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Dillards 50: The big 5-0!


samurai_sarah

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Historical fiction:
Toni Morrison - A Merci. Set in 16th century (iirc), when slavery is still in its "start-up" face. Follows the story of 4 women, 4 different backgrounds and ethnicities, yet all in the same boat. Very good novel.
Willa Cather - My Antoniá. Set in 19th century US, pioneer state Nebraska, describes story of immigrant life.
Novels by Isabel Allende, she has written a lot of historical fiction, usually from a Spanish/Latin American perspective.
Charles Dickens - Hard Times. Set in 19th century England, during industrialization period. 
Thea Beckman - Crusade in Jeans. Tells the story of a teenager who gets transported back in time, and ends up during the time of the Crusades. Story follows him while he joins a childrens' crusade. I'd also recommend any other novel by Thea Beckman that's been translated into English. She writes great historical fiction.

(the novel descriptions are all very short, and don't really do the stories justice. They're mainly to give an indication of the time setting of the stories.)

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10 hours ago, singsingsing said:

Has anyone read any of Bernard Cornwell's novels? I've been thinking about checking them out, but I'd love to know what others who've read any of them thought of them.

 

I've read a few, mainly the Grail Quest series. Interesting enough, but it seemed to follow the same formula as his Sharpe series. I also didn't find that Cornwell does female characters very well. They come across as stock characters, even in "A Crowning Mercy", for which he collaborated with his wife. Despite the fact that the book, set in 17th century England, has a female protagonist.

In spite of those gripes, I enjoyed some of them as beach reads, before I got tired of reading the same story over and over again.

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There is a series of six books called the Bridges over Time by Valerie Anand that I really enjoyed. Set in England and covers 1000 years. Well written and interesting.

 I also enjoy Edward Rutherford novels. They are stand alone books that take place in a specific area and cover a group of families over many years. My favourite book of his is London.

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52 minutes ago, may2 said:

I've read the Sharpe series. Visualize Sean Bean in the title role and it makes for pleasant reading.

Just make your life easy and get the tv series? :)

39 minutes ago, kachuu said:

This thread drift has been the most educated Dillard Thread ever to exist  :pb_lol:

 

Says a lot about the Dillards!

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16 hours ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

There is always the Outlander Series about The Jacobite uprising and the American civil war.  revolutionary war. And some historical fiction but mostly cuz its a good book series, T

FTFY.. but eleventy on Outlander, which are thick juicy books, and have side books and stories as well. Lord John's series are the bulk of the side books.

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4 hours ago, samurai_sarah said:

I've read a few, mainly the Grail Quest series. Interesting enough, but it seemed to follow the same formula as his Sharpe series. I also didn't find that Cornwell does female characters very well. They come across as stock characters, even in "A Crowning Mercy", for which he collaborated with his wife. Despite the fact that the book, set in 17th century England, has a female protagonist.

Thanks, that's one of my pet peeves, and I find it cropping up a lot with male writers of historical fiction (though to be perfectly fair, female writers can have the same issue when writing about males). I had the same issues you mentioned with Edward Rutherford when I tried to read London and Sarum. They were enjoyable, but as I got further into them I realized all the female characters were cardboard (and idiots to boot), and essentially the same basic plotlines played out over and over again.

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3 hours ago, Four is Enough said:

FTFY.. but eleventy on Outlander, which are thick juicy books, and have side books and stories as well. Lord John's series are the bulk of the side books.

I am probably in the minority, but I enjoy the Lord John side series more than the regular Outlander series. The Outlander books are great, but I sometimes feel a bit bogged down reading them. Still worth the read, though!

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13 hours ago, DancingPhalanges said:

Thank Rufus the library is walking distance for me. I'm going tomorrow with a list of books from this thread. Thanks so much! 

I've gone back to work recently from a medical leave and still can't drive. Reading books and FJ are my favorite things. 

I like to find podcasts to listen to at work and queue up Netflix, etc. for days I can't concentrate on a book. 

And I work at a library! Imagine my TBR list! 

The author of the book I am currently reading, The Taster by V.S. Alexander has another title, The Magdalen Girls to quote amazon

"Dublin, 1962. Within the gated grounds of the convent of The Sisters of the Holy Redemption lies one of the city’s Magdalen Laundries. Once places of refuge, the laundries have evolved into grim workhouses. Some inmates are “fallen” women—unwed mothers, prostitutes, or petty criminals. Most are ordinary girls whose only sin lies in being too pretty, too independent, or tempting the wrong man. Among them is sixteen-year-old Teagan Tiernan, sent by her family when her beauty provokes a lustful revelation from a young priest."

 

haven't read it yet, but its on my TBR list. 

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I always get strange looks when I say I love historical fiction!  Personal favourites are from Susanna Gregory who has 2 main series, featuring Matthew Bartholomew (set in 1300s or so) and Thomas Chaloner (around 1600ish). 

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3 minutes ago, wuppypup said:

I always get strange looks when I say I love historical fiction!  Personal favourites are from Susanna Gregory who has 2 main series, featuring Matthew Bartholomew (set in 1300s or so) and Thomas Chaloner (around 1600ish). 

why would anyone give you a strange look? Historical fiction is great! 

Years ago, I read a "bodice ripper" Native American romance series by Rosanne Bittner. It had the typical, typical, but it also included quite a bit of NA history on reservations, Ghost Dance.... I learned more from that series then I ever learned in school. It also prompted me to look up and learn more about certain events. 

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A film based on the The Magdelan girls was  Made some years ago. It's excellent but upsetting. Watch it with wine and expect to shout at the screen a lot. 

Just back from Google. The film is called The Magdalen Sisters made - in 2003. Available on Google and UTube.  Just remember adult beverage of choice is necessary also plentiful supply of chocolate. 

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1 hour ago, wuppypup said:

I always get strange looks when I say I love historical fiction!  

That's so weird that people give you strange looks for loving historical fiction; it's such a popular genre. I'm in the middle of writing a historical novel right now. 

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@singsingsing Yeah, I've read the first two in the Saxon Stories/Last Kingdom series. They're alright. I found them a bit dry and as stated, female characters just aren't that great. I wouldn't call them great reading, they're just ok! 

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I read Pillars of the Earth, but Ken Folletts writing makes me so ragey. Can't something just go well?!

I would recommend Jan Guillou The Crusades trilogy, set in the 12th century Sweden/Middle East during the Crusades, about a highborn boy raised in a monastery that ends up a Templar Knight.

I also enjoyed some of the books by Wilbur Smith, mostly the ones about the Courtney family. (See list here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Smith

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1 hour ago, Gobsmacked said:

A film based on the The Magdelan girls was  Made some years ago. It's excellent but upsetting. Watch it with wine and expect to shout at the screen a lot. 

Just back from Google. The film is called The Magdalen Sisters made - in 2003. Available on Google and UTube.  Just remember adult beverage of choice is necessary also plentiful supply of chocolate. 

I saw that movie and yes, it was very unsettling. 

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My thoughts on the Outlander series can be surmised as such:

"Oh no, Jamie's in trouble again. Claire has to save him. Oh boy."

"Oh no, Claire's in trouble again. Jamie has to save her. Oh boy."

The first one was wonderful, the second pretty good, but afterwards they just get so formulaic. And you never really fear for a character, because they have hero armor. There's no doubt they will be saved, no risk, therefore no tension, and ultimately no interest. Also, I began those books because I wanted to hang out in 18th century Scotland. So when it (spoiler alert) moved locations, I kind of lost interest. Also, Claire is just unrealistically prepared for time travel. Then again, I'm unrealistically prepared for time travel, so I can't complain.

Can anyone recommend any books concerning regular, everyday people in America or England in the early to mid-19th century? Not necessarily lords or ladies, definitely no kings or queens. 

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Mercer’s Girls by Libby Hawker.

Per Amazon:

It’s 1864 in downtrodden Lowell, Massachusetts. The Civil War has taken its toll on the town—leaving the economy in ruin and its women in dire straits. That is, until Asa Mercer arrives on a peculiar, but providential, errand: he seeks high-minded women who can exert an elevating influence in Seattle, where there are ten men for every woman. Mail-order brides, yes, but of a certain caliber.

Schoolmarmish Josephine, tough-as-nails Dovey, and pious perfectionist Sophronia see their chance to exchange their bleak prospects for new lives. But the very troubles that sent them running from Lowell follow them to the muddy streets of Seattle, and the friendships forged on the cross-country trek are tested at every turn.

 

It’s a good book IMO and based on real events and people. 

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I read historical romances that are generally light on history and have an excess of young single dukes.   However, some authors take the time to do deep delves into setting the backgrounds correctly.

if you want to have some enjoyable reading, check out the blog Two Nerdy History Girls maintained by authors Loretta Chase and Susan Holloway Scott for great stories and links.  (twonerdyhistorygirls.blogspot.com). They do a roundup on the weekend of random historical info called Breakfast Links and one posted Jan. 22 is titled Dispelling Tudor Myths:Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury.

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Just downloaded The Royal Nanny from the library. Thank you to whoever recommended it.

 

 

 

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