This week's prompt from That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday is "Books Set in Another Time." I'm using that to talk about my ten favorite historical fiction books.
I think of historical fiction as fiction set during a time before the author's adult life. For instance, an author born in 1930 who writes about the 1950s isn't writing historical fiction... but if they write about the 1850s, or even the 1930s, then it's historical fiction. (For another example, Jane Austen's books are not historical fiction because she wrote about the early 1800s while she was living in the early 1800s.)
So! Here are my top ten favorite works of historical fiction, along with links to my reviews and a little info into when and where they are set:
1. Shane by Jack Schaefer (1889, Wyoming)
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows (post-WWII, Great Britain)
3. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King (1915, Great Britain)
4. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss (Medieval England)
5. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (1751, Scotland)
6. Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George (1920s, USA)
7. Up from Dust by Heather Kaufman (c. 30 AD, Judea)
8. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle (Medieval England)
9. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry (1700s Morocco, France, and England)
10. A Flame in the Dark by Sarah Baughman (1500s, Germany)
Have you read any of these? Any here that surprise you?
Or, did you do a Top Ten Tuesday post this week? Please share in the comments!
Shane looks like it could be a good read.
ReplyDeleteMy post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-set-in-another-time/
Lydia, Shane is complex and fascinating -- and remarkably short. It packs a lot of emotional punch into a small space.
DeleteI love Guernsey! It's such a wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteBree, yes! Guernsey is absolutely marvelous. In my top ten of favorites across all genres :-D
DeleteI know I've read abridged versions of the Robin Hood tale, but I don't know if I've ever ready the full original. It's on my TBR, though! Thanks for stopping by my TTT earlier. :)
ReplyDeleteNicole, there are lots of great old Robin Hood books! I like Howard Pyle's version best, but I also love Henry Gilbert's, and I hope to soon read Roger Lancellyn Greene's 1958 version. I haven't read Paul Creswick's yet, either. So many to choose from! And they all take the original ballads and legends and work with them a bit differently, which is so fun.
DeleteYou can read Howard Pyle's for free via Project Gutenberg, since it's in the public domain.
Thanks for stopping by!
I've read and enjoyed three of these back in the 60s and early 70s when I was a kid -- Kidnapped, Howard Pyle's Robin Hood, and King of the Wind.
ReplyDeleteDebra, how delightful! I read two of those as a kid too, though I was an adult before I finally read an unabridged version of Pyle's Robin Hood.
DeleteI've read #s 2, 5, and 8. But I still have not read #6, though it's bc of your review that I put it on my wishlist. I'm almost done w/ my unread shelf, and then I'm going to start on my wishlist. Lord willing!!
ReplyDeleteRuth, ohhhhhhhh, I am excited you're going to read Speak Easy, Speak Love one of these days! It's really, really fun.
DeleteI'm not entirely sure of what defines historical fiction, I just know it's one of my very favorite genres! I've read the Guernsey book, but that's it from your list.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan, it's definitely a genre that's a little squishy to define :-D Isn't Guernsey charming?
DeleteNice list.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy!
DeleteI like the cover of King of the Wind. Thank you for visiting our post earlier.
ReplyDeleteAstilbe, I love the covers and illustrations that Wesley Dennis did for Marguerite Henry's books! So gorgeous.
DeleteThanks for stopping by :-)
Hey, I like that definition of historical fiction! It always bothers me to see Austen novels labeled as historical fiction. I'm adopting that now :D
ReplyDeleteI've not read any of these books, but Up from Dust and A Flame in the Dark look awfully intriguing O.o
Thanks, Ruth! Yeah, it really bugs me when I see Austen defined that way. Or Dickens. Like, no, they were writing contemporary fiction!!! Just, it's not contemporary to us now.
DeleteI could see you really liking both Up from Dust and A Flame in the Dark.
I loved Marguerite Henry's books when I was a kid. I should reread them as an adult.
ReplyDeleteAJ, same here! Her books were huge favorites for me as a kid. I reread King of the Wind and Misty of Chincoteague within the last few months, and I am happy to report they are still wonderful :-) I hope you can revisit some!
DeleteI've read and enjoyed The Beekeeper's Apprentice and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I would not have thought of The 500 Hats as a historical, that surprised me! Thanks for the list and happy reading!
ReplyDeleteHee! I have never gotten over loving Bartholomew Cubbins :-D Glad it was a fun surprise for you!
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