I’ve loved history as long as I can remember. In fact, I more or less stumbled into a Bachelor of Arts in History at Kansas State because I took every history class that interested me: History of Aviation, The Holocaust, History of Capital Punishment, and so many others. Before I knew it, I was within six credit hours of a degree, despite my “actual” major being English! And so it was that I graduated with dual degrees in English and History. 

Although I still prefer to get my history through nonfiction, I love reading an accurate and interesting historical novel. Here are a few of my favorites. Some are based on actual events, while others beautifully recreate the past as they tell their stories. Every one is well worth reading.

Pillars of the Earth
Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is the first of a wonderful trilogy (which has since grown into five volumes). Opening in 1327, The Pillars of the Earth follows Philip, the young prior of Kingsbridge who wants to build a new cathedral. His mason, Tom, is a master of the new architectural style using flying buttresses and huge windows. I loved the architectural details, but the relationships between individuals, families and social classes are also fascinating. I’ve read this book twice, I enjoyed it so much! 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
During World War II, millions of small paperback books were sent to US troops overseas. Their surprising favorite novel was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. This wonderful story, set in 1943, is a semi-autobiographical story of the author’s youth, telling the story of Francie Norton, 11 years old when the book opens and college-bound at 17 when it ends. Despite enduring grinding poverty and discrimination against Irish immigrants, Francie finds a way to flourish. Although often considered a children’s book, the adult themes and events are well worth any adult reader’s time. 

Refugee
Refugee, by Alan Gratz, is aimed at younger readers, but the stories of three young refugees are riveting and timely. Josef is a young Jewish boy fleeing the Nazis during WWII. Isabel flees from Castro’s Cuba in 1994, and Mahmoud’s flight from Syria in 2015 brings the stories to our time. Gratz eventually ties all three stories together nicely. I’d recommend this one for readers from 10 to adult. 

The Alice Network
The Alice Network, by Kate Quinn, is another book featuring unsung women. The real Alice Network was a spy ring made up mostly of women operating in Belgium and France. The novel ties fictional women spies with the historical settings of 1917 and 1947. The women’s spying techniques combined with edge-of-your-seat plotting makes this a book I hope will someday be made into a movie. 

City of Thieves
City of Thieves, by David Benioff, takes readers behind the lines in WWII USSR as Lev Beniov is arrested for theft, a capital crime. He is sent to find a dozen eggs for a high-ranking official instead of being shot, and his ensuing adventures kept me on the edge of my seat. His adventures combine terror and absurdity in a memorable novel. 

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Although John Boyne’s tearjerker The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is told from a child’s perspective, adults will immediately pick up on the setting. Bruno’s father is commandant of a Nazi concentration camp, but the lonely boy finds a friend in Jewish prisoner Schmuel. Boyne ratchets up the tension as the boys become close friends, leading to a stunning conclusion. A movie version is excellent, as well.  

Hang the Moon
Jeanette Walls creates a memorable character in Sallie Kinkaid, the protagonist of Hang the Moon, a Prohibition novel set in Virginia. Sallie is kicked out by her stepmother after an accident involving her half-brother. Nine years later, Sallie returns to claim her place and learns about the secrets hidden in the Big House and eventually becomes a bootlegger! Sallie’s personality and energy are infectious and fun and her adventures will keep you turning the pages. 

Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall is the first of a trilogy set in the England of Henry VIII. The main character is Thomas Cromwell, a bully, but a trusted advisor to the young king looking to replace his first wife. Mantel recreates England of 500 years ago in vivid detail. There is also a wonderful television series based on the trilogy. 

The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, takes readers to Afghanistan in the 1970s as it tells the story of friendship between Amir and Hassan, who is from a lower social class. Not an easy story to read because of the horrific violence, it will stick with you long after you have read it.

All Quiet on the Western Front
Finally, Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is an incredible indictment of the mindlessness and tragedy of war, in this case World War I. Paul Baumer is a young German eager to sign up to fight for his country, only to watch his comrades die one after the other. The conclusion is devastating. 

Other authors who write historical fiction include James Michener, Michael Shaara, E.L. Doctorow, Kristin Hannah, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Colson Whitehead, Pearl S. Buck, Isabel Allende, Chinua Achebe, Philippa Gregory, and many, many more.