One of the best historical novel's I've ever read was a book by Louis L'amour- The Walking Drum. A very good biography with plenty of historical insight was the book Marie Antoinette- The Last Queen of France by Evelyne Lever. Anyone have others to share?
2007-02-15 19:25:51 · 6 answers · asked by Erik Von Fürstenberg 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I've read quite a few, but these spring to mind as excellent:
Vincent Cronin's "Napoleon". It alternates chapters on Napoleon's career with his personal life, and is one of the best I've read.
Joan Haslipp's "Marie Antoinette". Full of personal detail.
A much-loved book is Annemarie Selinko's "Desiree", the story of Desiree Clary who was once Napoleon's love, and who came to be the Queen of Sweden. It's written in diary form and is not strictly accurate, but is a great read!
I also like Christopher Hibbert.
Oh, and anything by Robert K Massie on Russia and the last Tsar.
I'll try the ones you mentioned.
2007-02-15 19:49:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel is a great biography that gives great insight into life in Galileo's time and what he went through.
Longitude by Dava Sobel is also a great historical bio about well longitude and the quest for the prize to make a chronometer that would allow Sailors to stay on course.
2007-02-15 22:03:57 · answer #2 · answered by dpanic27 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just finished Gates Of Fire by Stephen Pressfield. It's about the Battle of Thermopylae told by a squire/slave of one of the Spartans. Great read. Also, I'd recommend writers like Bernard Cornwell, Colleen McCullough, Sharon Kay Penman and John Jakes.
2007-02-16 01:51:49 · answer #3 · answered by Bob Mc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The book Widow of the South was a great historical novel. It's atrue story. It's wonderful. I loved it.
2007-02-15 20:57:15 · answer #4 · answered by Amber C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mark Urban's "Rifles"
An account of the rifle regiment in the Peninsular war against Napoleon's troops
The individual soldiers' and officers' stories, the commanders, the geography and the politics. It's all there.
2007-02-15 20:21:59 · answer #5 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
novel: Uncle toms cabin
bio: Mein Kampf (sic)
2007-02-16 14:14:17 · answer #6 · answered by cav 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋