What's a good thought-provoking historical fiction novel?

Answer 1

You might like "The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant. It takes place in Florence in 1498, on the cusp of the Renaissance. The Medicis are trying to move things forward, while Savonarola (sp?) has his bonfire of the vanities. Lots of conflict, some mystery, gore. Strange ending I thought, but Ms. Dunant did lots of research in preparation for the book.

Answer 2

I, Claudius by Robert Graves- you'll think you're reading about the political shenanigans going on today!

The Sunne In Splendor, Falls The Shadow, and here Be Dragons, by Sharon Kay Penman- Some of the great conflicts of the Middle Ages come to life.

The Valley of Decision by Marcia Davenport- it takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from the time of the Civil War through World War II

Answer 3

The Last Witchfinder: The unfairness of witch trials throughout history
Suite Francaise: About the French occupation in WWII. About how different people respond. The weakeness of people. The author actually dies in a concentration camp before she can finish this book.
Resistance: Anita Shreve WWII. A villiage takes in a wounded English soldier.
Bird Song by Sebastian Faulks: WWI. Psychological novel about a few soldiers. Very real! I really really felt like I was there.
Jacob's Ladder: Civil War. How do you deal with the loss of honor? A white man sleeps with his father's slave and feels dishonored. That same slave escapes to be able to pass as white. Everyone makes choices
Cold Mountain: Survival, growing as a person during the civil war.
Cane River by Lalita Tademy: Unfairness of slavery. I remember in it, one of the characters is forced to have sex with a white man and her mistress blames her "I suppose you people can't help yourselves" As if she had a choice! totally unfair.
Gone with the Wind: Amazing how the author sugar coats slavery and justifies it. A completely one sided view. A very engaging book though.
Here by Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman: Actually all the books in this Welsh trilogy. So sad about how the welsh lost their independence to England
Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks: WWII An English woman goes undercover to help the resistance. Wow!
Passion by Jude Morgan

Answer 4

Just about anything by Jeff Shaara. His works tend to make me want to research the historical figures in them and learn how much he's done his homework. His father Micheal Shaara's "The Killer Angels" also does a pretty good job of getting me to think.

Shaara's novels so far are

"Gods and Generals"
"The Last Full Measure"
"Gone for Soldiers"
"Rise to Rebellion"
"The Glorious Cause"
"To the Last Man"
"The Rising Tide"

Answer 5

Hm...I'm not sure how thought-provoking they are, but I like Philippa Gregory and the books she wrote about Henry VIII and that time frame, but from the point of view of the Boleyn Family and others involved. The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover I liked.

Answer 6

The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
"Absolutely wonderful...Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony are all brought to life magnificently."

Answer 7

The Scarlett Letter, The Last of the Mohican's, The Grapes of Wrath, Catcher in the Rye, War and Peace, Gone with the Wind.................

Answer 8

James Michener wrote some excellent stuff. He tended to write very long epics, but they're great reads.

Texas
Hawaii
Poland
Chesapeake
The Source
Caribbean
The Covenant

Answer 9

Herman Wouk, "The Winds of warfare". I loved interpreting that e book. The historic previous is brilliantly researched and the fictitious charecters have stunning intensity. that is about one American relatives and how WWII impacts them. there is also a sequel, "warfare and Rememberance",