Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Edited to change the thread to historical fiction genre..

Message edited 12/11/2005 6:30:12 PM.

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

OMG!!! Yes!! I read The Queen's Fool, then teh Other Boleyn Girl and the Virgin's Lover, all within a few months. I need to get more- but I am running out of room on my bookshelf so I have to get myself to the library. I love them all!! I have to read the book on Katherine of Aragon.

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

I think she's great too!!

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

count me in! I'm a big fan of historical fiction if anyone has any other suggestions.

I found the following link pretty interesting:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/files/pdf/stuarts.pdf

I just finished the Virgin's Lover this morning.. I thought it was pretty good but like The Other Boleyn Girl and the Queen's Fool better. One criticism on the Virgin's Lover...the book jacked mentions that "When Amy is found dead, Elizabeth and Dudley are suddenly plunged into a struggle for survival." Pretty misleading considering when Amy died in the book.

Message edited 11/13/2005 7:30:51 PM.

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

I am a huge historial fiction fan-- Phillpa and TOBG started it for me.. I have read almost all of her books-- not sure if anyone has read the Wideacre trilogy-- very f*cked up- but good too. I didn't like the Virgin Lover as much as the Boleyn and Queen's Fool. I have Earthly Joys- but haven't read it yet-- anyone else read this? I think it is actually about a gay couple..

I found a couple of other books that I really liked--

The Pink Carnation-- this is book 1 of a series. The second one has not come out yet. I don't remember the author's name-- I lent my copy to my dad's girlfriend.

Katherine- by Anya Seton. In the latest edition, Phillpa Gregory has written the forward. This book was amazing and Seton basically started the historical fiction genre

I also really liked Forever by Pete Hamill-- less romance and more "Gangs of NY" but I really enjoyed it-- especially from the history perspective.

Also- I am sure that you guys have read The Red Tent-- but, if you have not- it's another great book. It's by Anita Diamont.

Anyone else have some suggestions??

Message edited 11/13/2005 8:28:21 PM.

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

just started reading The Other Boleyn Girl and liking it so far!

Re: Any other Phillppa Gregory Addicts out there???

I am about 460 pages in to another anya seton book-- anyone who has not read Katherine should read it.. Anyway-- I am thoroughly enjoying "green darkness".. just wanted to post..


ETA: I finished-- this book was amazing...

Message edited 12/12/2005 2:11:33 PM.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

If you like the Red Tent, try the a trilogy by Marek Halter. I read Sarah, the first book and loved it. Can't wait to read the other two.

Also, for a non-religious theme, read Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. Read this one in college as part of a class on Tutor England. It's a quick read. Also, Jubillee, by Margaret Walker. It's like Gone with the Wind from the slave perspective and is amazing.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

I have been reading the Maisie Dobbs books by Jaqueline Winspear. They're mysteries set in post WWI London. But they're more literary than the average mystery. The first book has a long flashback to the years of the war and it was incredibly interesting, if you enjoy that.

The first two books were Maisie Dobbs and Birds of a Feather. They were both excellent. I am hoping DH gets me Pardonable Lies for Christmas.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Which is the first Phillipa book? They sound really interesting.

I really liked "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez. It is sort of written like Barbara Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible", in that each charater takes a turn narrating chapters. The story is about the rise to power of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, and three sisters who worked to overthrow his government. Alvarez did interview their surviving sister for the novel. I loved it and everyone I recommended it to told me they loved it as well.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Posted by MrsProfessor

I have been reading the Maisie Dobbs books by Jaqueline Winspear. They're mysteries set in post WWI London. But they're more literary than the average mystery. The first book has a long flashback to the years of the war and it was incredibly interesting, if you enjoy that.

The first two books were Maisie Dobbs and Birds of a Feather. They were both excellent. I am hoping DH gets me Pardonable Lies for Christmas.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Posted by randella

Posted by dpli

Which is the first Phillipa book? They sound really interesting.

I really liked "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez. It is sort of written like Barbara Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible", in that each charater takes a turn narrating chapters. The story is about the rise to power of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, and three sisters who worked to overthrow his government. Alvarez did interview their surviving sister for the novel. I loved it and everyone I recommended it to told me they loved it as well.

The book that put Phillpa on the map was The Other Boleyn Girl-- this is what I read first.. Then I went out and purchased every other book she wrote..

After TOBG, I read The Queens Fool-- which I loved as well.. it's the time of Elizabeth from a servant's perspective. To boot, the servant is Jewish which I found very interesting- being Jewish myself.

Then I read the Wideacre Trilogy-- Wideacre is the first book, then comes The Favored Child, then Meridon-- I devoured these books as well- but they are a little f*cked up- not for the senstive.. I think these were her first books.

Then- there was Virgin's Lover- which came out last winter or spring. This is the book I liked the least- some people loved it.

She also within the last year came out with Earthly Joys-- I have it, have not read it yet-- but, I think it is about a homosexual romance.

THEN.. She JUST released her last book- The Constant Princess-- this is about Katherine of Aragon-- looking fwd to this one.

Um- I am obsessed. I know

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Has anyone read A Respectable Trade by Phillipa Gregory, it is an older book.

Message edited 12/22/2005 3:05:40 PM.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Posted by randella

Posted by dpli

Which is the first Phillipa book? They sound really interesting.

I really liked "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez. It is sort of written like Barbara Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible", in that each charater takes a turn narrating chapters. The story is about the rise to power of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, and three sisters who worked to overthrow his government. Alvarez did interview their surviving sister for the novel. I loved it and everyone I recommended it to told me they loved it as well.

The book that put Phillpa on the map was The Other Boleyn Girl-- this is what I read first.. Then I went out and purchased every other book she wrote..

After TOBG, I read The Queens Fool-- which I loved as well.. it's the time of Elizabeth from a servant's perspective. To boot, the servant is Jewish which I found very interesting- being Jewish myself.

Then I read the Wideacre Trilogy-- Wideacre is the first book, then comes The Favored Child, then Meridon-- I devoured these books as well- but they are a little f*cked up- not for the senstive.. I think these were her first books.

Then- there was Virgin's Lover- which came out last winter or spring. This is the book I liked the least- some people loved it.

She also within the last year came out with Earthly Joys-- I have it, have not read it yet-- but, I think it is about a homosexual romance.

THEN.. She JUST released her last book- The Constant Princess-- this is about Katherine of Aragon-- looking fwd to this one.

Um- I am obsessed. I know

Message edited 12/21/2005 9:43:18 AM.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

I am close to halfway done with The Other Boleyn Girl. I must confess- I had second thoughts because I thought it was going to be really dry, but I am SO hooked! It's been a great read so far.

I belong to Zooba and they had another of her books- The Virgin's Lover maybe? So I added it to my list for delivery next month. Since I am off this week I will probably finish TOBG very soon.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

TOBG is awesome.. I personally did not like the Virgin's Lover as much as her other books-- but other people have loved it.. To each's own.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

I forgot to recommend Forever by Pete Hamill, especially if you're interested in NYC history. It's an amazing book.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

I just finished The Virgin's Lover and didn't find it nearly as good as TOBG. I have The Queen's Fool on my Amazon wish list, but I have a ton of books, between what DH got me for X-Mas and what I have accumulated, so I think I will save that one for a little while. I'd also like to get The Constant Princess when it's out in paperback.

Re: Historical Fiction Junkies!!!

I just started Constant Princess.. too early to tell. And Virgin's Lover is not as good as the other books-- although some people beg to differ.

I also just finished reading the Mask of the Black Tulip-- it's the second book that just came out from the Pink Carnation book I recommended above. It was a good quick read.