historical fiction? - are there any good historical fiction

[dsmtuner]

well...

[praxis1966]

Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises was decent; so was John Stienbeck's Grapes of Wrath. A lot of people also might mention Michael Crichton's The Great Train Robbery (for it's accurate portrayal of Victorian England's criminal underworld).

[sin miedo]

If you want a look at what might have happened read some Harry Turtledove. Excellent stuff. Especially his World War and Colonization series. It's about aliens invading during the middle of WWII. Yes, it sounds retarded, but it is very well done, very accurate portrayals of historical figures and what they might've been thinking. I suggest you read it. Now.

[canikickit]

. Yes, it sounds retarded

It does indeed. :biggrin:

I'll tell you what's a good book; "Exodus", by Leon Uris. It was written around 1957 and is about the Jewish settlement of Palestine and the establishment of the state of Israel. It's very sympathetic towards the Jews, and tells a lot of their different trials and tribulations.

What I like about it, is the fact that it is sympathetic to the Zionist cause, in a way. If you can read something like this, and seee the bad in it - just imagine how you would see it from a more balanced source.

I am sympathetic towards the Jews, but don't support their bullshit.

Who know what Uris would have made of today's situation?

Leon Uris also wrote a book named Trinity about Northern Ireland. I know that Paris has read that, and she said it was good. That means it is. :)

[Pete]

I agree Harry Turtledove is amazing. I have read from 'How Few Remain' to 'Blood and Iron' and am looking for 'The Centre Cannot Hold' also I have started the 'Darkness Series' (fantasy wwii spoof) and the WWII series, but they are dim compared to the World War series (Which begins with World War:American Front, of which How Few Remain is the prequel). Amazing stuff. All alternate history though.

Try getting your hands on 'In Enemy Hands', it is a story compiled completely of the words of Canadian POW's in WWII. Brilliant I must say.

I have also read, about 6 years ago, a series that included 'There will be Wolfs' about the Crusades (the people's crusade to be exact). I enjoyed it at the time, although now I am may not. I forget the author, but she also wrote 'Seven Day Queen' about the girl who riegned between Edward and Mary of the Scots in England. Good read at the time.

On the Underground Railroad, I suggest "Underground to Canada," although that I also read many years ago (7 I think).

"The Island of the Blue Dolphins" was also very good, about a tribe of Natives off of Santa Maria in California, but also written for a younger audience.

I don't have my books here, that is why I am having trouble thinking of recent books.

Perhaps "To Kill a Mockingbird" to show how the South was during the Great Depression (but what is so great about depressions anyways?).

There is a series called 'The People of ...[insert name of the people here (usually like fire or something)]' that my dad enjoyed, about Natives.

I hope this helped.

[CubanFox]

The Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell isn't bad. It's about British military campaigns on land from the viewpoint of Richard Sharpe, a footsoldier.

[Uhuru na Umoja]

I like some of Rober Harris' books. Fatherland was probably his best, although Enigma was reasonably good too. Archangel becomes a bit far-fetched towards the end, but is also a very gripping read and the first 2/3 are really interesting.

If you're interested in novels set earlier, I Claudius by Graves is excellent.

[Pete]

Another suggestion. Or more.

Illusion by Paula Volsky is an extended metaphor of the French revolution. Very enjoyable, and the connection/parallels are VERY clear.

On the Take by some disgruntled Canadian about the many fucks ups of Brain Mulroney :) Mafia connections to that PM. A few of them!!

[Fawkes]

I agree that the Great Train Robbery is a great book, although, I thought it was non-fiction. I may be wrong tho. Anyway, I'm thinking of actually writing a historical-fiction novel myself. It would take place in the late 1700s pre-American Revolution. It would take place in Europe in a Monarchist country which would be in between modern day France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. The country of course, is made up. It would be about a revolution led by a group of guerillas in an attempt to overthrow the king and establish a modified Socialist state.

[ComradeOm]

Originally posted by sin [email protected] 22 2003, 06:15 PM
If you want a look at what might have happened read some Harry Turtledove. Excellent stuff.
*Shudders*

Turtledove has some bright ideas but his writing is desperately bad.

[bayano]

maxim gorky's mother, the first half and last four chapters of upton sinclair's the jungle, howard fast's spartacus