The Essentials of Historical Fiction!

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  • Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
  • My email: st.donoghue [at] gmail
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 60

  • @thespaminator
    @thespaminator 10 місяців тому +41

    These are the best types of videos that you do. This seems to be your niche. No one does this better than you.

    • @HalfBloodOtter
      @HalfBloodOtter 10 місяців тому +4

      Gotta love it when he shares his wealth of knowledge on books 🤩

    •  10 місяців тому +2

      What @thespaminator said.

  • @laracroft1829
    @laracroft1829 10 місяців тому +14

    Here is the list Steve mentioned on the video.
    1.Aubrey and Maturin novels - Patrick O'Brian
    2. The Cruel Sea - Nicholas Monsarrat
    3. Dear and Glorious Physician - Taylor Caldwell
    4. Entered from the Sun - George Garrett
    5. Epitaph - Mary Doria Russell
    6. Forever Amber - Kathleen Windsor
    7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Victor Hugo
    8. I, Claudius and Claudius the God - Robert Graves
    9. Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott
    10. The Journeyer - Gary Jennings
    11. Julian - Gore Vidal
    12. The Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
    13. Kristin Lavransdatter - Sigrid Undset
    14. Lyman Chronicles - Dorothy Dunnett
    15. Musashi - Eiji Yoshikawa
    16. The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco
    17. The Persian Boy - Mary Renault
    18. The Thin Red Line - James Jones
    19. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
    20. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
    21. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

    • @sarap8003
      @sarap8003 2 місяці тому

      Thank you!
      #14 for who's interested are the Lymond Chronicles :)

  • @rasmus7493
    @rasmus7493 10 місяців тому +15

    I just want to thank you for these "Essentials" lists. They either reveal books to me that I have never heard of, or give me a push to pick up books I really should have read a while ago. I just ordered "The once and future king" due to the fantasy list. Keep making them!

  • @nathanfoung2347
    @nathanfoung2347 10 місяців тому +3

    It made my heart sing that "Musashi" made your list. 😊

  • @pl566
    @pl566 10 місяців тому +3

    My favorite part of this video was your comments on "The Name of the Rose". I don't DNF many books, but I just never could get into it. That was many years ago and I still hear praises for the book, but I'm glad to hear that it may be a challenge for others also.

  • @juliealvar4587
    @juliealvar4587 10 місяців тому +4

    Fantastic video! Loved the choices, especially Epitaph, Forever Amber, and Kristin Lavransdatter. Could do a list of 50 and it would not be too much.

  • @B00kMaiden
    @B00kMaiden 26 днів тому

    We're still going to need that chronological list of BEST historical fiction through the ages 😊 pleeeeeease?? Obviously you can't include them all- just some of your favorites

  • @toniblessing4624
    @toniblessing4624 10 місяців тому +2

    Brilliant!! Thank you, Steve. ❤

  • @frabousie
    @frabousie 10 місяців тому +3

    Fascinating list. I've read quite a few-- The Killer Angles by your recommendation-- and immensely enjoyed reminiscing with you. I would have loved to hear your thoughts on George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman series.

  • @patriciah8579
    @patriciah8579 10 місяців тому +1

    I recently picked up a copy of Julian at a library book sale. Read it and loved it!

  • @DuaneJasper
    @DuaneJasper 10 місяців тому +1

    Brilliantly presented, fascining list. Have only read the Graves and the Eco..

  • @deborahmink5159
    @deborahmink5159 10 місяців тому +1

    I'm happy to see Epitaph on this list. I also very much enjoyed "Doc".

  • @binglamb2176
    @binglamb2176 10 місяців тому +1

    My goodness, I have better taste than I thought. I have 60% of these books already.

  • @nickpiccirilli4278
    @nickpiccirilli4278 10 місяців тому +1

    I saw your comment yelling at MKV and my first thought was that I hope we get an essentials list now.

  • @anotherbibliophilereads
    @anotherbibliophilereads 10 місяців тому +2

    I guess the Flashman series is now problematic, but I adore Flashy.

  • @materiagrix
    @materiagrix 10 місяців тому

    Very reaffirming to see The Name of the Rose recommended for the third time in your channel when I am finally doing a read along of it with Randy!

  • @Paromita_M
    @Paromita_M 8 місяців тому

    Wonderful video, thank you. 🙏🏽
    The Name of the Rose is an all-time favourite.
    I have failed so many times to "get" Wolf Hall. 😭 I really want to but it continues to evade me.
    Lymond Chronicles is my ultimate fear and the one I want to read.

  •  10 місяців тому +2

    Books set in the 1960ies are historical fiction. Man, I'm old.

    • @saintdonoghue
      @saintdonoghue  10 місяців тому

      Hah! Imagine how I feel about the 1830s!

    •  10 місяців тому

      @@saintdonoghue 🤣

  • @duffypratt
    @duffypratt 10 місяців тому

    Great list. Will be coming back to it. I’m a little surprised not to see Hornblower, or any Bernard Cornwall. Love that you talked about Dunnett, though I prefer the House of Niccolo to the Lymond books.

  • @marymansson2085
    @marymansson2085 10 місяців тому +1

    My cousin smuggled out my Aunt's copy of Forever Amber. I was maybe 12 yrs old. I had few questions about the facts of life after reading.

  • @jimsbooksreadingandstuff
    @jimsbooksreadingandstuff 10 місяців тому

    Lots of books to read. The only ones I have read are The Cruel Sea, The Name of the Rose and Wolf Hall, all of which I would agree are excellent reads.

  • @hotsake7819
    @hotsake7819 10 місяців тому +1

    For me Tale of Genji is the number two essential historic novel only behind Musashi. Another great list.

    • @Tolstoy111
      @Tolstoy111 10 місяців тому +1

      Genji isn’t really historical fiction is it? It’s set in the author’s present.

  • @dropoutNo07
    @dropoutNo07 10 місяців тому

    I read the Journeyer by Gary Jennings on your recommendation and loved it. Now I'm reading Raptor by the same author.

  • @battybibliophile-Clare
    @battybibliophile-Clare 8 місяців тому

    Dorothy Dunnett was wonderful, Steve. I have all her books. Long dead, I am afraid her reputation is fading in the UK too.

  • @chynakat
    @chynakat 10 місяців тому +1

    I'm glad to see both George Garrett and Dorothy Dunnett on this list. Have you read The Luck of Huemac by Dan Peters? It's a novel about a diplomat and athlete toward the end of the Aztec empire.

  • @kathleenbrady9916
    @kathleenbrady9916 10 місяців тому +3

    Would you mind listing your recommendations Steve as it's sometimes hard to hear you or see the screen that the book is displayed on. Also, some that you clearly have on your Kindles are not available on Amazon in that form...do you have another supplier?

  • @Ahnor1989
    @Ahnor1989 10 місяців тому +1

    Most of those I already read or at least bought based on your recommendation. Do you hear my wallet cry for mercy whenever you upload a video?

  • @seanwebb605
    @seanwebb605 3 місяці тому

    I have been told that history isn't something that has happened in the last fifty years. That's journalism. So by that standard yeah you can't have historical fiction of current events.

  • @RogerKirby13
    @RogerKirby13 10 місяців тому

    Thanks for the great recommendations. I disagree with you on Scott. Ivanhoe is the best place to start to be sure. But Old Mortality I think is much better. I would put Waverly, The Antiquary and The Hear of Mid-Lothian up there as well. Some of the later novels are less interesting but I still have more to go, and hope to discover another gem.

  • @battybibliophile-Clare
    @battybibliophile-Clare 10 місяців тому

    I agree with you and the Historical Fiction Society. As for the beginning, it at least has to be bases on written history and therefore not on the Bible, myth etc. Not that myth isn't a great source, but it isn't a basis for Historical Novels.
    Oo, another Marlowe novel, great!

  • @andymorrall
    @andymorrall 3 місяці тому

    If you like books about Claudius, try my new novel, 'The Druid and the Elephant'. Hope you like it.

  • @derekgreen7319
    @derekgreen7319 7 місяців тому

    You might mention this series, but i really like the accursed kings by Maurice Duron

  • @derekgreen7319
    @derekgreen7319 7 місяців тому

    O killer angels is a great book!

  • @sethtopper700
    @sethtopper700 10 місяців тому +1

    what about James Michener? I've only read The Source and Centennial. Were any of his books in the running to be essential?

  • @lucianopavarotti2843
    @lucianopavarotti2843 10 місяців тому

    Jay! Julian!

  • @perdiccavetri8486
    @perdiccavetri8486 5 місяців тому

    what do you think of Mika Waltari books?

  • @cu00dj
    @cu00dj 10 місяців тому

    Sometimes, i can't see the book as you display it. Would you please post this list was text. I didn't get all the titles and authors and would really appreciate it. I recently finished Michael Shaara's World War one book "To The Last Man" and seriously wonder if I will ever read another.

    • @saintdonoghue
      @saintdonoghue  10 місяців тому

      Sorry! I'll try to remember to add lists in the future -

    • @cu00dj
      @cu00dj 10 місяців тому

      @@saintdonoghue thanks!

  • @JohnM-cd4ou
    @JohnM-cd4ou 6 місяців тому

    Where's Flashman?

  • @alejandrorubio305
    @alejandrorubio305 9 місяців тому

    You’re a G

  • @RyanLisbon
    @RyanLisbon 10 місяців тому

    Steve, you're getting more subscribers and comments. What is happening?
    No Gates of Fire?

    • @saintdonoghue
      @saintdonoghue  10 місяців тому

      I noticed those extra subscribers too - I don't know what I'm doing wrong ...

  • @valpergalit
    @valpergalit 10 місяців тому +1

    Steve, what do you think about Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon? I thought it would be here for sure!

    • @jakestraughn1821
      @jakestraughn1821 10 місяців тому +1

      He considers it to be Pynchon's finest work. It's also his favorite novel of 1997.

  • @Pantano63
    @Pantano63 10 місяців тому

    Is it true you read one book a day, Mr Donoghue?

    • @saintdonoghue
      @saintdonoghue  10 місяців тому +1

      No, that is not true. I do not read one book a day.

  • @thomashefferon9711
    @thomashefferon9711 10 місяців тому

    I second Mason & Dixon for the list. A great romp.

  • @Bhakti-rider
    @Bhakti-rider 2 місяці тому

    I wonder that you didn't include anything by Rafael Sabatini.

  • @mr.alaska2232
    @mr.alaska2232 10 місяців тому

    Holy c***, are you a time traveler? Cause I mean, you said there's no possible way the flood didnt happened, you must have been there.

    • @dorothysatterfield3699
      @dorothysatterfield3699 6 місяців тому +2

      No. He said there's no possible way the flood did happen. You don't have to be a time traveler to know that.

  • @ednorton47
    @ednorton47 10 місяців тому

    9/11 and Noah's Flood fall into the same category.