"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Monday, January 23, 2012

Top Ten Historical Novels

Top Ten Historical Novels (in random order):

  • 1. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally---Based on the true WWII story of the holocaust hero Oskar Schindler.
  • 2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys---Stalin's reign of terror with the relocation of thousands of people from the Baltic States to Siberia. (YA)
  • 3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett---set in the deep South during the Civil Rights era. This book should be required reading for all Americans.
  • 4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak---WWII in Germany. This book is powerful. (YA)
  • 5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith---Set in the early 1900s about an Irish-American-immigrant story. Exquisite.
  • 6. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly---at least the French Revolution parts of the book were fascinating. (YA)
  • 7. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay---Set in South Africa prior to the dissolution of apartheid.
  • 8. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh--- Set in the decadent 1920s in Britain. 
  • 9. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns---I know I always put this book on just about every list I can.  This one is set in the early 1900s in a small town in America.
  • 10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell--- Civil War and the old South. 

As usual, I feel like I am missing some good ones.  I'll sleep on it and amend my list tomorrow.Ah, a good sleep and I've thought of some others...
  • 11.  The Red Tent by Anita Diamant---set in Biblical times about the lives of women during those times.
  • 12.  The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks---set in Britain during the middle ages about a community beset with the bubonic plague.  It is based on an actual historical event.
  • 13.  The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland---Artemisia Gentileschi was a post-Rennaissance artist that gained fame during her lifetime. This is her amazing story. 
  • 14. The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig---set in the American West in the early 1900s. the story centers around a one-room school house.
  • 15. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides--- an immigrant family from Armenia living in the Detroit area during the late 1960s.



9 comments:

  1. I just watched Gone with the Wind in the summer, it was painful I just can't stand her character. I do want to read Revolution it sounds intriguing.
    http://kristina-worldofbooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/top-10-tuesdays-8.html

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  2. You have some great books on your list. I loved Cold Sassy Tree too!

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  3. I love your list! Revolution was such a good book!

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  4. Great list! I haven't read most of the books on your list, but I have seen some of the movies (I know it's not the same!)

    My Top Ten

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  5. Yeeees! Great list. Between Shades of Gray, The Power of One, The Book Thief, and The Help all have the capacity to be life changing novels. I've found that I don't typically read historical fiction, but when I do (as in the cases above) they stick with me for much, much longer than most of my other reads.

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  6. I have a few of these to-read on my shelves - The Power of One, Brideshead Revisited, The Help, Gone With the Wind and I've been thinking lately of getting a copy of Schindler's Ark - I've never actually watched the entire movie all the way through, but I might have more luck with the book.

    The Book Thief is unparalleled wonder. :)

    Here's my TTT.

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  7. Good list! I've read The Help and have The Book Thief and A Tree Grows In Brooklyn on my reading list ... can't wait! :)

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  8. Wow, you have such a great selection of books for your list! I really want to read The Power of One and The Book Thief so much. I saw the film of Power of One and I just loved it so much. When I attempted to read the book, I guess it was just too much for me at the time. But I will try reading it again some day! :) Thanks for sharing, Anne!

    ~DJL
    My Top Ten

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  9. Fantastic list! I have read and loved: Between Shades of Gray; the Red Tent; Year of Wonders; and Cold Sassy Tree.

    I'll confess to seeing the movies/TV show only of Schindler's LIst and Brideshead Revisited.

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