Tribe.net. Local Connections Christie http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#9e5ca671-5fa2-469c-9d69-0ef0f054f950 2009-01-20T01:09:14Z 2009-01-20T01:09:14Z

There's a book I really enjoyed that isn't probably classified as historical fiction, but takes place in historical times in London. I think many here would like it, too. It's called 'Tipping the Velvet' by Sarah Waters. It's the story of a young woman who discovers her love for other women, and her passion for entertaining. It's a rare look into the life of gay woman in historical times and beautifully written. I loved it.

Christie 2009-01-20T01:09:14Z Suz http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#7baa8f91-0cdc-4671-a585-d05f33b6e376 2009-01-20T00:02:27Z 2009-01-20T00:02:27Z

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.

Suz 2009-01-20T00:02:27Z Ipsissimus http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#4d6e91a8-dbdd-42e0-8374-36c3c279464d 2009-01-02T14:03:12Z 2009-01-02T14:03:12Z

The Alienist is a good read but I wouldn't really consider it historical fiction in that it isn't a fictional retelling of actual people and events. Although there are appearances by historical figures, most notably Theodore Roosevelt who was the New York City Police Commissioner during the time period that the novel takes place, the central characters and events are fictional. The sequel to The Alienist, The Angel of Darkness is a good book to.

Ipsissimus 2009-01-02T14:03:12Z Christie http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#0a9d1348-c0c1-42da-9b6d-15816d9c8d9f 2009-01-02T00:58:39Z 2009-01-02T00:46:26Z

Midnight's Children sparked my interest so I just looked it up and realized I read it a while back. Salman Rushdie. It's okay. I love looking at books on Amazon.com. I occasionally buy used books through Amazon, but I open up their site often to look at the book reviews, also to see the related books of a book I like, and sometimes realize I've actually read the book in question, and just had forgotten. I used to keep a sort of book diary in which I'd write the name and author of a book I'd just finished and a brief review. I started this when I found I was getting used books at times which I'd already read once, and so the book diary helped me remember what I had read already.

Christie 2009-01-02T00:46:26Z Powers http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#73fc3d91-2edf-43ed-955b-a8bf074c1e56 2009-01-01T16:33:24Z 2009-01-01T16:33:24Z

"midnight's children... that's historical right?" Post-colonial literature works through the process of "writing back", "re-writing", and "re-reading". Midnight's Children is a loose allegory for events in India both before and, primarily, after the independence and partition of India, which took place at midnight on 15 August 1947.

Powers 2009-01-01T16:33:24Z Christie http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#4ad71d03-0104-4aad-9655-8d1e77658ae1 2009-01-01T04:44:51Z 2009-01-01T04:44:51Z

Have any of you read 'Follow the River' by James Alexander Thom? It is not new, I read it years ago, but still think of it now and again. It's an incredible story based on historical facts of a woman who was kidnapped by Native Americans, escaped and had to make her way home again without food for the journey. It's an incredible story of bravery and very readable. I highly recommend it. Another book of his I still think about years after reading is called 'The Children of First Man'. It is perhaps a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, or at least some of what he leads you to believe about the first Europeans in America has not been proven. But I found that I believed his take on how it very likely may have happened.

Christie 2009-01-01T04:44:51Z Christie http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#dbf0d568-01a0-4f46-a0bb-249fb1c7e2c9 2009-01-01T04:29:00Z 2009-01-01T04:29:00Z

I just joined this tribe. I used to read a LOT. Now a days not as much. I've read a number of historical fiction novels. I have to agree with Morgan's post from over a year ago: >> 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." << This series is really good. And I wasn't at all annoyed with the author's portrayal of Caesar. I believe my favorite in the series is the book "Caesar's Women".

Christie 2009-01-01T04:29:00Z christine http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#c7a3a20c-a39a-42e4-aa21-1ebf8c2fc14b 2008-12-23T22:00:29Z 2008-12-23T22:00:29Z

Midnight's children? Why does that sound so familiar?

christine 2008-12-23T22:00:29Z Shonna http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#fc297f82-b695-4cb0-a431-210a09a0b758 2008-12-23T02:42:06Z 2008-12-23T02:42:06Z

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

Shonna 2008-12-23T02:42:06Z Arcangel http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#8498bc6a-140d-408f-bfc2-ebd5ec4c52fc 2008-12-23T00:46:56Z 2008-12-23T00:46:56Z

Check out the "Brethern" Trilogy by British Author Robin Young I have read the first two (the third one should be out sometime in 2009?) and I thought that both were excellent pieces of Historical fiction set during the Holy Crusades in the 15th century dealing with a secret order within the Knight Templar and political and religious intrigue both with the Christians and the Muslims during this time The story kind of reminded me of an excellent Movie that came out a few years back "Kingdom of Heaven" directed by Tony Scott and starring Orlando Bloom

Arcangel 2008-12-23T00:46:56Z Powers http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#6b8528bb-17e7-4f5a-86c2-51c0959ba8d3 2008-12-19T20:22:14Z 2008-12-19T20:22:14Z

Oh!! Try the ALIENIST- Caleb Carr that s the one I was going to say

Powers 2008-12-19T20:22:14Z christine http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#6fa5ded9-7c06-476f-acbb-7b45686f5c70 2008-12-19T16:12:26Z 2008-12-19T16:12:26Z

The Angelique series by Sergeanne Golon.

christine 2008-12-19T16:12:26Z Suz http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#5fa31d5f-8c79-4c93-82b0-53613a51d965 2008-12-18T21:56:01Z 2008-12-18T21:56:01Z

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.

Suz 2008-12-18T21:56:01Z Lisa http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#05d8cd13-dacf-498d-b814-99838f7141b2 2008-01-15T00:36:06Z 2008-01-15T00:36:06Z

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.

Lisa 2008-01-15T00:36:06Z mara http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#ee026e50-7b45-4164-bc71-0a91eb94aca2 2008-01-14T13:54:34Z 2008-01-14T13:54:34Z

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.

mara 2008-01-14T13:54:34Z Crypto http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#dc76e070-bb43-486f-8bbd-6a8a2eb7f623 2008-01-10T05:57:56Z 2008-01-10T05:57:56Z

Good research. Ability to get into the heads of people already. And it ain't ever going to be perfect. Even if it were, there might need to be some sort of "translation" for us to understand. While I think sexual love has always existed, the "companionate marraige" is relitively new. Yet it's in a lot of those historic novels.

Crypto 2008-01-10T05:57:56Z Dorte http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#220ed2bf-a02f-458e-bc1b-3fb62419462a 2008-01-10T05:55:31Z 2008-01-10T05:55:31Z

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

Dorte 2008-01-10T05:55:31Z Jabberwocky http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#63444038-a327-46e2-b88a-3acf2bc9caf6 2008-01-06T23:05:28Z 2008-01-06T23:05:28Z

My favourite hostorical novels are: Sarah Dunant - Birth of Venus and In the Company of the Courtesan (both set in Renaissance Venice) Margaret Atwood - Alias Grace Kathryn Harrison - Poison (two women, one poor accused of witchcraft, one married to King of Spain, Spanish Inquisition) A Superlative read Peter Ackroyd - Chatterton (a magical weave of modern and Elizabethan worlds centering around a portrait of Shakespeare's contemporary, Thomas Chatterton) Peter Ackroyd - The Lambs of London (Charles and Mary Lamb who wrote what was to become a perennial paraphrase of Shakespeare's tales)

Jabberwocky 2008-01-06T23:05:28Z Cerrithwen http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#d9fddab2-e3d4-4409-a585-cf574c559554 2007-12-31T22:43:35Z 2007-12-31T22:43:35Z

Oops. I meant the 1300's. Typo..... In any case, it is WELL worth the read.

Cerrithwen 2007-12-31T22:43:35Z Crypto http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#768ec416-5038-4e22-ae8f-0225a132cc8f 2007-12-31T07:08:08Z 2007-12-31T07:08:08Z

I think John of Gaunt was before the 1500s. Well before. Because his grandchildren got into the War of the Roses thing, and then Henry VII won the Battle of Bosworth Field and his son, was, I think, king in 1492.

Crypto 2007-12-31T07:08:08Z Bloke. Trivia Pimp http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#0d2fc310-a54c-4cda-bc9d-b67ee56b5b00 2007-12-31T06:32:44Z 2007-12-31T06:32:44Z

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 http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/08ac98bd-0fec-40af-8957-f29c51e2e7bb?newpostingid=dbe4e8b7-9a00-462b-9cf5-dcc3a6ca5505#dbe4e8b7-9a00-462b-9cf5-dcc3a6ca5505

Bloke. Trivia Pimp 2007-12-31T06:32:44Z Cerrithwen http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#86b205ce-3ca6-404d-90b0-061fa0b7d268 2007-12-31T00:51:34Z 2007-12-31T00:51:34Z

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley- one of my favorite historical fiction novels of all time. Another favorite is Katherine by Anya Seton. It's out of print, but if you can find a copy it is WELL worth the read. It's set in England during the 1500's, and follow the life of Katherine Seton- future wife of John of Gaunt. It is one of the best, most richly imagined and lush novels I have ever read.

Cerrithwen 2007-12-31T00:51:34Z )'(Ms. Meow)'( http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#90c1c70d-9314-4e6b-9ebc-1fb6719eca83 2007-12-30T20:37:39Z 2007-12-30T20:37:39Z

Ok Behr, we understand that you love this book, and that it's historical fiction... But what's it about???

)'(Ms. Meow)'( 2007-12-30T20:37:39Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#75499d0a-5080-407e-b5c0-6c60a400fecc 2007-12-30T16:40:20Z 2007-12-30T16:40:20Z

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.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-12-30T16:40:20Z Behr http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#e0a0bb6b-07d1-445c-a9fe-063a97fa5f15 2007-12-18T19:06:55Z 2007-12-18T19:06:55Z

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!

Behr 2007-12-18T19:06:55Z Tri http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#6a68ff8c-9442-4225-be33-9090f6a554da 2007-12-18T17:19:03Z 2007-12-18T17:19:03Z

>>I remember it losing steam by them<< ...by theN. Whoops! need to proofread before submitting....

Tri 2007-12-18T17:19:03Z Tri http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#a4dfe38a-be61-417c-a5bd-58f96685d177 2007-12-18T17:18:20Z 2007-12-18T17:18:20Z

>>I found the Red Tent hokey rather than empowering.<< Interesting. I wonder what other people thought (please share!). I liked it a lot, along with several of my friends. I have to agree about the ending - I remember it losing steam by them, but all in all a good read to me.

Tri 2007-12-18T17:18:20Z Crypto http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#20172b95-aefb-4db1-91d4-fe6b77e9be45 2007-12-18T17:14:17Z 2007-12-18T17:14:17Z

I found the Red Tent hokey rather than empowering. It was okay until she got married, but the whole ending up in Egypt thing was pretty silly. Interesting attempt to animate a background character in the Old Testament, but ultimately rang hollow. Good writing though. And I have a heck of a time beliving that these women had enough food to be menstruating every single month.

Crypto 2007-12-18T17:14:17Z Tri http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#b99fae1e-7aa8-44ab-965f-315ec5773581 2007-12-18T17:09:01Z 2007-12-18T17:09:01Z

"Saving the World" by Julia Alvarez http://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.

Tri 2007-12-18T17:09:01Z Alice http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#1617d7d3-5e80-4f78-bc7f-7dba9ca39392 2007-12-18T16:33:32Z 2007-12-18T16:33:32Z

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.

Alice 2007-12-18T16:33:32Z Bloke. Trivia Pimp http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#ca73276b-6cc7-4108-a6c8-3280d62723de 2007-12-15T02:22:33Z 2007-12-15T02:22:33Z

Ah, the subjectivity of “taste” ..

Bloke. Trivia Pimp 2007-12-15T02:22:33Z Crypto http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#c91ef364-d443-40e0-a371-45626cdae43a 2007-12-15T01:53:00Z 2007-12-15T01:53:00Z

Hitler's Niece was a piece of crap. Flat and explotative. IMHO.

Crypto 2007-12-15T01:53:00Z GibsonPearl http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#c8ee9755-fc5e-4191-89e3-76142a2930ed 2007-12-15T00:21:49Z 2007-12-15T00:21:49Z

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.

GibsonPearl 2007-12-15T00:21:49Z christine http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#f381afcb-ce45-47ea-a978-1fe172b94ff1 2007-12-10T19:43:18Z 2007-12-10T19:43:18Z

I forgot to mention Lady of the Glenn. I think it is time for me to reread that.

christine 2007-12-10T19:43:18Z christine http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#f5f43b77-cd56-49ca-820c-f3af0978f2bb 2007-12-10T19:41:03Z 2007-12-10T19:41:03Z

Sharon kay Penman, not totally fiction but realy good read.

christine 2007-12-10T19:41:03Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#76208574-54ae-490c-a2f6-7bd8b14d4519 2007-12-10T18:13:15Z 2007-12-10T18:13:15Z

Phillipa Gregory is laudable as a writer in many ways. <lately i have read several novels by steve berry, which are set in the present but concern themselves with the past. quite interesting and topical reading, although very easily forgotten. he tells a good story, but characters are not memorable. > Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie" the opposite of the above statement. What a "novel" I got the story in it, and his characters are unforgettable but they are novels dern it. Not Historic Fiction. Big question mark hanging right over my head....So another topic when is it a novel and when is it historic fiction. Why don't we just read history more often.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-12-10T18:13:15Z )'(Ms. Meow)'( http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#977b04a0-94a0-4c7c-8fb7-1061142572ba 2007-12-10T08:35:23Z 2007-12-10T08:35:23Z

Through a Glass Darkly... I really liked the characters.

)'(Ms. Meow)'( 2007-12-10T08:35:23Z Terry http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#52428fa5-79a1-46e8-968e-f5d44f1ddc41 2007-12-10T03:51:29Z 2007-12-10T03:51:29Z

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!)

Terry 2007-12-10T03:51:29Z Marie http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#b7adb952-2db7-4b3b-a28f-1f7b8d699d6d 2007-12-09T19:53:46Z 2007-12-09T19:53:46Z

The Queen's Confession - Victoria Holt Marie Antoinette

Marie 2007-12-09T19:53:46Z mcjb http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#7491a3eb-4959-4a9e-88c7-6a530a498a4d 2007-12-09T18:14:51Z 2007-12-09T18:14:51Z

Here is a great Canadian Alternate Historical novel I've read and I strongly recommend. It's fairly new (2005) and is Boyden's first novel. "Tree Day Road" by Joseph Boyden - Penguin Books Inspired in part by real-life World War I Ojibwa hero Francis Pegahmagabow, Three Day Road reinvents the tradition of such Great War epics as Birdsong and All Quiet on the Western Front. Beautifully written and told with unblinking focus, it is a remarkable tale, one of brutality, survival, and rebirth. Let me know how you liked it!

mcjb 2007-12-09T18:14:51Z Bloke. Trivia Pimp http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#ce0556f0-3cf5-4fba-b71c-b0684f2b1e27 2007-12-09T10:50:33Z 2007-12-09T10:50:33Z

<<Across the Nightingale Floor>> I have just finished reading all four of the trilogy.. Yep - he must have thought he had another one in him after completing the third book. I found them an easy and well paced read with good characterisations, themes and plots. I am not sure I would describe them exactly as "historical fiction" but I like these sort of books set in Feudal Japan and there was certainly strong echoes of history and culture in the books. I must have liked them - powered through them is less than a couple of weeks while reading other stuff as well...

Bloke. Trivia Pimp 2007-12-09T10:50:33Z ~lorenzo! http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#88b7328e-a7a6-46dc-99b3-054b4be28ee5 2007-03-07T06:26:23Z 2007-03-07T06:26:23Z

lately i have read several novels by steve berry, which are set in the present but concern themselves with the past. quite interesting and topical reading, although very easily forgotten. he tells a good story, but characters are not memorable.

~lorenzo! 2007-03-07T06:26:23Z milkyway http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#25d2247d-3ca0-4945-9ab4-164ca45c917a 2007-03-07T06:01:38Z 2007-03-07T06:01:38Z

I loved the Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn. The first book is Across the Nightingale Floor. It's not historically accurate (setting is similar to feudal Japan) but totally gripping!

milkyway 2007-03-07T06:01:38Z Suz http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#00f0e0f1-1572-4a80-aa94-08e33f7360d7 2007-03-07T00:24:30Z 2007-03-07T00:24:30Z

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

Suz 2007-03-07T00:24:30Z Daphne Podgmiller http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#545d6069-75f3-4434-b336-d8284065cb96 2007-03-07T00:20:51Z 2007-03-07T00:20:51Z

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.

Daphne Podgmiller 2007-03-07T00:20:51Z Morgan http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#2af604c2-ab9d-4d7b-a660-62a84a16bddc 2007-03-06T20:19:09Z 2007-03-06T20:19:09Z

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."

Morgan 2007-03-06T20:19:09Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#fac578f1-20c0-4544-b3b0-9c71dc4a59de 2007-03-06T19:09:31Z 2007-03-06T19:09:31Z

I like Gary Jennings - despite the facts that many of his characters are gruesome and he has a kink for bizarre death scenes, I find his work to be entertaining and educational. I have used several of his enormous books as excuses to research history and language. My first find, "The Journeyer" is still my favorite! I am looking forward to reading some other things on this thread - thanks for posting.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-03-06T19:09:31Z Sugar Britches http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#455dfda6-7a29-4fd2-9dfd-71a2183f3059 2007-03-06T16:03:29Z 2007-03-06T16:03:15Z

I also loved The Alienist! Still one of my faves. Carr does an amazing job of blending nascent psychological profiling, sociology, politics, history in a well-paced tale with decent character development. This was a can't-put-it-down book for me. Devil in the White City (Erik Larson) was also pretty good, if a bit heavy-handed in its suspense-building cues. It tells the (true-ish) story of a serial killer who used the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 as his hunting ground. As sensationalist as that sounds, this book accurately and accessibly tells the story of building the Chicago World's Fair, which I found surprisingly interesting. I think historical fiction often gets a bad rap (like the mystery genre) because, let's face it, there is a LOT of crap out there calling itself historical fiction. As Crypto mentioned, above, any genre can be done well in the hands of a good storyteller with something to say, so while I don't read much historical fiction, I do really enjoy stumbling across an occasional good work.

Sugar Britches 2007-03-06T16:03:15Z Superstar http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#815c79e9-3355-4b9f-b2ab-d9cfe4fbda93 2007-03-06T08:16:24Z 2007-03-06T08:16:24Z

I love anything James Michener (Centennial, Chesapeake, Hawaii, Texas and many others I can't recall). I also agree with another poster re: James Clavell (Shogun, Tai Pan, Noble House, King Rat, Whirlwind).

Superstar 2007-03-06T08:16:24Z Cindi http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#a7d63764-a5f3-42ff-93a2-f8f9f4745a39 2007-03-06T03:37:25Z 2007-03-06T03:37:25Z

I don't know if it would qualify for historical fiction, but it is definitely one of my top five favorite books. I had to be talked into reading it, but was so glad I did!

Cindi 2007-03-06T03:37:25Z Kevin http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#7971a6db-c07e-4f6a-abd6-ad117f3bbf05 2007-03-06T03:18:10Z 2007-03-06T03:18:10Z

Would this group consider Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner' historical fiction? I love that book.

Kevin 2007-03-06T03:18:10Z Sakura http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#c5d3a2c5-e1e8-42ca-ac0e-0243e7aeab76 2007-03-05T12:24:03Z 2007-03-05T12:24:03Z

I love historical fiction. You learn about the world, the past and people. 'The Agony and the Ecstasy' by Irving Stone is a beautiful book about the life of Michaelangelo 'The Name of the Rose' by Umberto Eco, a medieval murder mystery set in the world of science, books and monasteries The Matthew Bartholomew series by Susanna Gregory is a mystery series following the exploits of a thirteenth century physician in Cambridge.

Sakura 2007-03-05T12:24:03Z T.E. Lawrence http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#e7fead45-4c4f-4351-8555-1bee73d3a23e 2007-03-03T04:30:57Z 2007-03-03T04:30:57Z

I've grown to appreciate Historical Fiction. Here are a few of my favorites: Ride the Wind, by Lucia St. Clair Robson. A wonderfully heartbreaking story of a white woman adopted into an Indian tribe. Shogun, by James Clavell. Masterful blend of history and fiction of a great transition in Japanese history. Each time I reread it, I come away with a new insight. The Bastard, by John Jakes. Greatly overlooked by the his-fic crowd because of the TV movie done in its wake. The characterizations of the Founding Fathers are terrific, and quite accurate. The Outlaw of Torn, by Edgar Rice Burroughs. An inventive tale of a largely-overlooked period of English history, which takes place just before the Magna Carta was signed.

T.E. Lawrence 2007-03-03T04:30:57Z Marie Therese http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#17d80ed6-b43e-4b1a-9d4f-fdcc38aaf79f 2007-03-03T04:04:37Z 2007-03-03T04:04:37Z

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...)

Marie Therese 2007-03-03T04:04:37Z Billy Shears http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#75a9bb50-2fe7-435d-8edc-0b74261f05c3 2007-03-03T03:39:43Z 2007-03-03T03:39:43Z

I, Claudius is a classic. The voice, the description....what it would be to witness imperial Rome ...and I am knee deep into Gravity's Rainbow... yet again.

Billy Shears 2007-03-03T03:39:43Z Marie Therese http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#48fb5bf7-e601-4fd9-9eed-bde86cbdd2e9 2007-03-03T03:35:42Z 2007-03-03T03:35:42Z

"....which brings me to Susan Sontag's The Volcano Lover.' Yes, this was such a surprise coming from Sontag (her previous novels are very very different), but it is a wonderful book.

Marie Therese 2007-03-03T03:35:42Z Laurel http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#ef23b86d-c9d9-4c62-a32f-e1e1295be4ed 2007-03-03T03:20:56Z 2007-03-03T03:20:56Z

Oddly I have read more historical fiction lately than I ever imagined. John Berendt is pretty amazing--Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil fame, but I really liked The City of Falling Angels. These are really the stories of cities. Falling Angels the investigation of the fire that destroys the Fenice Opera House, but really a tale of Venice. Devil in the White City also amazing for its intertwining of the rise of Chicago architecture, a world fair, and a serial killer. Being in Chicago at the time it really made me appreciate that city. Ross King also a favorite for Brunellleschi's Dome and Michelanglo & the Pope's Ceiling. Both really give you a feel for art and architecture of the Renaissance. Good historical fiction really seems to do just that....intertwines a good tale with history. ....which brings me to Susan Sontag's The Volcano Lover. Set in the 18th Century in Naples, this book is just luscious. The art and history does more than provide a backdrop for this tale. The love tale can not be separated from its seductive setting. Okay, I'm pretty obsessed with this one at the moment---shall have to give it a separate posting, just too much to elaborate upon.

Laurel 2007-03-03T03:20:56Z Rai http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#48208cc1-6fb5-4030-b8e3-0146496df9f2 2007-03-03T02:06:09Z 2007-03-03T02:06:09Z

Oh!! Try the ALIENIST- Caleb Carr Set in the early 18th Century New York, the beginning of modern criminal profiling in pursuit of a psycho. Before psycho was a word. And kids still smoked stogies And cocaine was good for you!! ... Dammit.

Rai 2007-03-03T02:06:09Z Karen http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#35b81597-ca42-4b6d-9b39-2589b5b3a201 2007-03-02T22:11:13Z 2007-03-02T22:11:13Z

Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.

Karen 2007-03-02T22:11:13Z cece http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#9f321361-0aca-448a-b9c1-f29738864491 2007-03-02T20:11:01Z 2007-03-02T20:11:01Z

my favorite historical fiction novel: VINDICATION by frances sherwood about the life and times of Mary Wollestonecraft (Mary Shelley's mother). it's a very well-written page turner.

cece 2007-03-02T20:11:01Z Robyn http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#7a6885e2-d397-4a2c-8b2c-5c7367089bb9 2007-03-02T20:03:56Z 2007-03-02T20:03:56Z

Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracey Chevalier...and The Virgin Blue by Chevalier as well, though this one also tells a present day story. Those are just the two most recent ones I've read.

Robyn 2007-03-02T20:03:56Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#fc2ce293-98f0-4755-920e-775ff1cab2c2 2007-03-02T19:39:31Z 2007-03-02T19:39:31Z

Well I was not dismissing it .... and did not want to seem too dismissive. This subject interests me. But I think I will be speaking from this side of the fence on this account. Since it is a subject of conversation quite often among my reading companions. But thanks and surely other people will feel free to say if they either like or do not like historic novels.

$item.owner.firstName 2007-03-02T19:39:31Z Crypto http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#955424a5-6568-4126-8f89-77e828343f9e 2007-03-02T19:25:33Z 2007-03-02T19:25:33Z

Reid I'm a fence sitter myself. A lot of historical novels are just plain silly. I love Gordianus the Finder, and Benjemin January even though both series have the 2nd strike of being mysteries (another just plain silly genre) but are both well-written, by trained historians and manage to illuminate both the past and the eternals of human nature. 15 years ago or more, I sort of realized that while with most genres there is a deep formula that is repeated in most examples, that ANY genre can be used by a good writer to tell a story that interests that writer, and that can make a good book no matter how dubious the parentage. So, first off, you don't have to open this thread. There are many threads I never read or only open once in this and other tribes. And having opened it, you don't have to dismiss the entire subject when it's barely started. And 2nd of all, after dismissing it, you don't have to do it again.

Crypto 2007-03-02T19:25:33Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#3c2f246e-aece-4cc5-8085-cb4e73d02996 2007-03-02T18:53:19Z 2007-03-02T18:53:19Z

Elucidation: I did not like the movie Braveheart either

$item.owner.firstName 2007-03-02T18:53:19Z $item.owner.firstName http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#8db4589e-4789-47a9-8477-bd241004da96 2007-03-02T18:41:13Z 2007-03-02T18:41:13Z

I don't like historic fiction novels

$item.owner.firstName 2007-03-02T18:41:13Z Yoshi http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#562cdbe2-4929-4b74-b38d-da3febd42e22 2007-03-02T17:54:34Z 2007-03-02T17:54:34Z

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!

Yoshi 2007-03-02T17:54:34Z samara☀ http://ijustfinishedreading.tribe.net/thread/36dc949f-272a-4690-a334-ec47fdf48f57#f6734420-6720-47d4-ac32-6e84d2f8b611 2007-03-02T17:47:30Z 2007-03-02T17:47:30Z

I love to read historic fictional novels- I recently read the Dark Queen and the Cortisan by Susan Carroll and Pirates by Celia Rees- all of which were pretty good. Any other suggestions from anyone?

samara☀ 2007-03-02T17:47:30Z