The Best First World War Novels, recommended by Alice Winn
There are dozens of novels about the First World War, many of them well worth your time. Here, Alice Winn—author of In Memoriam, a bestselling story of forbidden love between two young soldiers—selects...
View ArticleHistorical Fiction Set in the Ancient World, recommended by Harry Sidebottom
The ancient world offers an excellent canvas for historical fiction but too many books fall victim to anachronistic thinking, says Oxford ancient historian Harry Sidebottom, author of two series of...
View ArticleBest Medieval Historical Fiction, recommended by Marion Turner
The medieval era in Europe lasted a millennium and saw massive social change and technological innovation, as well as calamities like the Black Death. That makes it a great period for historical...
View ArticleThe Best Tudor Historical Fiction, recommended by Alison Weir
The Tudor dynasty, which ruled England from 1485 to 1603, has been the focus of extraordinary public attention in recent years, thanks to the success of books like Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and the...
View ArticleThe Best Historical Fiction Set in France, recommended by David Lawday
Historical fiction offers us emotional insight into impactful historic events and an immersive sense of time and place, says David Lawday, the longtime Economist foreign correspondent and author of a...
View ArticleHistorical Fiction, recommended by Historians on Five Books
Historical fiction is a wonderful way to learn about history and there has never been a shortage of books written by authors who are able to combine lively imagination, beautiful or pacey writing with...
View ArticleThe Best Historical Fiction Set in England, recommended by Lesley Thomson
For avid readers always on the lookout for new books to fall in love with, finding a good author and reading every single book they've ever written is a not uncommon strategy. British crime novelist...
View ArticleHistorical Fiction Set Around the World, recommended by Jane Johnson
From Africa to the Middle East to Korea and Japan, there are so many countries you can discover by reading a good historical novel. British novelist and publisher Jane Johnson, several of whose books...
View ArticleThe Best Historical Fiction: The 2023 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist,...
Every year, the judges for the Walter Scott Prize highlight the best new historical fiction. In 2023, the shortlisted books include a slow-burn mystery set in colonial Australia and a thrilling new...
View ArticleFive of the Best Literary Historical Novels, recommended by Paul Carlucci
Writers approach historical fiction from many different angles, explains the novelist Paul Carlucci—whose new, evocative novel is set in colonial-era Canada. Here, he recommends five of his favourite...
View ArticleFive Books Imagining Neanderthals, recommended by Rebecca Wragg Sykes
All archaeologists have to do some imagining because the data they work with is so partial and fragmentary, says Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art. She picks...
View ArticleThe Best First World War Novels, recommended by Alice Winn
There are dozens of novels about the First World War, many of them well worth your time. Here, Alice Winn—author of In Memoriam, a bestselling story of forbidden love between two young soldiers—selects...
View ArticleThe Best Historical Fiction of 2024, recommended by Katharine Grant
The judges of the Walter Scott Prize aim to highlight the very best new historical novels, and in 2024 they have settled on a varied shortlist featuring a Trinidadian tragedy, a Vatican-based thriller,...
View ArticleFive of the Best Feminist Historical Novels, recommended by Flora Carr
In recent years there has been a boom in fiction that reimagines stories of the past—tales that have traditionally been told by men—through female eyes. Here, the writer Flora Carr recommends five of...
View ArticleClassic Novels of the American Civil War, recommended by Craig A. Warren
The American Civil War (1861–1865) was a watershed moment in the history of the United States—and, as a result, has made an enormous impact on American literature, explains Craig A. Warren, author of...
View ArticleHistorical Novels Set in Italy, recommended by Tracy Chevalier
Historical novels are at their most compelling when they get the details of daily life in the past right, argues bestselling author Tracy Chevalier. She picks five of her favorite historical novels set...
View ArticleThe Best Historical Fiction Set in the American South, recommended by Xan Brooks
The 'Deep' South is a complicated place with a complicated history. But that's what makes it such an effective literary setting, says Xan Brooks—author of The Catchers, a story of Blues music and...
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