'm hooked. This year I've enjoyed CALEB'S CROSSING and MUDBOUND.
Mod
If you enjoyed Caleb's Crossing you should try Geraldine Brooks' other books. They are very good. I too enjoyed Caleb's Crossing as well as Mudbound.
Hi, I'm Rosalie I'll read anything & everything, but especially love - & write - historical fiction. I love to find some obscure historical event or person & bring them out. Love to see what everyone's reading. You can see what I'm reading & writing on Goodreads or my blog: blog.rosalieturner.com.
Mod
Hi Rosalie -- welcome to the group. I will definitely check out your writing and your blog!
Welcome, DeAnna, Barbara, Barry & Amy! It's great to see how many others share our interest in fiction set in the wide assortment of times & places that created our American tapestry.Ruth
Hi all,My name is Michael Bockman. I am a lover, reader and writer of historical fiction. My preference is of the 19th and 20th Century time period -- a little Dickens, a little Doctorow. My own book, The Titanic Plan(which I might add, is getting sensational reviews and selling very well) takes place at the turn of the 20th Century and involves the giants of that era -- JP Morgan, John Astor, Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Emma Goldman and others. I invite all in this group to check out the book's Goodreads page, Amazon page as well as the book's website -- www.thetitanicplan.com. I more than welcome questions or comments and look forward to a vibrant interaction with all of you.
Welcome, Rosalie, DeAnna, Barbara, Barry, Amy and Michael!!
Mod
Thats for sure, Jenny. You're TBR stack will certainly grow! Welcome, Folliesgirl14!!
Jenny wrote: "Welcome to the group, Michael!"Thank you Jenny, Maudie and all who welcomed me to this group. I look forward to all your posts, comments and recommendations!
Hi Jenny, Thank you for adding me to the group! I'm Lisa, a writer and reader of historical fiction. My first novel is currently being shopped around by my agent, so wish me luck. It's set during and after the Civil War, and the heroine is the daughter of an Irish immigrant and a free black man. She alone of her family (she thinks) survives the Draft Riots, so she starts a new life by changing her name and "passing" as white. I'm fascinated by American history because of the influx of people from all over the world, but I'm most interested in the stories of ordinary people, who often don't make it into history books. So we have to imagine them!
Mod
Welcome, Lisa! Your novel sounds interesting!!
Thanks, Maudie! I put a part of it up under "Writings" on my author page.
Gentlepeople, I'm Dennis Byrne, a crusty old newsman who thought he'd give historical fiction a try in his twilight years. (I'm 70.) My new historical novel is scheduled for release on Nov. 27 (Madness: The War of 1812, Tate Publishing.) My biggest discovery in writing this book was how different news writing (articles and columns) is from telling a story. It was like learning how to write all over again. Anyone who reads it, I'd love to hear from you--especially if you liked it.
American Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
Fortitude (other topics)Black City Demon (other topics)
Black City Saint (other topics)
Bridget, A Father's Daughter (other topics)
The Winds of War (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
J. Arthur Moore (other topics)Robert Krenzel (other topics)
Robert Krenzel (other topics)
Roy Underhill (other topics)
John Jakes (other topics)
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Hello Rachel,
good to have you here. As you'll see for yourself soon this group has a lot of members who have great recommendations for HF books, with a lot of solid research put into them. Despite the opinions of some, fiction books, if written by authors who make sure that the details of historical periods they write about are solid and based on actual events and people, are novels one can learn a lot from and develop a true love for history. Take me for example; I have a degree in English Lit. but the more HF books I read, the more I realize that I should have been a historian instead :)