Book picks similar to
The Knees of Gullah Island by Dwight Fryer
historical-fiction
african-american
historical
southern-fiction
The Lost and Found Girl
Catherine King - 2011
When the legitimacy of her twin babies with Edgar is called into question, the tiny infants are taken from Beth and sent far away. James is adopted by Edgar's uncle, the very wealthy Lord Redfern, master of Redfern Abbey. But little Daisy is sent to a cold-hearted childless couple who raise her to be a maid rather than a daughter. When Daisy, at 16, finally escapes her hard life with her adoptive brother Boyd, they arrive at the Abbey to seek work and refuge. Little does Daisy know that her flesh and blood is the next in line to be Lord of the Abbey. There is a strange connection between Daisy and James, something they can neither explain nor ignore. But will the truth be discovered in time?
Drums Along the Khyber
Philip McCutchan - 1969
James Ogilvie is the third generation.Pitchforked with mixed feelings into imperial Britain’s elite military academy, Sandhurst, and then into the family regiment, he finds himself in 1894 a subaltern en route to India – a torrid journey out that teaches him the first lessons of military life and the command of men.His initiation is made more difficult by the vindictive attentions of the adjutant, Captain Black, and by the high expectations placed on him by his own irascible father, his Divisional Commander on the North West Frontier of India.Ogilvie gets his first taste of action when the Royal Strathspeys are sent through the Khyber Pass to contain the rebel Ahmed Khan outside Jalalabad. Fighting the border tribesmen brings brushes with death, but also many opportunities for the kind of glory that can forge a distinguished military career. But as the campaign goes on, Ogilvie also starts to doubt the entire Imperial project.‘Drums Along the Khyber’ is a thrilling historical adventure story, rich in period detail. It is the first in the Ogilvie series of novels by Philip McCutchan. ‘The adventure-writer succeeds who makes you read faster than you really can…Drums Along the Khyber has something of this quality’ – The Sunday Times Philip McCutchan (1920-1996) grew up in the naval atmosphere of Portsmouth Dockyard and developed a lifetime's interest in the sea. Military history was an early interest resulting in several fiction books, from amongst his large output, about the British Army and its campaigns, especially in the last 150 years.Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
Operation Kingfisher (World War Two Historical Saga Novels)
Hilary Green - 2013
Desperate to escape, the two teenagers embark on a perilous journey back to England to the safety of their grandparents.But there are eyes everywhere.Luke and Christine band together with fugitive Allied airmen, thinking they will keep them safe and help them on their treacherous journey.But their new partnership could be putting them in more danger than they realize. Especially when there are hostile forces at work determined to scupper any plans to get the teenagers and airmen safely back to England.With secret operations mounting against the enemy, there is one path which remains unguarded: a risky escape route via the canals.Luke and Christine take refuge on a canal barge and find themselves immersed in the complex Operation Kingfisher.Can two teenagers make it across occupied France in one piece? Or will betrayal put them and the lives of others at great risk?
Former Rain
Vanessa Miller - 2003
They thought the unfaithful men in their lives caused their storms, but as they are forced on a journey of self-examination, they realize that something greater than a “do right” man is needed to heal the hurts that trouble their souls.Kenneth Underwood and Isaac Walker want to rid themselves of the selfish, ungrateful women in their lives. Kenneth, a successful businessman, is planning to divorce Elizabeth, his wife of 7 years. Isaac, a man of the street and Nina’s former lover, has a more final solution to rid himself of his problem.Will they allow the grace of God to heal and restore the shattered lives they have created, or are they forever destined to go through the storm?
One Last Chance
Jerry Borrowman - 2009
Orphaned during the Depression, he steals food to survive. When mischief lands him in juvenile court, he's offered a home by fellow ward member David Boone, but then suffers under Boone's unkind and unyielding treatment. And after Artie helps the victim of a robbery gone bad, he's abandoned by Boone and sentenced to juvenile hall. Then his luck and his life suddenly change. Mary Wilkerson, the feisty widow who was robbed, sees potential in Artie and takes him into her custody. Ray McCandless, the wise yet firm chauffeur, teaches Artie about cars, life, and the connections between the two. Under their care, Artie develops the desire and the ability to leave his past behind and grasp the hope in his future, which shines like Mary's luxurious Dusenberg. But when cornered by old enemies, will he defend his honor with his life? Jerry Borrowman masterfully combines emotion, morality, suspense, and humor in this tender coming-of-age story. Readers will struggle and rejoice with Artie as he discovers the value of integrity, the sweetness of family ties, and the reality of the American dream. And they will never forget the triumph that unfolds when a good boy with bad problems is given one last chance.
Love and War 1
John Jakes - 1984
The young would clash on the bloody battlefields of Bull Run and Fredericksburg, while in intrigue-ridden Washington and Richmond strong-willed men and beautiful women would defend their principles with their lives...or satisfy illicit cravings with schemes that could destroy friends and enemies alike. This surging drama is the second part of the trilogy that includes NORTH AND SOUTH and HEAVEN AND HELL. "Craftsmanship nears artistry....A coherent and penetrating vision of the seamy underside of war." (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
William Rising
Hilary Rhodes - 2014
Extensively researched and compellingly told, it introduces us to the passionate drama and violent upheaval of eleventh-century Europe. The world as we know it, and the English language, would have been vastly different were it not for the driving ambition of one man: William the Conqueror. But conquerors are made, not born, and William was made in fire and blood. How does a boy become a man, surviving a tumultuous and terrifying childhood? And how does that man become a legend? William Rising plunges us into this world of danger and betrayal, of choosing sides and dying for absolutes. It follows the creation of a conqueror, as he grows up abandoned, learns to fight at an early age for anything he hopes to keep, and is sculpted into a remorseless, far-sighted, ruthlessly efficient soldier and statesman. From his origins as an orphaned, penniless bastard boy, to his personal and political trials by fire, to the climactic battle with his rebellious barons where he finally comes of age, the young duke increasingly establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. But as the shadowy intrigues of English politics, and the all-consuming question of an heir for a childless king, begin to draw him into their web, it may just be that William of Normandy has a destiny far greater than even he has ever dreamed.
That Devil's No Friend Of Mine
J.D. Mason - 2009
. .but he was also manipulative and controlling, especially to those he loved. His death begins to unravel deep secrets and shocking desires among the people he cared about the most. . . His daughter, Kristine, feels that with her father’s death she is finally free. His best friend and business partner, Lamar, feels that now can finally have what he has longed for all these years: Kristine. His protégé, Cole, the boxing champion and rising star, married a woman Bishop never approved of and may have been right about. Rayne, the blues singer and ex-junkie relied on Bishop to keep her clean and is now slipping down a dark path without him. And Rhonda, Lamar’s wife, is determined to ignore what has been unfolding in front of her if it means that her predictable life will go unchanged. And then a newcomer steps onto the scene and threatens to turn everything upside down. Five very different people whose lives are only connected by Bishop suddenly find themselves up close and personal as desires, dreams and passions collide.
Until the Dawn
Gale Sears - 2006
Life in America is far from peaceful for members of the Lund family. As Alaina deals with the painful loss of her home and her father, she makes a desperate choice and finds herself in a strange city among people of a strange faith. Her husband is a good man — but a man she has never loved. As she copes with the emptiness she feels, something in her heart begins to change . . .Meanwhile her sister Eleanor finds the lifestyle in San Francisco suffocating and without purpose. As she defies high-society rules and secretly attempts to stop the unnecessary suffering of children, she comes to find a passion in medicine. But when her actions are discovered, what will happen? Join gifted author Gale Sears in an eloquent and moving story of love, family, and forgiveness.
47 Ronin
Dimetrios C. Manolatos - 2010
We are born and raised to serve our lord and shogun. Our code dictates selflessness and death to be more honorable than failure, whether on the battlefield or even over the most insignificant dispute.In eighteenth-century Japan, the lord of a samurai clan is sentenced to death for an assault on castle grounds. As dictated by law, the clan must exact revenge on the one responsible for their lord’s death. However due to circumstances, the shogun forbids any such act, placing a band of masterless samurai at odds with themselves and the martial code by which they live and die. After much trial and hardship, the clan does the unthinkable and defies the shogun’s mandate in order to fulfill their duty to their late lord. In doing so, these legendary warriors will be forever remembered for inspiring the Way of the Warrior back into the hearts of their countrymen.If you like historical novels set in old Japan, martial arts action adventure stories or samurai films, discover 47 Ronin.
The Blue Car
Sandy Hill - 2014
Two men, aided by her father, hustle her mother away without a word, leaving a stunned Sarah staring after them. Thus begins Sarah’s journey into a world of secrets, a world of great responsibility and little guidance. Along the way, “The Blue Car,” set in western North Carolina in 1952, explores when to keep a promise and when to break it, and whether people can really change. Book club discussion questions included.
A Small Part of History
Peggy Elliott - 2008
Inspiring. Heartbreaking.In the summer of 1845 Rebecca Springer and her family join the Oregon wagon train in search of land thousands of miles away. It's a hard and dangerous journey through blizzards and searing heat, over prairies, desert plains and mountains and, at times, it seems as if it will never end. But an unbreakable bond develops amongst the travelling women as they are tested, physically and emotionally, and their shared experiences of new life and tragic death will bring them closer than blood ever could.How the west was won and the terrible price that was paid.A Small Part of History is an epic, heartfelt story of courage in the face of appalling adversity, and a haunting portrayal of how America was forged. Above all, it is a story of people and how the ties that bind us most strongly are those of friendship, of family and of love.
Poison
K.D. Harris - 2008
And like a moth to a flame burnt by desire, she's immediately drawn to Spinx, a neighborhood drug dealer, and the one man her sister warns her against. At twelve, she eventually gets noticed by Spinx, despite every chick in Serenity Hills wanting him. Luckily for Nyse he has a thing for young girls even though he makes her wait. On her sixteenth birthday he showers her with gifts and opens her to a whole new world down The Hill. Taking her heart and body, Spinx eventually shows her the man he really is. Not ready for a dose of the real world, his unfaithfulness causes her to turn bitter and conniving. Eventually this Venomous Vixen tears anything and everyone apart who poses a threat. And before anyone realizes it, she causes more drama in the lives of her friends and family than can be repaired. That girl is Poison!