I read more historical fiction books than anything else hands-down. In fact, while coming up with my list of my favorite historical fiction, I had to split it into three different lists:
- My Favorite Historical Fiction books set in the United States.
- My Favorites set outside the U.S.
- My Favorites about World War Two.
Then I asked myself why. Why do you read so many historical fiction novels, Tracey? Do tell.
I’d never asked myself this question until I came up with these lists. But it was obvious when I started thinking about what all of these books have in common.
Number O
ne Reason:
The best historical fiction authors paint an artful picture of the place where the book is set. Clothing, architecture, food, terrain – I can see it all through carefully chosen words. I get to “feel” another place, smell it, touch it.
Kristin Hannah does a marvelous job of this in her novel, The Four Winds. I could feel the suffocating dirt storm. I could smell the poverty-struck encampment. I could see the farm land turning to dust.
Reading about others’ hardships or trials gives me a fresh appreciation of modern conveniences, medical advances, and scientific discoveries.
I learn so much
The second reason I love historical fiction set in the United States so much is because it teaches me about another time period. While I’m endlessly fascinated with World War Two (see this post for my favorite novels based on WWII), I love immersing myself in an era completely different from the 2020s.
World War One fascinates me. The Roaring Twenties. The Great Depression. The ’50s and ’60s (although some would disagree with these decades being considered historic). From the best historical fiction novels I get a taste of what it was like to live then.
Turns out I don’t know much
The third reason I love historical fiction set in the United States is because I’m always amazed at what I don’t know about our history. I loved history when I was in school, but not like I do now. Now it seems more important. Like I need to soak up the lessons it offers.
U.S. history is relatively young, but it holds so many treasures. Before I read American Princess, for instance, I knew hardly anything about Alice Roosevelt. And she’s so interesting!
So saucy! Look at her standing there to the right. The lady had attitude.
My Top Fifteen Favorites
So, here are some of my favorite historical fiction books set in the United States. Some of them have scenes outside the states, but they are primarily set in America.
Next week I’ll post another blog about my favorite historical fiction set outside the U.S. and yet another about my favorites that focus on WWII. (I told you I’m a sucker for historical fiction! Three lists were the only way I could squeeze them all in!)
These are in no particular order.
- Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
- Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
- The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
- News of the World by Paulette Jiles
- Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
- American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
- The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
- Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
- The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
- A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano
Honorable Mentions:
- Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
- This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (It would be in my top 15, but I limited myself to only one appearance by any author. Who makes up these rules?! Wait, I did.)
- A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Ann Fowler
- The Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
- The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
- Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
- The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
- New York by Edward Rutherford
- Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
No Surprise…
So, now that you know what I gorge on when I read, you probably won’t be shocked to learn that my first novel is historical fiction. Toward the Corner of Mercy and Peace takes place in the early 1950s in my very own hometown! It’s not going to be published until Summer ’23, but I’m going to move it to the top of my favorites list the minute I hold it in my hands!
What are some of your favorite historical fiction novels? Do we share any? Please leave a comment!
Paulette Petty
I like your lists of historical and WWII fiction novels. I might add A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles to a list of books depicting the Bolschevik revolution in Russia in the early 20th century. It doesn’t fall into either of your two categories but looks at this event in history.
Another WWII book I would recommend would be The Time in Between by Maria Duenas. This one is set in Spain chronicling a seamstress who becomes a spy for the Alies while sewing for the Nazi wives. It provides an interesting glimpse of life from a working person’s perspective rather than from the actual battle itself.
Tracey Buchanan
I agree with you completely on both of those books being fabulous! They will make an appearance on a future list of MORE of my favorite books!