 Editor in Chief Bill   | 16 Dec 2011 1:00 p.m. PST |
NPR has announced their Top Historical Novels of 2011. Of these five novels, which is your favorite? Elizabeth I by Margaret George
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain |
| Grand Duke Natokina | 16 Dec 2011 1:04 p.m. PST |
I don't read fictional history. |
| Connard Sage | 16 Dec 2011 1:06 p.m. PST |
Haven't read any of them, and I suspect that few of the following respondents will have either. Replies along the lines of, "I've read the Death of Kings and it's brilliant" should be discounted unless the poster has read the other four novels also. There should also be a brief exam to determine comprehension and discrimination between all five tomes. |
| John the Greater | 16 Dec 2011 1:13 p.m. PST |
Might as well keep the streak going, I haven't read any of them, either. The Death of Kings looks interesting, however. |
| Sysiphus | 16 Dec 2011 1:51 p.m. PST |
Except for Cornwell, the list reads like their usual focus on women's studies and little known minority successes. I don't see myself reading any of them unless left with no other alternatives. |
| 14Bore | 16 Dec 2011 1:55 p.m. PST |
While I try not to add to a post about something I don't care about,I'd rather plow through the dryest book on Nap / whatever ( i.e. Everything you wanted to know about the facing colors of every country)than read any of them, and I read more than my fair share. |
| Lee Brilleaux | 16 Dec 2011 2:10 p.m. PST |
Ah, TMP! Where would the grumpy, crazy, sexist anti-intellectuals be without you? |
| Connard Sage | 16 Dec 2011 2:23 p.m. PST |
Oi! Just put me down as grumpy and crazy. |
| Repiqueone | 16 Dec 2011 2:29 p.m. PST |
Connard, you and Mexican Jack make me more hopeful about the hobby and less grumpy about the crazies. Thank you, and have a good New Year! |
| Lee Brilleaux | 16 Dec 2011 2:37 p.m. PST |
O Sage one, you are the voice of reason in comparison! Since obviously nobody here has read the whole list – and I admit to having read NONE of them – why don't we put down a recent historical novel (sorry, that's 'Lies about the past') that we recommend. For 2011 – Max Allan Collins, "Bye Bye Baby", in which Hollywood PI Nate Heller follows up on his promise to protect Marilyn Monroe by investigating her murder. For 2010 – Alan Furst, "Spies of the Balkans", set in Greece in 1940-1. Local cop moves through murky world of deceit to get Jewish refugees away from Nazis. Lindsey Davis: "Nemesis". Roman gumshoe Falco decides that it's time for his long time adversary, imperial agent Anacrites, to go. I've also liked Ben Kane and Harry Sidebottom for being 'Cornwell, but not nearly as bad'. |
Ed Mohrmann  | 16 Dec 2011 3:14 p.m. PST |
Well, I dunno 'bout NPR's Fab Five (my nick for 'em),
but I'd certainly include MJS's juveniles as 'good reads'
for 2011 – as did the kids to whom I gave 'em. Just, of course, another 'grumpy, crazy, sexist, anti-
illectual's' opinion… |
| Lee Brilleaux | 16 Dec 2011 4:03 p.m. PST |
Ah, Ed, aside from your kindness in getting a load of books from me, I never see any of those things in your posts on TMP. You never chip in with those negative waves that we hear so much about! |
| John the OFM | 16 Dec 2011 5:58 p.m. PST |
To those who deride female hostorical novelists, I defy you to read Mary Renault's "Funeral Games" and then tell me that it's not a hairy chested novel. I haven't read any of the 2010 winners, becaue I can't afford hardback books. And, by the way, I really resent anyone trying to horn in on my grumpy, sexist, anti-intellectual street cred. |
| Huscarle | 17 Dec 2011 4:37 a.m. PST |
I confess that I read a lot of historical novels (both male & female authors), but I haven't read any of these five & had only heard of "The Death of Kings" and "The Dovekeepers". |
| Lucius | 17 Dec 2011 9:12 a.m. PST |
I read Mary Renault's "The Last of the Wine". Yes, it was a hairy-chested novel. A very hairy-chested novel. Meaning that it was like a Harlequin romance, but instead of the heroine getting her bodice ripped off by the hero, the hero was getting his breastplate ripped off by the OTHER hero. |
| goragrad | 17 Dec 2011 8:27 p.m. PST |
Have to say that the only books that might be considered 'historical fiction' I have read these last 12 months are Velikovsky's 'Ages in Chaos' and 'Ramses II and His Times.' Not exactly hot off the press. |
| Coabeous | 17 Dec 2011 8:59 p.m. PST |
I thought "Household Gods" was very good historical fiction but I dont remember who wrote it. |
| Grand Duke Natokina | 18 Dec 2011 1:11 p.m. PST |
I should mention that I do read. But I prefer historical non-fiction. That is stuff found in the 900s of a Dewey Decimal set up library. [Also some in the mid-350s.]
And when I get away from hobby related reading, I prefer my birding books and archaeology along with some foto books for improving my techniques. I just sort of gave up on fiction a while back. |
| Dynaman8789 | 18 Dec 2011 3:51 p.m. PST |
I like historical fiction, the books by Shaara particularly. Though not as good as his father he is getting better, and a good historical fiction can make the times come alive in a way that a non-fiction book can not. (by getting into a character's thoughts and feelings). All of the books in the list look like they could be interesting. Especially the Cornwell one of course. |
