Category Archives: historical fiction
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane – Lisa See
Li-yan often helps her mother, the village midwife. As tradition dictates, she will fill the role someday. High in the mountains of Yunnan, the Akha, an ethnic minority, seem to be living in an earlier century, not in 1988. Their … Continue reading
In This Grave Hour: A Maisie Dobbs Novel – Jacqueline Winspear
As the wireless crackled to life, conversation stopped and tension mounted. Maisie waited in the drawing room with her best friend, Priscilla, and Priscilla’s husband and boys. It was Sunday, September 3, 1939, and they were all prepared for what … Continue reading
An Eagle in the Snow – Michael Morpurgo
Britain’s most decorated private during World War I Henry Tandey. This is the fictionalized account of his life, his heroics, his bravery, and his morals. Morals so strong he could not bring himself to shoot an injured German. Years later, … Continue reading
Poppy – Mary Hooper
Poppy Pearson is a young maid in service to the aristocratic de Vere family during the outbreak of World War I. Poppy is urged by a former teacher to take advantage of the expanding opportunities to women due to the … Continue reading
Three Sisters, Three Queens – Philippa Gregory
Princess Margaret is so full of her importance. She is so much more grown up than her 5-year-old sister, Mary. She is so unwilling to befriend the bride of her beloved brother, Arthur, as only a girl can be who … Continue reading
I Will Send Rain – Rae Meadows
One year in the life of a small farming family in the Oklahoma Panhandle during the beginning of the Dust Bowl is the focus of this short novel. Amidst the descriptions of dust storms, grit and desolation, the reader is … Continue reading
Barkskins – Annie Proulx
I hate to use clichés, but there is no other way to put it. This is a sweeping novel, an epic covering two families and three hundred years. It all begins in the 17th century, with Rene Sel and Charles … Continue reading
Amy Snow – Tracy Rees
Amy’s life began on a cold day in January, 1831. If eight-year-old Aurelia had not slipped out when no one was watching it might have ended that day. The sky was a bright blue, the snow deep and white, and … Continue reading
Outrun the Moon – Stacey Lee
In 1906, San Francisco, fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to have a successful future in business and help her family. She has read and memorized a business book by a strong female Texas cattle rancher, and applies the business principles … Continue reading
Everyone Brave is Forgiven – Chris Cleave
Mary North and her best friend Hilda saw the coming war as a great adventure. As soon as war was declared, Mary North signed up. She left finishing school in Lausanne and hurried to London, determined not to miss … Continue reading
Prayers the Devil Answers – Sharyn McCrumb
Moving to town was a hard thing, but the jobs were in town, and Mr. Hoover’s Depression had no end in sight. A regular paycheck seemed like an answer to prayer. And the schools were better. So Ellie and Albert … Continue reading
The Rivals of Versailles – Sally Christie
Little Jeanne was disgusted by the dirty old woman at the fair who wanted to tell her fortune. While her mother haggled about the price, she was impatient to be away and see the dancing ducks. Ah, but this fortune … Continue reading
Journey to Munich – Jacqueline Winspear
Munich can be an exciting place to visit, full of life and energy. But in 1938 the excitement is not welcome. This is a different Munich, a Munich filled with fear and tension and Brownshirts. Reluctantly, Masie has agreed to … Continue reading
Paint Your Wife – Lloyd Jones
It all began when the men went off to war. Alma was one of the few males left in town. He was the teacher in the tiny school, wore an old straw hat and carried his tin case of pencils … Continue reading
Salt to the Sea – Ruta Sepetys
During the close of WWII, Europeans were frantically trying to get out of the way of the advancing Russian troops. Rape, pillage, torture. Masses were making their way north to the Baltic Sea to board the evacuation ships. A former … Continue reading
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