I’m about to have major surgery and will be in bed recovering for several weeks. I looking for [American] historical fiction. No fantasy or smut. Nothing too complex or hard to follow (bc of the meds). Any time period although I do enjoy WWII, 1920’s, and Revolutionary War eras the best. Spies, conspiracies, suspense are all good. Whatcha got?
by frankfromsales
20 Comments
Herman Wouk’s “The Winds of War” and sequel “War and Remembrance” – I recommend these to anyone who wants historical fiction set during WW2. They’re quite big (long) books, but easy to read and engrossing.
Kate Quinn! I always recommend *The Huntress*, *The Rose Code*, and *The Diamond Eye* in particular.
*The Wilderness War* – through the American Revolution: 1763 to 1780. This book follows the life of Sir William Johnson and his relationship as an adopted chief with the Mohawks. This book is historical fiction, but Sir William Johnson was a real, historical figure.
I like Gore Vidal’s biography of Aaron Burr. Mr. Burr was quite the character and Gore Vidal wrote the novel with a lot of humor in it.
Whiskey Rebels by David Liss
Harlot’s Ghost. Follows a CIA worker from the end of the Second World War to the death of Kennedy
American Tabloid. James Ellroy, conspiracy detective story around the bay of pigs up to the Kennedy assassination
Catch 22 Joseph Heller very funny and poignant.
Bernard Cornwell’s Sharp series.
Dominion Cj Sansum. Its a counter factual where Hitler won and invaded England with a resistance group trying to overthrow him.
Another opportunity to recommend my all time fav book (Gone with the Wind)! I’m not even American!
*By Gaslight* by Steven Price
Get the Sackett novels by Louis L’amour. They can be read as stand-alones or one after another. They span from pre-revolutionary war to post civil war.
Code Name Verity
Shrines of Gaiety
I’m gonna need a personal definition of “smut.” A shockingly large amount of gen Z use that word as meaning “any sex of any kind, anywhere in it.”
But here’s a safe choice
Black Cross – Greg Iles
Gone To Soldiers by Marge Piercy. It follows multiple characters throughout WWII and how the war affects them and they affect each other.
1700’s, The Frozen River
The Company by Robert Littell
Consider Ken Follet’s Century Trilogy. The first revolves around World war 1. The second, world war 2, and the third takes place during the Cold War, Civil rights movement and eventually also the Vietnam war.
Gates of Fire. Battle of Thermopylae. Well told and required reading at some Military Colleges.
The Winds of War. Members of an American family witness many key occurrences in WWII. War and Remembrance is the follow up.
The Source. James Mitchner at his best. One towns history in Israel from 10,000 bc to 1960s.
The Pillars of the Earth. Story of the building of a Cathedral in Medieval England
The Killer Angels. Battle of Gettysburg.
Molokai! And the sequel. Washington Black. The Secrets We Kept. Black Cake. The Women.
Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris. This one is a bit “different” — it discusses the pursuit, by royalists, of the people who participated in the execution of King Charles I. Two fled to the colonies, and were pursued. If you’re interested in British and Colonial (American) history, this one taught me a lot.
**Torchlight Parade** by Jeanpaul Ferro. Set in Europe before and during WWII, but MC is American trapped in Italy. Harrowing and delightful!