If you're interested in the formation of the Tokugawa shogunate that eventually ruled Japan from 1600 to 1868 (and let's face it...who isn't?), I highly recommend both "Musashi" and "Taiko", by Eiji Yoshikawa. Both describe the political machinations, battle plans, and daily life in post Ashikaga Japan, after the infamous Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Great, heady stuff!

Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.

Among my favorites (none of which will _ever_ be mistaken for the literary equivalent of 'Braveheart'!) are the following:

'Summer Will Show' and 'The Corner that Held Them' by Sylvia Townsend Warner (the first deals with the Paris Revolution of 1848; the second is set in a convent in 14th-century Norfolk. Both are remarkable novels. Warner wrote another historical novel, 'The Flint Anchor' that's nearly as good, although harder to find.)

Godric by Frederick Buechner (a retelling of the life of the 12th-century saint, Godric of Finchale, a hermit. Buechner's also written a novel about 5th-century Ireland's Saint Brendan the Navigator titled, funnily enough, 'Brendan'.)

The Master by Colm Toibin (Toibin's take on Henry James)

Holy Week (La Semaine sainte) by Louis Aragon (a wonderful, technically inventive novel that details the flight of Louis XVIII and the very brief return to power of Napoleon in 1815.)

Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar (a very subtle, psychologically astute retelling of the life of the 2nd century Roman emperor, Hadrian.)

The Death of Virgil by Hermann Broch (er...it's about Virgil and the Aenied and Virgil's deathbed request that the poem be burned because it was "imperfect" and..stuff...)

I like Colleen McCullough's series about the period when the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire. It's a fascinating time, when history shifted dramatically because of the actions of a few men, and she brought those men--characters like Sulla and Gaius Marius--to life. In the most recent one I read, though, I got a little annoyed at her portrayal of Julius Caesar--a little too "all the women want him and all the men want to be him", compared to her more nuanced portraits of other people from the period.

In case you want to try them, the first one is called "The First Man in Rome."

I haven't read all that many historical fiction novels, but I really liked Philippa Gregory's "The Queen's Fool" as well as "The Boleyn Inheritance". I've just started reading "The Constant Princess" by Gregory as well. They're really good if you like the Tudor period, which I do, I find it interesting.

I liked "The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant and "The Lady and the Unicorn" by Tracy Chevalier.

I'd recommend Ahab's Wife: Or, The Star-Gazer: A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund --one of my all-time favourite books.
It's one of those long adventures that you never want to end. (speaking for myself!)

Anything by Ron Hansen is excellent. The Assassination of of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford especially...although Hitler's Niece was great as well.

If you also like Science Fiction, read 1632. It's a very accurate picture of the 30 years war in Europe, from the view of a small town from now, dropped in the middle of it.

"Saving the World" by Julia Alvarez

www.powells.com/biblio/156512510x

It's a great book about the history of one of the first vaccines - smallpox. Francisco Xavier Balmis, using orphans, figures out that if you infected with smallpox at a specific moment of infection you can become immune. He sailed around the world, primarily to Spanish colonies, immunizing as many people as possible. It sounds so fantastic, but I did some research after reading this book and it's very true - there's even a statue of him in Mexico city. It's truly an important piece to our human/cultural/medical history and I'm so glad a co-worker lent it to me. I definitely recommend it.

Not sure if it's considered "historical fiction" since it's about a time in the past - "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant. It's a fictional story of biblical characters. I was brought up buddhist so I have pretty much little to no understanding/history with Christianity and I found this book to be just a very good story - not really religious at all. Surprising considering the content. My sister lent it to me and said she felt every woman should read it and I have to agree. A very empowering story about women's roles in the family/history/our bodies/our selves/our connection to other women. Highly recommend this.

HAHAHA! I get to recommend my ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME, since it happens to be a historical fiction. "Cryptonomicon" by my favorite author, Neal Stephenson. Neal Stephenson is the bestest! He's so grandifulous I have to make up words to exemplimorphilate my intensity of emotion. He is a wordsmith. And the book is not for everyone, evidently. But if you love words, love language and prose and can wait until the end of a book for conclusions then read it. If you enjoy creative thoughts that go on tangents that may not move the plot forward causing the book to be over 500 pages long then read it. If you want something exciting to happen every chapter, read Harry Potter. Of course, that's not historical fiction. And I'm not knocking Harry, I'm just saying what "Cryptonomicon" is NOT. Happy reading!

Steven Pressfield has written several novels that take place in ancient Greece. They are know to be extensively and accurately researched, and they are very well written. A real treat if you're fascinated by Classical times--and a great read even if you're not. I'm finishing up Gates of Fire right now, which is about the battle of Thermopylae. The novel is part of the syllabus of the US Marine academy (or something like that) because it really delves into the psychology of fear and courage, and the life of a soldier. And it's a gripping story, too.

OH MY GOD !!!!!!!

I have done you all a great disservice my not telling you about my favourite, I MEAN MY FAVOURITE, books which just happen to be historical fiction novels.

They deserve their own thread ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/th...7bb

I enjoyed the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Not in any way serious literature, but very entertaining. She also has another series of historical mysteries, The Lord John series, a bit lighter and funnier, but also good with atmostphere.

I wonder - how can a modern author really get into the mindset of people in a different historical time. I often come across jarring anachronisms of thought and opinion in historical fiction. Any thoughtsÉ

sexing the cherry- jeanette winterson
the passion- jeanette winterson
the egyptologist- arthur philips

i love historical fiction. it's brilliant.

o, and try the english patient. so lovely. and about ww2 cartographers as much as a love story.

I love The Flashman Papers by George MacDonald Fraser. I just finished Cane River by Lalita Tademy...I may have that name wrong. It's set in Mississippi and covers 4 generations of women in the author's family.

I just finished Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier... another historical fiction. I can't say it gave me any insight into women's suffrage, but what I find most interesting about her writing is how each chapter is told in the first person by a different character. It makes me feel more attached to each of the individuals, seeing their world through their eyes this way.

midnight's children... that's historical right?

Just finished "Loving Frank" ... it definitely gave me more to think about regarding the expected roles of women in those times before/during suffrage. Did some research, and the ending was historically accurate. Quite stunning.