I like how you describe how these books are still part of you. I believe that's what a great book does, stays with us years after we've read them. The Poisonwood Bible is that kind of book for me. Thank you for the great video, I've added a few to me TBR!
Listening with a pencil in hand! All the Light We Cannot See is my all time favorite. So powerful and sacrificial and the depth of the characters! I suggest two books:. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Zepytas and In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park. You will need to read something lighter after these but amazing!!! Also Book Thief rocked my world.
I haven't read Shades of Gray, but I have read Zepytas' Salt to the Sea about the sinking of the S.S. Wilhelm Gostloff. I don't normally read YA but I already knew about the sinking from real history so I thought I would give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. I was actually surprised because the plot of the book is more serious and disturbing than I would have expected in a YA book. Would definitely recommend it.
Great job. I love your enthusiasm for reading. The Nightingale was soooo good. I'm ordering "All the Light We cannot See." Kite Runner was v good also.
One of my most favorite books is The Nightingale. I also read The Kite Runner and All The Light We Cannot See. Right now I am reading The Fozen River by Ariel Lawhon. It is set in the late 1790's in Maine. Such a good book.
Homegoing is definitely one of my favourites too. And everything Khalid Hosseini has written! Have you read Pachinko? I think it fits in well with the kind of historical fiction you love!
2 years later I comment... 😂 I didn't really realize Barbara Buncle's Book by D E Stevenson was considered historical fiction until recently. That is definitely my FAVORITE!
The Help is one of my favorite books too! The audio book is really good as well. I liked the Kite Runner but it had parts of the book that were really hard for me to read. . I actually liked A Thousand Splendid Suns more by the same author.
I just started your video when I stumbled upon your channel and I cannot believe when you started listing the books you started reading in your childhood! I started my reading journey with Christopher pike novels and goosebumps too! And two of the books on this list are my all time favourites! ❤
I read The Nightingale and I read a book called Until Leaves Fall In Paris by Sarah Sundin in the same month, I loved the latter so much more! I think you would really enjoy it, so good.
I loved “The Nightingale” too! So many people love “A Gentleman in Moscow,” but I’ve still yet to read it. “All The Light We Cannot See” is on my TBR now; I got about halfway through it several years ago, but then I got horrible morning sickness for months and never finished it, lol.
I was going to ask if you now have two channels, but I see you do. I didn't think that you were reviewing books any longer. We have such similar tastes, though I still have to read most of them. Ahhhh....The Red Tent, so good. Good news is I already own almost all of these. I just have to get going. Everyone just raves about A Gentleman in Moscow. So glad I found you again!!
So im ashamed to say i was bored with all the light we cannot see. I really wanted to read it because finally a blind character that’s not a musical prodigy!! Its such a stereotype to the point i gave up music lessons! Anyway, my point is that i tried! I got 30 percent i.n and i just didnt get in to it!
Hey, do you mind me asking what is it you did not like much about it? I am just curious about different people's views from my own, personally I loved it. Is it the characters or the plot/pace? If you don't feel like answering it's fine, I am really just curious...
@@Rosarossa.0_0. I was just bored by so much description. It felt like it went on and on and on! And as someone who’s never had vision, I have no concept for the constant describing. I needed something to happen and nothing did and I lost patience. I did finish it last year though finally and… it was ok.
@@Readingindarknesss oh, ok. I see what you mean, the descriptions Anthony Doerr writes in that book are indeed somewhat infinite and can be tedious. I personally enjoy long descriptions so it is interesting seeing different point of views from someone else. It is actually kind of a paradox now that I think about it, that in a book where there are so many descriptions, some of which are supposed to help the visually impaired main character, the descriptions end up being somewhat superfluous or tiresome for real visually impaired people. I think this shows how sometimes people who don't experience something have a hard time totally empathizing with people who do. Thanks for answering, it was an interesting POV 🥰😊 - and sorry for the long reply...
New to your channel. I'll be staying. I have read or listened to many of your favorites and added some to my own to be read list. Of the ones you list I truly loved The Nightingale and A Gentleman in Moscow. I can't tell you how many times Towles' writiing made me stop and just say wow. Might I recommend, if you haven't read it, Deep River by Karl Marlantes. The story of a Finnish family that relocates to the pacific northwest in the early part of the 2oth century. Magnificent.
I added soooo many books to my “want to read” list. Thanks, these were some great recommendations. I’m surprised The Last Bookshop in London wasn’t on your list. That’s another great one. Another great one is Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See. It takes place in South Korea and shows you how the Korean female divers were the providers for their families it covers many decades between 1930 forward. The Audible version is amazing and highly recommend
I love anything by Susan Meisner but As Bright As Heaven one I always recommend. I think The Help is the only movie I liked as much as the book. You might enjoy the book The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan, it’s a WWll that touches on three women and how the entered a contest to become a co host of a cooking show but they have to prove themselves by showcasing their creations using only the rations they were allowed. It was a different take on wartime and found it very interesting and I think it’s a highly under rated book. Thanks for all the great recommendations!
Well you make me want to read most of these. I haven’t read any of these. I think The Last Bookshop in London would be my favorite historical fiction although I’ve enjoyed so many! Fever 1793 was another favorite.
It's funny that you said you didn't really historical fiction as a kid bc As a kid, that was my favorite genre. I read historical fiction all the time and it's why I loved reading sm
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger Amanda Skenandore books-I’ve read The Second Life of Mireille West and Between Earth and Sky. Really liked both. Light read-two books by Sandra Dallas-a Christmas quilt and Westering Women
I have a few of those books that I have not read, yet. I have read The Help and The Poisonwood Bible, both of which are 2 of my all time favorites. Like for you, they have stuck with me. You may have seen the movie with Meryl Streep, but have you read Sophie's Choice? I read it so long ago, it has stuck with me, very heart wrenching.
Oh yes, The Help!! Love love that book!!! (And movie) The Nightingale!!! The Great Alone is one of mine. I can't wait to read The Gentleman in Moscow! I own all 3 Amor Towles and I keep putting them off because I don't want them to be over. Lol
An amazing short work of historical fiction is the chapter "Lead" in Primo Levi's book THE PERIODIC TABLE. It's about a traveling lead prospector who finds rocks which can be smelted for lead, and educates local populations on the many ways lead can be used to improve ordinary life. (In those days, life was generally so short that shortening it further by lead-poisoning didn't matter much. It was worth it to have lead-lined pipes that didn't leak, and super-heavy lead sinkers for fishing.)
All time favorite Historical Fiction reads. In no particular order because they are all 5 star reads. The Killer Angel's by Michael Shaara Roots by Alex Haley The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Years of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
I don't read historical fiction that much. I read a lot of historical nonfiction. I did like The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray. If I were to read historical fiction, I'd like to know how well researched it is.
My favorite historical novel is Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman. Written in 1959, not published in the original Russian until 1980 (16 years after the author's death) and not published in English until 2012. This is an amazing book. It follows an extended Russian family during World War II but includes dozens of characters, men and women, German and Russian, soldiers and civilians, from Hitler and Stalin right on down to privates and nurses and prisoners of war and conscience and race. This is not a fun read, but the writing is excellent.
So i love the nightengale by kristin hannah but i think i like her other world war two book better. It’s called winter garden. Most say it’s depressing and yeah it is but come on! Do you call the nightengale any happier?? It’s war!
I like how you describe how these books are still part of you. I believe that's what a great book does, stays with us years after we've read them. The Poisonwood Bible is that kind of book for me. Thank you for the great video, I've added a few to me TBR!
Listening with a pencil in hand! All the Light We Cannot See is my all time favorite. So powerful and sacrificial and the depth of the characters! I suggest two books:. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Zepytas and In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park. You will need to read something lighter after these but amazing!!! Also Book Thief rocked my world.
I haven't read Shades of Gray, but I have read Zepytas' Salt to the Sea about the sinking of the S.S. Wilhelm Gostloff. I don't normally read YA but I already knew about the sinking from real history so I thought I would give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. I was actually surprised because the plot of the book is more serious and disturbing than I would have expected in a YA book. Would definitely recommend it.
Great job. I love your enthusiasm for reading. The Nightingale was soooo good. I'm ordering "All the Light We cannot See." Kite Runner was v good also.
Ahh, thank you!
One of my most favorite books is The Nightingale. I also read The Kite Runner and All The Light We Cannot See. Right now I am reading The Fozen River by Ariel Lawhon. It is set in the late 1790's in Maine. Such a good book.
I LOVED The Frozen River!
All these books sound so interesting!
Homegoing is definitely one of my favourites too. And everything Khalid Hosseini has written!
Have you read Pachinko? I think it fits in well with the kind of historical fiction you love!
I loved The red tent. I read it years ago for school and still have it.
2 years later I comment... 😂 I didn't really realize Barbara Buncle's Book by D E Stevenson was considered historical fiction until recently. That is definitely my FAVORITE!
I love so many of your picks that I have read as well, I will definitely read the ones I haven’t! 📚📖
I just put every single one of these on my TBR. Can’t believe I haven’t read any of these yet. Thank you for sharing!!
Hooray, glad to help add to your book pile :)
I just finished Where the Lost Wander, per your suggestion, and it was SO very good! Have you read any other books by Amy Harmon?
The Help is one of my favorite books too! The audio book is really good as well. I liked the Kite Runner but it had parts of the book that were really hard for me to read. . I actually liked A Thousand Splendid Suns more by the same author.
I just started your video when I stumbled upon your channel and I cannot believe when you started listing the books you started reading in your childhood! I started my reading journey with Christopher pike novels and goosebumps too! And two of the books on this list are my all time favourites! ❤
I've always loved reading - yes to the Christopher Pike books! I thought about re-reading them, but I'm not sure if that would ruin the memory :)
I read The Nightingale and I read a book called Until Leaves Fall In Paris by Sarah Sundin in the same month, I loved the latter so much more! I think you would really enjoy it, so good.
ohhhh the Poisonwood Bible!..... i read that so long ago and just completely loved it. forgot about that book. might need a re-read
Favorite historical fiction/Christian book series of all time is the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers. A MUST read!
I loved “The Nightingale” too! So many people love “A Gentleman in Moscow,” but I’ve still yet to read it. “All The Light We Cannot See” is on my TBR now; I got about halfway through it several years ago, but then I got horrible morning sickness for months and never finished it, lol.
Lovely to see this.. Oh I have so many favourite historical fiction books but one that stands out is the familiars by Stacy halls
I was going to ask if you now have two channels, but I see you do. I didn't think that you were reviewing books any longer. We have such similar tastes, though I still have to read most of them. Ahhhh....The Red Tent, so good. Good news is I already own almost all of these. I just have to get going. Everyone just raves about A Gentleman in Moscow. So glad I found you again!!
Ahh, I'm glad you found me again too :)
So im ashamed to say i was bored with all the light we cannot see. I really wanted to read it because finally a blind character that’s not a musical prodigy!! Its such a stereotype to the point i gave up music lessons! Anyway, my point is that i tried! I got 30 percent i.n and i just didnt get in to it!
Hey, do you mind me asking what is it you did not like much about it? I am just curious about different people's views from my own, personally I loved it. Is it the characters or the plot/pace? If you don't feel like answering it's fine, I am really just curious...
@@Rosarossa.0_0. I was just bored by so much description. It felt like it went on and on and on! And as someone who’s never had vision, I have no concept for the constant describing. I needed something to happen and nothing did and I lost patience. I did finish it last year though finally and… it was ok.
@@Readingindarknesss oh, ok. I see what you mean, the descriptions Anthony Doerr writes in that book are indeed somewhat infinite and can be tedious. I personally enjoy long descriptions so it is interesting seeing different point of views from someone else. It is actually kind of a paradox now that I think about it, that in a book where there are so many descriptions, some of which are supposed to help the visually impaired main character, the descriptions end up being somewhat superfluous or tiresome for real visually impaired people.
I think this shows how sometimes people who don't experience something have a hard time totally empathizing with people who do.
Thanks for answering, it was an interesting POV 🥰😊 - and sorry for the long reply...
So many good choices. All the Light is one of my favorites. You should read The Year Of Wonders about the black plague. So good
New to your channel. I'll be staying. I have read or listened to many of your favorites and added some to my own to be read list. Of the ones you list I truly loved The Nightingale and A Gentleman in Moscow. I can't tell you how many times Towles' writiing made me stop and just say wow. Might I recommend, if you haven't read it, Deep River by Karl Marlantes. The story of a Finnish family that relocates to the pacific northwest in the early part of the 2oth century. Magnificent.
Welcome! I feel the same way about Amor Towles' writing style :)
I added soooo many books to my “want to read” list. Thanks, these were some great recommendations. I’m surprised The Last Bookshop in London wasn’t on your list. That’s another great one.
Another great one is Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See. It takes place in South Korea and shows you how the Korean female divers were the providers for their families it covers many decades between 1930 forward. The Audible version is amazing and highly recommend
Add both of those to my TBR - thanks for the recommendation!
I love anything by Susan Meisner but As Bright As Heaven one I always recommend. I think The Help is the only movie I liked as much as the book. You might enjoy the book The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan, it’s a WWll that touches on three women and how the entered a contest to become a co host of a cooking show but they have to prove themselves by showcasing their creations using only the rations they were allowed. It was a different take on wartime and found it very interesting and I think it’s a highly under rated book. Thanks for all the great recommendations!
I Loved the Nightingale! I have All The Light We Cannot See but haven't read it yet.
Well you make me want to read most of these. I haven’t read any of these. I think The Last Bookshop in London would be my favorite historical fiction although I’ve enjoyed so many! Fever 1793 was another favorite.
So many people have recommended The Last Bookshop in London to me - I think I just need to pick it up :) Thank you!
Such a fun video! Thoroughly enjoyed it
I hqve read and loved all but three of these! Thanks.
I love historical fiction as well. I have read The Red Tent and The Help. Great books. Blessings.
Me, again. The Nightingale is probably one of my favorite books. As Bright asvHeaven was wonderful as well. Blessings.
All such great books - we have similar taste :)
It's funny that you said you didn't really historical fiction as a kid bc As a kid, that was my favorite genre. I read historical fiction all the time and it's why I loved reading sm
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
Amanda Skenandore books-I’ve read The Second Life of Mireille West and Between Earth and Sky. Really liked both.
Light read-two books by Sandra Dallas-a Christmas quilt and Westering Women
Thank you, I will check those out :)
I have a few of those books that I have not read, yet. I have read The Help and The Poisonwood Bible, both of which are 2 of my all time favorites. Like for you, they have stuck with me. You may have seen the movie with Meryl Streep, but have you read Sophie's Choice? I read it so long ago, it has stuck with me, very heart wrenching.
I love The Kite Runner. I have Homegoing on my TBR!
Oh yes, The Help!! Love love that book!!! (And movie) The Nightingale!!!
The Great Alone is one of mine. I can't wait to read The Gentleman in Moscow! I own all 3 Amor Towles and I keep putting them off because I don't want them to be over. Lol
An amazing short work of historical fiction is the chapter "Lead" in Primo Levi's book THE PERIODIC TABLE. It's about a traveling lead prospector who finds rocks which can be smelted for lead, and educates local populations on the many ways lead can be used to improve ordinary life. (In those days, life was generally so short that shortening it further by lead-poisoning didn't matter much. It was worth it to have lead-lined pipes that didn't leak, and super-heavy lead sinkers for fishing.)
Thank you for the recommendations!
You should read A thousand splendid suns and The great alone
I love The Great Alone and I agree I do need to read A Thousand Splendid Suns :)
All time favorite Historical Fiction reads. In no particular order because they are all 5 star reads.
The Killer Angel's by Michael Shaara
Roots by Alex Haley
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Years of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Thank you for the recommendations!!
Hi, do you like Marie Benedict? Also, loved all your recs
I've read The Other Einstein by her and LOVED it!
My favorite historical fiction : the warsaw orphan and the woman with the blue star
I don't read historical fiction that much. I read a lot of historical nonfiction. I did like The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray. If I were to read historical fiction, I'd like to know how well researched it is.
My favorite historical novel is Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman. Written in 1959, not published in the original Russian until 1980 (16 years after the author's death) and not published in English until 2012. This is an amazing book. It follows an extended Russian family during World War II but includes dozens of characters, men and women, German and Russian, soldiers and civilians, from Hitler and Stalin right on down to privates and nurses and prisoners of war and conscience and race. This is not a fun read, but the writing is excellent.
Thank you, that sounds really interesting!
Loved The Poisonwood Bible, but does it count as historical fiction? It is set during my lifetime,
Haha, I don’t know … I feel like the line is a bit fuzzy 🤣
Where the Crawdad Sings is another historical fiction set in the south. Great book. The book is better than the movie.
Agreed, I loved that book!
Have you read Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan? If not, you should!!! But listen to it on audiobook...so fantastic!
THE HELP- sooo good! Book much better then movie.
Agreed!
I found the nightingale to be soooooo boring and halfway through I DNF
Kristin Hannah- great author.
My absolute favorite-of-all-time historical fiction is Wagner's opera _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg._
So i love the nightengale by kristin hannah but i think i like her other world war two book better. It’s called winter garden. Most say it’s depressing and yeah it is but come on! Do you call the nightengale any happier?? It’s war!
Did you ever read the dear America books?
No, I never did ... but I might pick them up for my daughter :)
@@bookmama26 I haven’t read them since I was a kid but I loved them! There’s a handful that are written by boys too!
I hope your husband's surgery went well!
Thank you for the prayers - he did really well and is still recovering but doing better every day!
I just don't consider books that are set in the last 100 years as historical fiction.
Haha, I totally get that!
Pillars of the earth? The name of the rose? Devil in the white city? Don’t you millennials read any historical books written before 10 years ago?
Haha, I’ve tried both Pillars and Devil in the White City and they weren’t my favorites 🤷🏼♀️