Historical Novels

[Purron]

I’m interested in reading some good historical novels over the winter months. Particular areas of interest include the civil war and Native Americans. I’m also open to other topics. I have no doubt many of you will come with some good suggestions.

I’m also fascinated with the history of the dust bowl because of my Kansas roots. BTW, don’t forget Kens Burns special on the dust bowl is coming up soon. Can’t wait for that! Here’s the link: http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/

 

[REWahoo]

One of the best Civil War historical novels isThe Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.

 

[Avalon]

This is one of my favorites.

Lucia St. Clair Robson, historical novelist - Ride the Wind - the story of Cynthia Ann Parker and her life with the Comanches

 

[Ally]

I read the book that the Ken Burns show is based on. I'm certain I would have died in those dust storms since I have asthma! They sounded horrible. It was a good book.

It was called The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.

 

[sailor]

Great historical novels, although earlier history than you mentioned in your post:

• The Egyptian by Mika Waltari ( The Egyptian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )
• Long Ships a.k.a. Red Orm - 10 century AD, Scandinavia ( The Long Ships - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )
• Quo Vadis - Anciant Rome, during Nero reign - Quo Vadis (novel) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Pharaoh by Boleslaw Prus - Egypt 10 century BC - If you can find it avoid horrible Jeremiah Curtin translation. Also funny trivia about this one: it was a favorite Stalin's book

 

[urn2bfree]

Ken Follett's Middle ages books Pillars of the Earth and the later World Without End and his two 20th century books Fall of Giants and Winter of the World
Lonesome Dove is a great slice of life in the Old West

 

[Original Wally]

Agree with Lonsome Dove (**I** thought the mini series should have been Clint Eastwood for Woodrow Call and Willie Nelson for Agustus McCrea). ANOTHER is the James Michener Centenniel (tho in HIS style he DOES begin with the beginning of the earth. Literally. The story REALLY begins something like 1/3 of the way thru IIRC)

 

[WhoDaresWins]

In addition to the other excellent suggestions, I would check out anything by Phillipa Gregory---mostly historical fiction set in England such as The Other Boleyn Girl, The Red Queen, etc.

 

[Nodak]

Not a novel but I just finished The Journals of Lewis and Clark, very interesting.

 

[RE2Boys]

One of the best Civil War historical novels isThe Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.

And be sure to check out the books written by Michael's son, Jeff Shaara.

The Killer Angels is about the Battle of Gettysburg. Jeff Shaara wrote two novels that cover the Civil War before and after Gettysburg. Also wrote a two volume set on Revolutionary War, one on War of 1812, one on Mexican War of 1840s, three volume set on WWII. I'm currently reading one on the Battle of Shiloh, A Blaze of Glory.

 

[mystang52]

James Michener wrote several historical novels, in my opinion all very well written. Centennial is about development in the western US and includes Native American character, although admittedly the book is not about Native Americans per se.

 

[Lsbcal]

Long ago I did read Michener's Hawaii and a few others. Very enjoyable.

If one were interested in England's history around Henry XIII time, I'd recommend the series of novels by C.J. Sansom starting with Dissolution. The hero is a lawyer who investigates a murder at a monastery. Part mystery but very much more about historical fiction.

 

[FUEGO]

If war time settings interest you, here's a few classics that pop to mind:

A couple of Hemingway novels take place in Spanish Civil War or WWI Europe. For Whom the Bell Tolls; A Farewell to Arms.

Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities - French Revolution

Around WWII or leading up to it - Anything by Hans Fallada. WWII Resistance Berlin is the setting for "Every Man Dies Alone".

Two others were set in economically challenged Weimar Republic pre-WWII Germany. These give particularly good perspective on the mindset and lives of some in 1930's Germany that led to what came to pass during the War. Little Man, What Now. And Wolf Among Wolves. I enjoyed the former book a little better but both were great.

 

[Purron]

I read the book that the Ken Burns show is based on. I'm certain I would have died in those dust storms since I have asthma! They sounded horrible. It was a good book.

It was called The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.

As usual, I can count on all of you for great suggestions This one interested me right now because of the upcoming Burns documentary, but many others put forth on this thread are on my reading list for sure! More suggestions will be much appreciated. I have a feeling this will be a long winter requiring many books to get me through to spring.

 

[Gumby]

Dust Bowl? -- Definitely John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath

 

[Lsbcal]

On WWII:

Herman Wouk, Winds of War. Then his next novel, War and Remembrance.

The Winds of War: Herman Wouk: 9780316952668: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Mmm Rrr]

I recently finished "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel and have started the second book of the series, "Bring Up the Bodies". They are really, really good! They tell the story of Henry the Eighth from Thomas Cromwell's point of view. It's a whole different take on the story from the (also really, really good) TV series "The Tudors".

 

[Purron]

Dust Bowl? -- Definitely John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath

I saw the movie again just the other night. Four out of four stars for sure. Never have gotten around to reading the book though. A great movie but I'm sure there's much more in the book. Isn’t that usually the case?

 

[haha]

On WWII:

Herman Wouk, Winds of War. Then his next novel, War and Remembrance.

The Winds of War: Herman Wouk: 9780316952668: Amazon.com: Books

A big +1 on these. And add The Caine Mutiny, another suberb WW2 novel by Wouk.

To look at one from The Great War, and one that is quite a bit less gung-ho, try Erik Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.

In a sense, most serious novels are historical novels. One of my favorite among American authors is J.P. Marquand, as in The Late George Aply.

Perhaps the greatest of all historical novels is War and Peace.

Ha

 

[Hamster]

By a wide margin, the best historical novels I have read are the Aubrey / Maturin books by the late Partick O'Brian. There are a dozen or so books all essentially telling a single story, all equally well written, set during the Napoleonic wars. Aside from excellent characters and stories, O'Brian had an exceptionally accurate and refined understanding of the period and people he wrote about.

 

[BTravlin]

Ken Follett's Middle ages books Pillars of the Earth and the later World Without End and his two 20th century books Fall of Giants and Winter of the World
Lonesome Dove is a great slice of life in the Old West

My wife read Follett's books not too long ago and loved them. She spent many a late night in bed reading those. Good thing I go to sleep easily.

 

[Purron]

A big +1 on these. And add The Caine Mutiny, another suberb WW2 novel by Wouk.

To look at one from The Great War, and one that is quite a bit less gung-ho, try Erik Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.

In a sense, most serious novels are historical novels. One of my favorite among American authors is J.P. Marquand, as in The Late George Aply.

Perhaps the greatest of all historical novels is War and Peace.

Ha

Agree with War and Peace Ha. Read that years ago and this should be on my read again list for sure. Went to my awesome local library today and picked up The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.
The first is a history of the dust bowl. The second a biography of, IMHO, one of the most fascinating people ever to draw a breath at the same time in history I did too.

 

[JakeBrake]

On a recent visit to the local Salvation Army Thrift store I happened upon a copy of "The Covenant" by James Michener for $1. I thought I had read all of his books, but I haven't read "The Covenant", which is about the settlement of South Africa.

IMHO you can learn more history from James Michener's novels than from most history textbooks.

I think James Michener may have been talking about himself when (in one of his novels "Chesapeake" ) he said the English explorer John Smith wrote history as it should have been, not as it was.