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What historical figure would you like to read more about?
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Laura
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Feb 23, 2010 07:48AM
A question in the What have you read lately topic got me to thinking. There are so many books out there on Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth, and maybe the Tudors in general that other historical figures get forgotten about or are hard to find books about them. Which historical figure would you like to see more books about?
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I'd like to read more about Elizabeth Plantagenet, Edward and Elizabeth's daughter, wife to Henry VII.She's been a background character in so many novels I've read, but I'd love to see one where an author really gave her a life of her own.
Tough to do, I'm afraid!
I'd also love to read more about James, Charles IIs heir (until he was run off by Mary and William!)
He's another one who's been a peripheral character in many books I've read. That's probably how his life was...overshadowed by his brother.
Anyone know of any good books about him?
the Stuarts, the Hapsburgs and the Romanovs. I know little of them and yet find them interesting.
Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Maria Fitzherbert, Edward VIII/Wallis Simpson and Joanna of Castile.
Robin wrote: "Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Maria Fitzherbert, Edward VIII/Wallis Simpson and Joanna of Castile."Don't quote me if I'm wrong but I believe Elizabeth Chadwicks WIP is about the Empress.
Alison Weir's latest HF is about Eleanor.
I'd like to read more about Harold Godwinsson, as well as his *hand fasted* wife Edith Swanneck.
Thanks, I'll look into them. There's so many about Eleanor, I'm not sure where to start though. I forgot to also add Catherine the Great.
Robin wrote: "Thanks, I'll look into them. There's so many about Eleanor, I'm not sure where to start though. I forgot to also add Catherine the Great."
I'd love to see something good on Catherine, everything is NF. I have one on her by Annette Motley, but I've heard mixed opinions and until I read it myself I'm not going to recommend it. Hard to find anyway.
As for Eleanor, do not - I repeat do not - read the books on her by Alan Savage. Unless you're looking for a good laugh. Bad, unbelievably bad. You won't believe what he has her doing with the Empress Matilda (among others :p)
I'd like to see some fiction about Catherine the Great as well - or some of the other Russian tsars/tsarinas. They had some pretty interesting rulers.I always thought that reading more about Joanna of Wales would be interesting but I don't think anything would meaure up to Here be Dragons.
Mandy wrote: "I'd like to read more about Elizabeth Plantagenet, Edward and Elizabeth's daughter, wife to Henry VII.a..."I believe Philippa Gregory meant The White Queen to be the first of a new series; that would make her next book the one you're looking for!
Does anyone know of any historical fiction about William the Conqueror? I have always wanted to read more about him... Any help?! Thanks!
Hi Allie,I've loved this book since I was about 14 years old. It's an oldie, and I'm not sure if you could find it easily, but it's the only one I can offer up to you:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...
I'd like to read some non-fiction about Isabella of Castile and Charles V
Allie wrote: "Does anyone know of any historical fiction about William the Conqueror? I have always wanted to read more about him... Any help?! Thanks!"Harold the King by Helen Hollick. It's coming out in new edition and I think new title later this year in the US. It's been hard to find.
A challenge to hunt down but also this series by Valerie Anand,
Thanks Misfit and Hannahr! I think I have tried to find the Anand books before and those are pretty difficult to get a hold of, but seem like great books!
Allie wrote: "Thanks Misfit and Hannahr! I think I have tried to find the Anand books before and those are pretty difficult to get a hold of, but seem like great books!"
Allie, don't forget to try for an ILL (interlibrary loan) if your's participates. I know there's at least one (mine) that has King of the Wood.
Allie wrote: "Does anyone know of any historical fiction about William the Conqueror? I have always wanted to read more about him... Any help?! Thanks!"There's also The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer, though I couldn't warm to it myself. Could have just been my mood at the time, though.
Ahhh.. now I have a lot of choices to pick from.. hmm Didn't realize there were so many. Is the Plaidy one any good? Has anyone read it? It appears it might be the easiest (cheapest) one to get! Although the Heyer one looks interesting, and I haven't read a Heyer yet.
Frances wrote: I believe Philippa Gregory meant The White Queen to be the first of a new series; that would make her next book the one you're looking for!"Francis,
I know the follow up to The White Queen will be about Elizabeth, but I'm a bit wary of it...
I actually loved her book The Constant Princess, and it turned Catherine of Aragon into a character that I LOVED. I have my fingers crossed that she'll do the same for me for Elizabeth, but I don't really see it happening.
The White Queen was definitely not one of best...I'm worried the follow up won't be either.
Allie,
Plaidy is kind of hit and miss. Some of hers are fantastic, others are soooooo dry.
I tried to read Heyer's The Conqueror and couldn't. I rarely give up on a book, and this one wasn't very long, so that says a lot.
Though I think others liked it! If I remember right it was a group read, so you should be able to find the threads about it somewhere around here :)
Mandy - Thanks for the insight. I have only read Plaidy's Lucrezia Borgia series and I thought that was pretty good but not spectacular. Althought I do have a couple of hers sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I wish I could find the Anand or Hollick book those look the most promising... Maybe a trip to the library is needed like Misfit suggested!Misfit - Any idea exactly when the Hollick book is being reissued?
Allie, I lied. A Hollow Crown comes out this year and Harold not until 2011. Shop around for used copies. Don't bother for an ILL I tried that two years ago with no success and bought one. Excellent book.
Mandy wrote: "Frances wrote: I believe Philippa Gregory meant The White Queen to be the first of a new series; that would make her next book the one you're looking for!"Francis,
I know the follow up to The Whi..."
Actually, the 2nd book in Gregory's series is about Margaret of Anjou and is called The Red Queen. The third book was supposed to be about Elizabeth of York but in a recent newsletter, Gregory indicated that it would instead be about Elizabeth Woodville's mother, Jacquetta.
I thought the Plaidy book on William the Conqueror was one of her worst and is among some of the worst books I've ever read (and I generally like Plaidy).
Allie wrote: "Does anyone know of any historical fiction about William the Conqueror? I have always wanted to read more about him... Any help?! Thanks!"Here's a couple more OOP books:
Fortune's Knave - Mary Lide
The Golden Warrior - Hope Muntz (I read this one - I liked it better than Plaidy)
The Saxon Tapestry - Sile Rice (may be more about Harold)
Another book about Harold is The Last English King by Julian Rathburn (it's being reissued in the UK in December)
Well I think I got lucky I found Harold the King for about $11 including shipping on Alibris and since I am a dork about reading books in order I went ahead a ordered A Hollow Crown: The Story of Emma, Queen of Saxon Englandalso. But sadly they will have to wait until I am done with Elizabeth Chadwick's Marshall family.. haha and I just started the 1st in the 3 book series.. Thanks for all the input!
Allie wrote: "Ahhh.. now I have a lot of choices to pick from.. hmm Didn't realize there were so many. Is the Plaidy one any good? Has anyone read it? It appears it might be the easiest (cheapest) one to get! ..."
I've read the Plaidy Norman trilogy twice (The Bastard King is the first one) and I really enjoyed it.
Misfit wrote: "There's also The Conqueror ..."
You're not the only one. Dry as a Plaidy (sorry, couldn't resist :p)"
*gripping chest* Oh, the sadness! ;) I did not care for The Conqueror (didn't finish it), but I really liked the Plaidy one.
I've love to read some HF about Peter the Great. Talk about rich in material! I'd take anything that's not about the Russian Revolution. But no! Just more tree-killing Tudor retreads. :(
Firstly, HI EVERYONE, I have just found this group and this is my first post. Nice to meet you all....I also would like to read more about William the Conqueror, and the Saxon kings of pre conquest. And the Danish 'self made' kings that ruled areas such as Mercia and Northumbria at various stages.
I suppose because English history is sketchy and poorly documented (other than the Saxon Chronicles) after the Romans withdrew, it doesn't give writer's an easy research pool to draw their inspiration from. It requires a lot of guesswork to write convincingly of these eras.
Yes, but on the other side, less carping from readers about ignoring known facts. (I'm looking at you, Philippa Gregory.)
Terri wrote: "Firstly, HI EVERYONE, I have just found this group and this is my first post. Nice to meet you all....I also would like to read more about William the Conqueror, and the Saxon kings of pre conqu..."
Welcome to the group Terri!
Thanks Sara W, I am really glad to have found the group. :-) And am looking forward to joining a group read soon......I just have some important TBR's to get through first.
Terri wrote: "Firstly, HI EVERYONE, I have just found this group and this is my first post. Nice to meet you all....I also would like to read more about William the Conqueror, and the Saxon kings of pre conqu..."
William the Conqueror: I enjoyed Julian Rathbone's 'The Last English King'. It's told by a warrior of King Harold's warband who survived Hastings, and covers both the Norman and English sides, though more focussed on Harold than William. The style is lively and witty, but not everyone likes Rathbone's sense of humour. I do, but I know other people who find him very annoying.
Tanzanite mentioned The Saxon Tapestry by Sile Rice. I read this when it first came out, and I remember it being mainly about Hereward (and also rather slow and poetic in style). I don't remember there being much about William in it, though I may be wrong.
Pre-conquest England: The Edge of Light by Joan Wolf is about King Alfred. I recently got a secondhand copy following recommendations on Historical Fiction Online and though I haven't read it yet, it looks very promising.
Kathleen Herbert's trilogy Bride of the Spear, Queen of the Lightning and Ghost in the Sunlight cover the British and English (Anglo-Saxon) rulers of Northumbria and Mercia in the late sixth to mid-seventh century. Bride of the Spear is mainly about Owain son of Urien Rheged (ruler of what's now north-west England in the 590s) and stands alone; the other two are much more of a pair and cover Oswy of Northumbria, his queen Rhianmellt of Rheged, and Penda of Mercia. Long out of print but well worth finding a secondhand copy, I like these novels very much indeed.
Born of the Sun by Joan Wolf is about Ceawlin of Wessex, mid-sixth century, a man who was clearly a great king but about whom very little is recorded (half a dozen lines in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and one in Bede, and that's about it). The author evidently had a great time imagining him and his world. I enjoyed this very much as well.
If I'm allowed to mention my own book, Paths of Exile is about Eadwine (Edwin) of Deira and Northumbria, early seventh century.
Carla wrote: "If I'm allowed to mention my own book, Paths of Exile is about Eadwine (Edwin) of Deira and Northumbria, early seventh century."
Of course you can mention your own book..:-)...that is perfectly okay by me, especially since it is relevant to the era I like.
Thankyou for your excellent recommendations. I am thinking now how I am going to get my mittens on this Herbert trilogy as it seems right up my alley.
I am going to chase up Rathbone's 'The Last English King' firstly, as I do like the sounds of that.
I have to admit that Alfred doesn't fascinate me as much has other Saxon Kings (and the Danish Kings and Lords). I think that may be because I have read a fair bit about him in the past. Or maybe it is because I have a predilection for the more Nordic based cultures (the Vikings and other raiders).
I think also that it is not so much the Christian King's that I am interested in as much as the rulers in England that followed those old Norse faiths. It was such an ancient and mysterious faith. It is also fascinating to read about this time when both cultures and faiths were colliding. Sometimes peaceably, sometimes in violence.
Colliding cultures changed the face of many countries.
Other examples of this that interest me..Roman occupation of England and their suppression of the British tribes.
Saxon and Norman post Conquest being another example of this, hence my interest in the Conquest and the hundred years or so post and pre Conquest.
In saying all that though Carla, I will still read pretty much anything from this pre conquest era, irrespective of who it is about, Alfred too....within reason and only when I have nothing else to read. ;-)
Oh and P.S; If I can get your book here in Australia, I will try and track it down.
Addendum to my post below.....I have just found and bought a copy of Kathleen Herbert's 'Queen of Lightning' off ebay.
So, Carla, you would say it is fine to read this one without having read Bride of the Spear first?? I can get the other two in the trilogy on ebay also, but Queen of Lightning was the best price and best condition. Thought I'd try this second book in the trilogy to see if I like Kathleen Herbert's writing before I purchase the other two.
I have also just bought Julian Rathbone's 'The Last English King' new at an online bookstore. It was on sale, and finding books on sale is always a buzz.
And finally, I have found your book, Paths of Exile, at a few Australian online bookstores and plan on buying it in the next few days. (I have to wait to hear back from these book stores to see who REALLY has it in stock. Many online bookstores SHOW books in stock but once you order it you find out they don't really have it and it will be weeks before you actually get the book).
Thanks again for the recommendations. I look forward to receiving my new books (and don't look forward to adding them to my never ending TBR pile)...EGAD!!!...how will I ever get through my TBR pile while I keep buying more books....sigh...
Terri wrote: "Addendum to my post below.....I have just found and bought a copy of Kathleen Herbert's 'Queen of Lightning' off ebay.
So, Carla, you would say it is fine to read this one without having read Bri..."
Yes, I would say you can certainly read Queen of the Lightning without having read Bride of the Spear first. A couple of secondary characters from Bride of the Spear make an appearance as secondary characters in Queen of the Lightning, and the books are set in the same geographic area about thirty years apart, but they are definitely separate stories. If I remember rightly, there are one or two references to the people and events of Bride of the Spear in Queen of the Lightning, but only the way that characters in any novel would know of and refer to their own history. Although these three are always billed as a trilogy, I think they are actually one stand-alone and one two-part novel that happen to share a setting. I recently re-read them all and Queen of the Lightning was the one I liked best this time round, so I think you've made a good choice! I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.
Thanks for your interest in Paths of Exile, and if you read it, I hope you enjoy it! It's set before the English of Northumbria converted to Christianity (although of course Christianity was present in Britain at the time, and some of the other characters are Christian), so there's a fair bit about pagan English religion in it, drawn from a mix of archaeology (e.g. the Sutton Hoo ship burial) and Norse myth. The first two chapters are free on my website if you fancy a sample; chapter 2 has a scene involving the pagan gods and beliefs about the afterlife. I'm interested in the diversity of religion and culture in Britain at this period too, and in how the interactions between them produced the beginnings of the countries we know today. Someone I know online in New Zealand ordered a copy successfully from The Book Depository, if that is any help to you.
Carla wrote: "Yes, I would say you can certainly read Queen of the Lightning without having read Bride of the Spear first. A couple of secondary characters from Bride of the Spear make an appearance as secondary characters in Queen of the Lightning, and the books are set in the same geographic area ab....."I will certainly let you know what I thought of Queen of the Lightning and the Rathbone book. I am thinking I'll read the Rathbone book first, but may change my mind once I have them in my hands.
RE: YOUR BOOK....
being a writer myself, I do like to support new writers, so I am only too happy to buy your book and give it a read.
I am always on the lookout for books written in this era, so I will be looking forward to getting it.
I must say...I tip my hat to you. You did not choose the easiest era to write about. As you yourself know only too well, it is a hard time in British history to research as the so called 'dark ages' created an archaeological void in many respects.
You could have chosen easier times in history to set your stories in, but you chose the hardest. That is why I tip my hat to you.
I am a big fan of archaeology also, and would love to one day see those Sutton Hoo treasures for myself. Oh....to be there on the day of that dig when they found those beautiful objects, and then started to unearth the ship.
Well, the seventh century isn't entirely 'dark'. We have Bede's History, written only a hundred years or so after the events, plus Historia Brittonum (aka Nennius), the Annals of Wales and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the surviving Old English literature gives an insight into social values and ideals. There isn't the mass of tax records, official and personal correspondence, account books and so on that you get in later periods, so there's a lot we don't know, but there's enough information to hang a story on.What do you write, Terri?
I write historical fiction as a part time hobby. 11th century. Well, eleventh century this time.Sorry, I had forgotten the date your book was set in somewhere between looking at your book write up and reading a few of the first pages on your site, and then posting here on this thread the other day. For some reason I thought it was a little bit earlier, in the late 6th. Anything pre first millennium appeals to me, so knowing it is 7th doesn't phase me, I'll still be looking forward to reading it..
When I use the term 'dark' I use it loosely and always with scepticism. I don't believe there even was a dark age. I also do not believe there was a Saxon 'invasion' to speak of, but a gradual naturalisation of a semi-peacefully immigrating Saxon people. Of course, I am no expert, I just formed an uneducated opinion after reading a lot of non fiction. Non fiction 'for and against' a dark age. Doesn't mean my opinion is right..:-) just putting it out there.
Just finished a very old book (originally published in 1941) called My Theodosia by Anya Seton. It is the story of Aaron Burr(Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson)and his daughter Theodosia. I did not know alot about Aaron Burr but it seems as though he was imprisoned for treason as he was trying to take over Mexico and become emperor. He was also going to have his daughter and grandson help him rule. It is of course more complicated than that, however, Aaron Burr was trying to become American Royalty. It was really interesting. Of course there was a love story included in this based on truth novel. It is realy a tragedy however, not a happily ever after story...but amazingly good!
Kim wrote: "Just finished a very old book (originally published in 1941) called My Theodosia by Anya Seton. It is the story of Aaron Burr(Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson)and his dau..."Kim, I was fascinated with this book as well. All I remembered about Burr was his famous duel with Jefferson (I think it was TJ he dueled with) and nothing about his treasonous plots. I loved looking up the legends about Theodosia and her ghostly sightings as well.
Has anyone focused on Henry Fitzroy? He was the son of Henry VIII and Elizabeth Blunt. Unlike the short lived character in the popular "Tudor's" TV series, lord Fitzroy lived into young adulthood but I have only encountered him again in Tanya Huff's Blood Books.Novels, I want more of him in Novels.
I read Theodosia at about 12. Lovely novel.Burr was Jefferson's Vice President (during his first term, 1801-1805). He dueled with Alexander Hamilton, while Vice President, and killed him, in Weehawken, New Jersey. That was in 1804, before whatever it was exactly that he did in the lands of the Louisiana Purchase. His political career was dead in the east, at least, after he killed Hamilton.
Susanna wrote: "I read Theodosia at about 12. Lovely novel.Burr was Jefferson's Vice President (during his first term, 1801-1805). He dueled with Alexander Hamilton, while Vice President, and killed him, in We..."
There's a book on Burr I've been meaning to read for some time just never got around to it.
I have not read that, but mean to; my mother says it's excellent.
Tee wrote: "Has anyone focused on Henry Fitzroy? He was the son of Henry VIII and Elizabeth Blunt. Unlike the short lived character in the popular "Tudor's" TV series, lord Fitzroy lived into young adulthood b..."I don't know of any novels, but a very readable, fairly short non-fiction book which covers him is Alison Weir's Children of Henry VIII book.
Anyone remember the "got milk?" commercial about the Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton duel?
Ha, Robin, that is always the first thing I think of when I hear "Aaron Burr," even though I was a US History major in college. I'll have to see if YouTube has it on there. It always cracked me up.
I just read Children of Henry VIII, and can't remember him in it. Hmm, must go check index...ETA: nothing under Fitzroy. What was his title?
He was the Duke of Richmond, among others.
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