Best of
Historical-Fiction

1938

Alamut


Vladimir Bartol - 1938
    Believing in the supreme Ismaili motto “Nothing is true, everything is permitted,” Sabbah wanted to “experiment” with how far he could manipulate religious devotion for his own political gain through appealing to what he called the stupidity and gullibility of people and their passion for pleasure and selfish desires. The novel focuses on Sabbah as he unveils his plan to his inner circle, and on two of his young followers — the beautiful slave girl Halima, who has come to Alamut to join Sabbah's paradise on earth, and young ibn Tahir, Sabbah's most gifted fighter. As both Halima and ibn Tahir become disillusioned with Sabbah's vision, their lives take unexpected turns. Alamut was originally written in 1938 as an allegory to Mussolini's fascist state. In the 1960's it became a cult favorite throughout Tito's Yugoslavia, and in the 1990s, during the Balkan's War, it was read as an allegory of the region's strife and became a bestseller in Germany, France and Spain.

Address Unknown


Kathrine Kressmann Taylor - 1938
    Published in book form a year later and banned in Nazi Germany, it garnered high praise in the United States and much of Europe. A series of fictional letters between a Jewish art dealer living in San Francisco and his former business partner, who has returned to Germany, Address Unknown is a haunting tale of enormous and enduring impact.

Winged Pharaoh


Joan Marshall Grant - 1938
    Her seven historical novels stand out for their vividness and rich detail. For Joan, these books were not works of the imagination but personal recollections of her previous lives. In Winged Pharaoh, Joan Grant tells the story of Sekeeta, the Pharaoh's daughter. The ancient Egyptians reserved the title of "Winged Pharaoh" for ruler-priests who possessed extra-sensory powers. When Sekeeta demonstrates psychic abilities, she is sent to the temple and trained to recall past lives. Upon the death of her father, she becomes a "Winged Pharaoh" - both priestess and Pharaoh - and leads her country with enlightenment. The most famous of Joan Grant's "Far Memory" novels, this book brings the grandeur, beauty, and mystery of ancient Egypt to life. Upon Winged Pharaoh's original publication in 1937, the New York Times called it "an unusual book that shines with fire."

Count Belisarius


Robert Graves - 1938
    Invaders threatened on all fronties, but they grew to respect and fear the name of Belisarius, the Emperor Justinian's greatest general. With this book Robert Graves again demonstrates his command of a vast historical subject, creating a startling and vivid picture of a decadent era.

Dynasty of Death


Taylor Caldwell - 1938
    The mighty saga of three generations cursed by a bloodstained fortune, set in the 19th century.

All This, and Heaven Too


Rachel Field - 1938
    The heroine, Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, governess to the children of the Duc de Praslin, found herself strangely drawn to her employer; when the Duc murdered his wife in the most savage fashion, she had to plead her own case before the Chancellor of France in a sensational murder trial that helped bring down the French king. After winning her freedom, Henriette took refuge in America, where she hosted a salon visited by all the socialites of New York and New England. This thrilling historical romance, full of passion, mystery, and intrigue, has laid claim to the hearts and minds of readers for generations. This replaces 044102226X.

The Red Keep: A Story of Burgundy in 1165


Allen French - 1938
    They raid the Red Keep, in hope of gaining it for themselves, only to be thwarted by Sir Roger and young Conan. Now they plot anew to steal the Keep from its rightful owner, Lady Anne. She, with Conan and her loyal followers, sets out to bring justice upon the evil brothers. An action-filled tale with the authentic flavor of the twelfth century, by the author of The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow.