What is a good historical fiction book?

Question

I hate reading and i have to read a historical fiction book over the summer for school. Whats a good book?

Answer 1

What grade will you be entering this school year? If you can provide this information and maybe what part of history (Civil War, Colonial period, etc.) you have an interest, I could provide a better list.

Empire Rising by Thomas Kelly ~ (this is one of my favorites)
Set in the backdrop of the Empire State Building in 1930, Irish-born construction worker Michael Briody is torn between making a living in America and his loyalty for the Irish Republican cause and finds himself caught in the middle of the Tammany Hall political machine within the New York underworld.

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane~
During his service in the Civil War, a young Union soldier matures to manhood and finds peace of mind as he comes to grips with his conflicting emotions about war.

House Made of Dawn by Scott Momaday ~
The story of a young American Indian named Abel, home from a foreign war and caught between the world of his father, with the rhythm of the seasons and the harsh beauty of the land, and the world of industrial America.

Cold, Sassy Tree by Olive Burns ~ (this is an easy read)
Grandpa Blakeslee marries a young milliner just three weeks after Granny Blakeslee has gone to her reward. Young Will is boggled by this act but becomes the newlyweds' conspirator and confidant; meanwhile he does some growing up on his own.

Answer 2

Depending on your age, there are many different good historical books. For middle school and high school I'd recommend either Gone With The Wind or Little Women. They are both set during the Civil War. Little Women in the North, and Gone With The Wind in the South.

For historical fiction novels set during World War II, there are several great choices. For younger readers, Number The Stars is a great choice. For older readers, Eyes of the Emperor or Code Talker.

Other titles that come to mind are Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry and White Lilacs.

Two historical novels (which I think are pretty great) are The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck. It is set near the turn of the century (1900ish) in a small rural town. It is very funny, in my opinion. (There's also a great audiobook of it). Another one set near the same time period is Preacher's Boy by Katherine Paterson. It is about a young boy who gets into lots of trouble!

Answer 3

The Red Badge of Courage - Stephen Crane (I think)

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper

The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Crucible - Arthur Miller

Answer 4

I read James Fenimore Cooper's last of the Mohicans a few years back (I'm 16 now) and I found it to be worthwhile, but extremely difficult. But in the end I was glad I did the report. It was one of the leatherstocking tales series, set during the French and Indian war. It features some of the Indian beliefs, ideas and customs of the time, etc.

Answer 5

Dreams of a Centaur by Montserrat Fontes (deals with the Yaqui genocide in Mexico) and of course Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Abolitionist movement)

Answer 6

"Little Women", by Louisa May Alcott. "Time Enough for Drums", by Ann Rinaldi. "My Secret War", by Mary Pope Osborne. "Voyage on the Great Titanic", by Ellen Emerson White. "A Coal Miner's Bride", by Susan Campell Bartoletti. "The Great Railroad Race", by Kristiana Gregory. "The Journal of Sean Sullivan", by William Durbin. "The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow", by Ann Turner. "My Heart Is on the Ground", by Ann Rinaldi. "Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie", by Kristiana Gregory.

These are all great books. I have read them all and have reread them. They all have historical facts but are very intriguing fiction works.

Answer 7

Personally I think that "Cold Mountain" is a good historical fiction but they've already made a movie out of it...it's very accurate though.

Answer 8

Night Jon.
This is a fantastic book about slaves not being given the right to read and what happens to Night Jon (and other slaves), when he teaches a young slave girl to read. It's a short read too, that's good news to most students.

Answer 9

the bible is a good choice in fact it is often reffered to as ..."the good book"... other than that it depends on your age little house series would be appropriate for grade school Ivanhoe would be a good choice for middle school or high school

Answer 10

MY Brother Sam is Dead