Book picks similar to
The Last Kingdom 8 Book Set by Bernard Cornwell
historical-fiction
historical
history
historical-series
The Longest Road: A Novel
Jeanne Williams - 1993
After a violent dust storm leaves their mother dead and the family farm in ruins, twelve-year-old Laurie Field and her younger brother, Buddy, believe their world has ended when their grieving, debt-ridden father brings them to live with their reprobate grandfather in the Oklahoma Panhandle, promising to send for them when he finds one of those fabled jobs luring thousands to California. Abandoned and afraid, the children find hope in the songs taught them by Johnny Morrigan, an itinerant oil field worker who hitched a ride with the family on his way to Texas. Desperate to escape their brutal grandfather, Laurie and Buddy hop a train clanging west and become fall in with a hobo named Way after he saves them from a sinister tramp. In California, the children find only heartbreak, so they and Way set out for Texas in the hopes of reuniting with Johnny Morrigan. Like the fellow travelers they encounter on the roads and rails crisscrossing America, Laurie, Buddy, and Way take joy in simple pleasures such as a campfire meal, a starry night, and a song. They learn firsthand the kindness ordinary folk can show to those even poorer. At last, in lusty Texas oil field towns, they find work, Morrigan, and a deadly menace as Laurie grows from innocent girl to vibrant woman. A riveting story of hardship, adventure, and romance, The Longest Road pays glorious tribute to the men and women who kept the American dream alive during the Great Depression.
Hamnet
Maggie O'Farrell - 2020
Warwickshire in the 1580s. Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts. She settles with her husband in Henley street, Stratford, and has three children: a daughter, Susanna, and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. The boy, Hamnet, dies in 1596, aged eleven. Four years or so later, the husband writes a play called Hamlet. Award-winning author Maggie O'Farrell's new novel breathes full-blooded life into the story of a loss usually consigned to literary footnotes, and provides an unforgettable vindication of Agnes, a woman intriguingly absent from history.A New York Times Notable Book (2020), Best Book of 2020: Guardian, Financial Times, Literary Hub, and NPR.
Ready Steady Dig
Rosalind Winter - 2008
When you have spent the last sixteen hundred years faithfully guarding a precious hoard of gold and silver buried in the foundations of a Roman villa, the arrival of a bunch of TV archaeologists is seriously bad news.But the little household gods of the Villa Corvo have ways of deterring intruders that the makers of the popular programme "Ready,Steady,Dig!" could never have dreamed of ...
Danzig: A Novel of Political Intrigue
William N. Walker - 2016
Newly-edited corrected version. Danzig is a gripping historical novel in the grand tradition. It has generated rave reviews (90% 4 and 5 stars) for its authenticity and its realistic portrayal of high pressure diplomatic clashes between Hitler and Western nations in the 1930s. The story encompasses fast-paced events in Geneva, Berlin, Warsaw and London, as well as Danzig itself, capturing the drama of unfolding crisis that engulfed Europe on what we now know was the path to war. * "A smartly written, engrossing read. * “Channeling the best of Alan Furst, Danzig, is a must read for the any lover of well written historical fiction. * “Mr. Walker's descriptions made this reader feel as if she were in the middle of the historic drama. The novel builds in intensity until the dramatic ending. It's a terrific read.” * “Danzig is a must read for any lover of riveting historical fiction dealing with Hitler’s rise. Walker makes the saga of the city and the Polish Corridor come alive. The tensions of the time are vividly described in human terms, making for gripping reading.” * “Danzig is an amazing book, putting the reader in the middle of pre WW II in Europe. The time and scene were painted in detail and to perfection. The characters were presented in such a way I felt I knew them and worried for them throughout.” * “Superb historical fiction; good story, good atmospherics. Danzig is a sophisticated journey into European power politics during a time of high drama. I think it bears comparison to the best authors in the popular interwar historical fiction genre and I rate it a very successful effort.” * “The author does a great job of making the reader feel what it was like to be in the center of pre-WWII Europe, with Germany flouting the Treaty of Versailles, England following an ill-fated policy of appeasement and the League of Nations powerless and ineffective in dealing with Hitler and his aggression. For anyone interested in WWII history, especially the lead-up to the war and the dysfunction among the European Allies, this is a great read! The website www.authorwilliamwalker.com offers a link to Amazon Kindle as well as a synopsis, photos and more information.
My Name is Eva
Suzanne Goldring - 2019
It would be easy to dismiss Evelyn as a muddled old woman, but her lipstick is applied perfectly, and her buttons done up correctly. Because Evelyn is a woman with secrets and Evelyn remembers everything. She can never forget the promise she made to the love of her life, to discover the truth about the mission that led to his death, no matter what it cost her… When Evelyn’s niece Pat opens an old biscuit tin to find a photo of a small girl with a red ball entitled ‘Liese, 1951’ and a passport in another name, she has some questions for her aunt. And Evelyn is transported back to a place in Germany known as ‘The Forbidden Village,’ where a woman who called herself Eva went where no one else dared, amongst shivering prisoners, to find the man who gambled with her husband’s life… A gripping, haunting and compelling read about love, courage and betrayal set in the war-battered landscape of Germany. Fans of The Letter, The Alice Network and The Nightingale will be hooked. Readers are hooked on My Name is Eva: ‘Could not put this book down, and heaven help anyone that tried to disturb my reading !!…I absolutely loved this book !…I laughed, I cried, I cheered , I sympathized all because of Evelyn…I could so picture the setting and as Evelyn sets out to fool everyone, I thought you go girl !!...I don't want to say anything else but what a fantastic read…My first, not my last book by Suzanne Goldring. I can't recommend this book enough !!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘A phenomenal story of courage, love, murder and all the atrocities that go with war.Eva is an extraordinary character, strong, loyal, smart, funny, loving, and brave.A phenomenal read!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘This may be my new favorite book!!!! I absolutely love the premise of the heroine faking dementia in her retirement home to cover up her knowledge of questionable activities centering around WWII events. The tempo of this novel was perfect--kept me wondering until the very last page!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘Absolutely loved this book and its riveting plot!... The author has successfully penned a debut novel that I would highly recommend without any hesitation. An excellent debut novel from Suzanne Goldring and I look forward to reading more of her work. Historical fiction is my favourite genre to read and this book was every bit as good as some of the well-known WW2-themed titles published in recent years.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars ‘A poignant and evocative story of love, betrayal and bravery that kept me page turning and completely engrossed from start to finish. Loved it and would definitely recommend.’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars ‘This book was excellent! Totally kept my attention and I wanted to find out what would become of the main characters. Highly recommended.
Riley
Catherine Cookson - 1998
With a harsh childhood behind him, he left school with little in the way of knowledge but brimful of optimism, and secure in the knowledge that one of his teachers, Fred Beardsley, had faith in him; although at the time neither of them could have envisaged how the other was to influence the course of their lives.Fred Beardsley, who much to everyone's surprise had become acquainted with and married Louise Barrington, a teacher at his school, within a matter of weeks, ran into Riley while they were on their honeymoon in Paris. Riley said he'd won first prize in a talent competition - hence his presence, with his uncle, in the city for the weekend. In addition, he told the happy couple that as a result of winning the competition he had been offered a 'position' at The Little Palace Theatre in Fellburn.Fred and Louise, who suspected that the 'position' was probably that of a dogsbody, nevertheless encouraged Riley, whom they knew to be an expert mimic. After a time, however, it became clear to them that Riley had actually been appointed assistant stage-manager. And then he surprised them by forming a close friendship with the leading lady, thirty-something Nyrene Forbes-Mason, who he claimed was nurturing his burgeoning talent as an actor. What Riley hadn't told them, however, was that he had great hopes of the relationship developing into something more than friendship...Over the subsequent years, Fred and Louise observed with amazement the rise to fame and fortune of this remarkable lad, as did as did his parents and all those who knew him. As for his relationship with Nyrene, that did indeed change; although the manner in which it progressed was not quite as Riley had planned.
Trouble in Paradise
Pip Granger - 2004
The end to hostilities will bring her violent husband Charlie home. It also sets off a chain of events that brings more strife and destruction to the people of Paradise Gardens, Hackney - including Zeldas squabbling family and the mysterious local healer, Zinnia Makepeace - than did the Blitz.That's not all. A new boss is making Zelda's life difficult. Zelda's nephew, Tony, is hanging around Brian Hole, a one-boy crime wave and only child of Ma Hole, leader of the local spivs.But Tony can sing - he has, in fact, the voice of an angel - and Miss Makepeace knows a voice coach in Soho. The people Zelda meets there change her life. Bert and Maggie Featherby offer her a way out of Hackney and her failed marriage, while the local hood, Maltese Joe, decides to take on Ma Hole.
Last Train to Istanbul
Ayşe Kulin - 2002
Yet the spirited young beauty only has eyes for Rafael Alfandari, the handsome Jewish son of an esteemed court physician. In defiance of their families, they marry, fleeing to Paris to build a new life.But when the Nazis invade France and begin rounding up Jews, the exiled lovers will learn that nothing—not war, not politics, not even religion—can break the bonds of family. For after they learn that Selva is but one of their fellow citizens trapped in France, a handful of brave Turkish diplomats hatch a plan to spirit the Alfandaris and hundreds of innocents, many of whom are Jewish, to safety. Together, they must traverse a war-torn continent, crossing enemy lines and risking everything in a desperate bid for freedom. From Ankara to Paris, Cairo, and Berlin, Last Train to Istanbul is an uplifting tale of love and adventure.
Two Silver Crosses
Beryl Kingston - 1993
. . and the power of love to change lives. In 1926 the Holborn twins, Ginny and her blind sister Emily, disappear from their comfortable home in Wolverhampton. Why? No one knew. Ten years later, aspiring solicitor Charlie Commoner is dispatched to France to track them down. What he finds instead is a mystery, a tragedy and a love affair. But as the Second World War darkens over Europe, so, too, does the legacy from a terrifying disease that holds the family in its grip . . . As warmhearted as Maeve Binchy, as compulsive as The Shell Seekers, Two Silver Crosses is unputdownable. Beryl Kingston was born and brought up in Tooting. After taking her degree at London University, she taught English and Drama at various London schools as well as bringing up her three children. She and her husband now live in Sussex. Her other titles include Hearts and Farthings, Kisses and Ha’pennies, A Time to Love, Tuppenny Times, Fourpenny Flyer, Sixpenny Stalls, London Pride, and War Baby.
Cain at Gettysburg
Ralph Peters - 2012
Lee and the other by dour George Meade. They’ll meet in a Pennsylvania crossroads town where no one planned to fight.
In this sweeping, savagely realistic novel, the greatest battle ever fought on American soil explodes into life at Gettysburg. As generals squabble, staffs err. Tragedy unfolds for immigrants in blue and barefoot Rebels alike. The fate of our nation will be decided in a few square miles of fields.
Following a tough Confederate sergeant from the Blue Ridge, a bitter Irish survivor of the Great Famine, a German political refugee, and gun crews in blue and gray, Cain at Gettysburg is as grand in scale as its depictions of combat are unflinching.
For three days, battle rages. Through it all, James Longstreet is haunted by a vision of war that leads to a fateful feud with Robert E. Lee. Scheming Dan Sickles nearly destroys his own army. Gallant John Reynolds and obstreperous Win Hancock, fiery William Barksdale and dashing James Johnston Pettigrew, gallop toward their fates….
There are no marble statues on this battlefield, only men of flesh and blood, imperfect and courageous. From New York Times bestselling author and former U.S. Army officer Ralph Peters, Cain at Gettysburg is bound to become a classic of men at war.
Harold Robbins Organized Crime Double
Harold Robbins - 2020
After being kicked out of a Catholic orphanage when it is discovered that he is of Jewish descent, a confused and deeply distraught Frankie turns to a life of crime, the only life he knows, and he’s good at it. Frankie quickly makes a name for himself and becomes one of New York’s most dangerous men, ruling the city with an iron fist and indulging in his passion for sex, power and the best things life has to offer—regardless of whether they’re for sale.In Stiletto, Cesare Cardinale is an amoral, aristocratic Italian playboy—an entrepreneur and race car driver who wants for nothing—whether it’s fast cars, beautiful women, or orgies of debauchery. Cesare, however, has two dirty secrets: First, he has a penchant for violence that borders on the sadistic and sociopathic; second, he owes his extravagant life to a Sicilian Mafia don, creating a seemingly perfect relationship—as he leads a double life as a Mafia assassin.“Robbins’s books are packed with action, sustained by strong narrative drive, and are given vitality by his own colorful life.” —The Wall Street JournalThe Harold Robbins Organized Crime Double includes: Never Love A Stranger and Stiletto.
Catching the Tide
Judith Lennox - 2011
1933. Tessa and Frederica Nicolson enjoy one last idyllic summer at the beautiful Villa Millefiore, overlooking Florence. Four years later, Italy is a distant memory and Tessa is revelling in the glamour and excitement of modelling in London, until a passionate affair with married author Milo Rycroft leads to tragic consequences. Tessa returns to Florence, and, missing her sister desperately, Freddie, too, travels to Italy, where she is swept up in adventure, danger and romance, and makes a chance encounter that will change her life. With the outbreak of World War Two, Tessa and Freddie must fight for their own survival and happiness, while they wonder whether they will ever see each other again...
Legends of the Fall
Jim Harrison - 1979
This magnificent trilogy also contains two other superb short novels. In Revenge, love causes the course of a man's life to be savagely and irrevocably altered. Nordstrom, in The Man Who Gave up his Name, is unable to relinquish his consuming obsessions with women, dancing and food.'
Master and Commander: 20 Volume Set
Patrick O'Brian - 2000
'Surprise';The Mauritius Command;Desolation Island;The Fortune of War;The Surgeon's Mate;The Ionian Mission;Treason's Harbour;The Far Side of the World;The Reverse of the Medal;The Letter of Marque;The Thirteen-Gun Salute;The Nutmeg of Consolation;The Truelove/Clarissa Oakes;The Wine-Dark Sea;The Commodore;The Yellow Admiral;The Hundred Days;Blue at the Mizzen.
The Rendezvous Series: Books 1 - 3
Win Blevins - 2017
“Win Blevins has painted an epic saga of life in the early West on a huge canvas of vivid colors.”–Tony Hillerman "Blevins is a true storyteller in the tradition of Native American people.” Lee Francis, Director, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. In 1822, Sam Morgan dreams of following in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition. When he steals away on a flatboat headed west, Sam’s epic adventure begins. Along the way, he meets a cast of unforgettable characters, including Capt. William Clark himself and fur traders Jedediah Smith and Irish Tom Fitzpatrick, mountain men well on their way to becoming legends. In a brigade led by the heroic Smith, Sam crosses the fierce deserts to California—a first. But the land of the Golden Bear confronts him with dazzling perils. He must trek the Sierra Nevada and walk thirsty across the Great Basin Desert to save his comrades. Sam learns that he can survive, love, live with nature, and thrive, by trusting himself, by pushing himself—and his dreams—to the limit. REVIEWS "The glory years of frontier life, fresh and rich.”—Kirkus Reviews “Blevins’ sweeping vision of the American frontier is just plain irresistible.” – Michael and Kathleen Gear, The First Americans series. “No one writes about the fur trappers' westering experience better than Blevins. He has a poet's way with words, and imagery to match the wilderness reality. Win has re-created that long-ago world where the improbable was commonplace, where courage and audacity made anything possible.”—Lucia St. Clair Robson, author of Ride the Wind, member of the Western Writers Hall of Fame. SO WILD A DREAM In the Ree villages, Sam faces treachery and death. While among the Crows, he falls in love with a woman named Meadowlark. From the Bois Brulés, Snakes, and Pawnees, he learns native crafts, lore, and mysticism. But Sam’s best teacher is hard-won experience. On a grueling seven-hundred-mile trek, alone and on foot, across the Great Plains to Fort Atkinson on the Missouri River, he endures a devastating prairie fire and comes to grips with the price of survival. BEAUTY FOR ASHES Rich in historical detail, Beauty for Ashes continues Sam Morgan’s epic quest. Sam yearns for more than wealth—he dreams of Meadowlark, the Crow Indian woman who taught him love. When his companions set a course for the Wind River country and Meadowlark’s village, Sam will have one more chance to win his heart’s desire. First, however, he must survive the arduous journey, from cruel winter storms to debilitating illnesses. Sam learns to hunt buffalo and track beaver, and battles warriors of the Pawnee, Lakota, and Blackfeet tribes. Held captive by the Sioux, he makes a daring escape, and faces his most difficult challenge yet when Meadowlark’s family demands that he perform a great deed to prove himself worthy of her love. DANCING WITH THE GOLDEN BEAR Sam faces his harshest test yet. Jedediah Smith puts together a brigade for a trip into uncharted territory—Mexican California. Sam Morgan eagerly joins up, bringing his Crow wife, Meadowlark, along.