There are two kinds of historical fiction readers: those who can’t get enough of World War II settings and those who would prefer to read about a different era. In recent years I’ve increasingly heard from readers who say they LOVE historical fiction—but don’t want to read another book about WWII. I hate to break it to the latter group but the WWII emphasis doesn’t seem like it’s going away any time soon.
It’s true that many WWII novels rank among my absolute favorites, like Everyone Brave Is Forgiven, Code Name Hélène, and All the Light We Cannot See), and many recent offerings illuminate an aspect of the war I haven’t encountered before, like Sisters in Arms, The Huntress, and Bluebird). I understand the reasons for our abundance of WWII historical fiction titles, and I’m so glad they’re available to us as readers. I’m also pleased that historical fiction has so much to offer, covering other times and events.
The options for non-WWII historical fiction are truly vast: today’s list alone takes readers around the world and through the centuries, visiting Victorian London, Saigon during the Vietnam War, 12th century France and England, 1970s Afghanistan and Brooklyn, Washington DC and Russia during the Cold War, 1930s Georgia, 1980s China, 20th century Korea, 1980s Malibu, 1950s London, 6th century Scotland … the list goes on!
As always, we’ve only scratched the surface of historical fiction offerings so I hope you’ll recommend your favorite historical fiction that isn’t about WWII.
Historical fiction that isn’t set during WWII
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Pachinko
"We cannot help but be interested in the stories of people that history pushes aside so thoughtlessly," writes Min Jin Lee in her unputdownable novel tracing four generations of a 20th-century Korean family back to the time when Japan annexed the country in 1910, affecting the fates of all. Lee portrays the family's struggles against the backdrop of cultural and political unrest, as they endure fierce discrimination at the hands of the Japanese. Operatic and sprawling, every decision has a reverberating consequence in this intricate portrait of a little-explored period of history. More info →
Malibu Rising
This page-turning family saga features surfers, rockstars, 80s pop culture, and a mansion going up in flames. It’s 1983, and the four adult children of rockstar Mick Riva are preparing to host Malibu’s party of the year, unaware of how this one night will irrevocably change their lives. Reid employs an interesting structure to unpack what happens, hour by hour, the day of the party, intercutting the present-day narrative with scenes from the family’s past that go back generations. With well-drawn characters and a strong sense of time and place (I hung on every reference to Tab, big hair, and belted t-shirts), it’s perfect for fans of messy family stories and compulsively readable literary fiction. I couldn’t put it down. More info →
The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding
Historian-turned-novelist Robson set this beloved novel in 1947, after WWII has ended and times are grim: so many have lost so much, war rationing continues, Britain is in ruins. But in a bleak year, there’s a bright spot: Princess Elizabeth’s royal wedding captured the hearts of a nation, and was a beacon of hope to a country on its knees. The people insisted on a real celebration, including a beautiful gown. Robson’s story shifts among three protagonists and spans 70 years, but the common thread is Elizabeth’s gown—and specifically, the women who make it. While Robson has a fine eye for detail, and her behind-the-scenes descriptions of the fine atelier’s workroom are riveting, the heartbeat of the story comes from female friendship, secret pasts, and life after loss. More info →
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
Black female power and creative freedom take center stage in this vividly imagined oral history. Fierce and fashionable Afro-punk singer Opal Jewel and ambitious British musician Nev Charles made a stunning addition to the 1970s music scene. Looking to make it big, the hit interracial duo reluctantly opened for a popular Southern band, and before the infamous concert was over, relationships were irredeemably broken, a man was dead, and a photographer captured an unforgettable flashpoint moment. But what really happened? Decades later, a journalist with a personal stake in the outcome sets out to uncover the answer. The resulting journalistic interviews are so convincing I had to make sure Opal & Nev exist only on the page. Heads up for violence, racial slurs, and substance abuse. More info →
The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead brings Jim Crow-era Florida to life through the real story of a reform school in Tallahassee that claimed to rehabilitate delinquent boys and instead abused and terrorized them for over one hundred years. Elwood Curtis is bound for a local black college when an innocent mistake lands him at The Nickel Academy instead. Elwood finds comfort in Dr. Martin Luther King's words and holds to his ideals, whereas his friend Turner believes the world is crooked so you have to scheme to survive. All this leads to a decision with harrowing repercussions for their respective fates. This was a tough read emotionally, but such a good one, especially as narrated by award-winning audio performer JD Jackson. More info →
Lessons in Chemistry
A life-affirming tale of a chemist ahead of her time, a life-changing love affair, a dog with a huge vocabulary, and the combustible combination of chemistry, cooking, and afternoon television. Elizabeth Zott only ever wanted to be a scientist—but because she’s a woman in the 1960s, she has to go begging for beakers despite being the smartest researcher in the building. After Elizabeth is ostensibly fired for being unwed and pregnant (but really for being smarter than her boss and dating a rival scientist he loathes), she can’t make ends meet. Out of desperation she accepts a job hosting a tv show called Supper at 6. She loves to cook, because cooking, after all, is chemistry. The producers want her to smile and look pretty, but Elizabeth is much more interested in teaching housewives not just how to make dinner, but how to change their lives. Content warnings apply. More info →
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane: A Novel
Li-yan and her family, Akha ethnic minorities, farm tea in their remote mountain village in 1980s China. When a stranger arrives at the village gate, Li-yan’s life takes a turn and she begins rejecting the rituals and routines that shaped her life thus far. When she becomes pregnant, she leaves the baby in an orphanage but never stops thinking about her. That baby is ultimately adopted by a white American family in California. Haley wonders about her birth parents and where she came from. A moving story about family, tea farming, and what gives life meaning. More info →
The Sympathizer
This Pulitzer Prize winner follows the fall of Saigon during the Vietnam War. Our narrator, a captain, served as a communist spy for the Viet Cong…and continues to do so once he moves to America with the general of the South Vietnamese army and others fleeing the country. Caught between two worlds and conflicted in his loyalties, he has an uneasy relationship with both the duality of his work and his origin as an illegitimate son treated with scorn and distrust by those around him. Nguyen explores the legacy of the Vietnam War and what it means to survive. More info →
The Lost Queen
The titular "lost queen" is Languoreth, a real sixth century Scottish queen whose twin brother inspired the legend of Merlin. Pike grounds her story in the real places and peoples of ancient Scotland, while leveraging the freedom of fiction to craft an engrossing story about a fascinating protagonist. I loved following Languoreth from girlhood onward as she experiences love, loss, and the increasing weight of responsibility. The evocative setting made for a moody and escapist reading experience in which ancient magic, complex politics, and clashing religions all conspire to create an intriguing and high-stakes story. Audiophile alert: this works well on audio; I especially appreciated hearing the pronunciation of the Ancient Scottish names and places, as read by Toni Frutin. More info →
The Covenant of Water
Physician and author Verghese puts all 736 pages to good use in this 2023 Summer Reading Guide pick and Oprah Book Club selection, portraying three generations of an Indian family who suffer from what they have come to call the “condition.” For each of the past seven generations, at least one family member has drowned unexpectedly, even though they avoid the water. But this family is determined to find meaning despite the suffering they experience and anticipate. Unfolding in 20th century rural South India (with one short trip to Scotland), this is a sweeping tale of love, family, faith, and medicine. More info →
The Signature of All Things
Who would have thought moss could be so interesting? Gilbert's sweeping novel follows the life of the enigmatic Alma Whittaker, a 19th century scientist (before that was even a word). A maker at heart, and very aware of her strengths and limitations, Alma struggles to develop her unifying "Theory of Competitive Alteration" to describe her findings. Gilbert brings the field of botany to life in this ambitious novel which moves between Philadelphia, Europe, and Tahiti. More info →
The Secrets We Kept
Lara Prescott has always loved the book Dr Zhivago, and was stunned—along with the rest of the world—when the CIA declassified documents revealing that it had played a role in the book's covert publication and distribution in Russia during the Cold War. This is Prescott's imagining of how those covert operations may actually have been executed. The story moves between the East, where the focus is on Pasternak and his muse and mistress Olga Ivinskaya, and the West, where readers get to know the female spies of the OSS. Between experienced spy Sally, new recruit and Russian emigré Irina, and the communal voice of the CIA typing pool, the reader learns all about the American plot to infiltrate Russia with literature, and the personal secrets these women were also called to keep. There’s no need to be familiar with Dr Zhivago but Pasternak’s snow-laden tale of love and tragedy during the Russian Revolution is a classic for a reason. More info →
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
This coming-of-age tale for mature YA readers (and grown-ups!) is set at a lesbian bar in 1950s San Francisco Chinatown. When seventeen-year-old Lily Hu meets Kathleen Miller outside the Telegraph Club, her world tilts on its axis. This isn’t a safe time for two girls to fall in love, especially given the Red Scare and Lily’s father’s looming deportation. Her parents urge her to do whatever she can to stay safe, but Lily believes some risks may prove to be worth it. This book reads as a celebration of romantic and familial love, and a love letter to the city of San Francisco. More info →
The Last Train to Key West
In this standalone novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, three women's lives become entangled over the course of Labor Day weekend, 1935, when the storm of the century slams into Key West. The story is told from multiple perspectives, those of three different women who seem to hold little in common, but whose lives are about to intersect in ways no one could foresee. Helen is a Key West native, poor and pregnant, fleeing her abusive husband. Mirta is Cuban, newly married to a man she barely knows, and just beginning her honeymoon. And Elizabeth, who’s come south on a dangerous search for a long-lost loved one. A captivating novel about a little-known historical event. More info →
Matrix
Never underestimate a visionary. When Eleanor of Aquitaine decrees Marie de France will be sent to an impoverished abbey in England, Marie is shocked and desperate to get back in Eleanor’s good favor. But as she gets used to life with the nuns, she finds she has much to give as prioress and that includes her own divine revelations. Marie takes protecting her fellow nuns seriously, no matter how the world changes around them. An urgent exploration of religion, power, and sexuality. More info →
The Kite Runner
Hosseini's critically acclaimed, bestselling novel is about an unlikely friendship between two boys growing up in 1970s Afghanistan, a setting richly portrayed by the Afghan-American author. One boy comes from a privileged family, the other the son of that family's servant, and so even though they grew up in the same household, they come from different worlds. Part coming of age story, part history lesson, and ultimately a tale of atonement and redemption. A note for sensitive readers: this book includes a pivotal difficult scene that is disturbing to many readers; please do your research before reading. More info →
The Lions of Fifth Avenue
This novel is a book lover’s dream. In 1913, Laura Lyons lives with her family in the New York Public Library, a perk of her husband’s job as superintendent of the grand building. Her dream to become a journalist conflicts with her husband’s desire to provide for his family himself. Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan’s scored her dream job as an NYPL curator, landing a plum appointment on the team for the famed Berg Collection. But when valuable manuscripts start disappearing from under Sadie’s nose, she’s first scorned for her incompetence—and then suspected as a thief. Sadie suspects the theft traces back to her grandmother, the renowned feminist journalist Laura Lyons, but Sadie can’t imagine how. A literary mystery that’s full of surprises. More info →
The Vanished Days
Scotland is still recovering from the disastrous Darien expedition eight years prior when Queen Anne's commissioners begin paying out those that participated and their survivors. Lily, a young widow, submits a claim to collect her husband’s wages but it’s challenged and Adam is called to investigate the marriage claim. With only days to get to the bottom of the issue, he must figure out the truth, no matter how much he’s drawn to Lily. Set in 1707 with flashbacks to 1683, Kearsley takes us through the Jacobite quest and the new Union with England, with suspicion and intrigue on every corner. (This is a prequel to The Winter Sea but, while you might see some familiar names, there’s no need to read that one first.) More info →
Island Beneath the Sea
Travel from the Saint-Domingue sugar plantations to New Orleans in Allende’s historical novel set in 1770. Tété was born enslaved, the daughter of an African mother and a white sailor. She wants nothing more than to have control over her own life. When Toulouse Valmorain arrives on the island to run his father’s plantation, the teenaged Tété becomes his confidant, a choice that will ripple across four decades of change, including slave uprisings, voodoo, epidemics, and hurricanes. More info →
The Vanishing Half
Identical twins Desiree and Stella grew up in the 1950s in a town so small it doesn't appear on maps. They're closer than close, so Desiree is shocked when Stella vanishes one night after deciding to sacrifice her past—and her relationship with her family—in order to marry a white man, who doesn't know she's Black. Desiree never expects to see her sister again. The twins grow up, make lives for themselves, and raise daughters—and it's those daughters who bring the sisters together again. It's a reunion Stella both longs for and fears, because she can't reveal the truth without admitting her whole life is a lie. Bennett expertly weaves themes of family, race, identity, and belonging into one juicy, unputdownable novel spanning five turbulent decades. More info →
Another Brooklyn
A chance encounter with an old friend in her childhood neighborhood brings back a flood of memories for August, and in a series of vignettes, she remembers what it was like to grow up as a Black girl in 1970s Brooklyn with her best friends. Angela, Sylvie, and Gigi are more than August's friends: they’re part of her sisterhood. They go through adolescence together and support each other through tragedy. Woodson's lyrical prose brings the story to life, and I highly recommend listening to her books on audio. More info →
Hamnet
In this award-winning novel, Maggie O’Farrell takes a few historically known facts about Shakespeare’s wife and family and, from this spare skeleton, builds out a lush, vivid world. This book is devastating (I know I'm not alone in consuming the better part of a box of Kleenex while reading it). Yet with O'Farrell's sympathetic central character and evocative storytelling, you won't want to leave Shakespeare’s world. The story centers on Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, who is torn apart by grief when their son Hamnet dies at age 11. Soon after, Shakespeare writes Hamlet—and O’Farrell convincingly posits that the two events are closely tied. In her distinctive style, O’Farrell takes you to the heart of what really matters in life, making you feel such a deep sense of loss for Hamnet that you won’t look at your own life the same way. More info →
The Pillars of the Earth
My recent trip to Europe and its many cathedrals have me thinking about this sweeping historical novel, which I first read and adored way back in high school! This epic tale set in Medieval England revolves around a monk’s quest to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known and the mason who becomes his architect. I had no idea how fascinating religious architecture and masonry could be, but Follett brings it all vividly to life. Content warnings apply. More info →
Fingersmith
This is on my TBR, and comes highly recommended by MMD editor Leigh Kramer. She inhaled the last 400 pages of this Dickensian literary mystery and had to know what would happen next. In Victorian London, the relationship between gentry and servant can be fraught—and even more so when one is running a con on the other. Maud and Susan are complex characters that beg a reaction (and a book club discussion), particularly when they do disagreeable things. With striking twists and turns, their relationship runs the full gamut of emotions, particularly because literary fiction is not known for giving queer characters a Happily Ever After. More info →
The Color Purple
In this epistolary novel and modern classic, Celie, a young Black woman living in 1930s Georgia, describes her life in a series of heartbreaking letters, writing first to God and then to her sister Nettie. But ultimately, redemption arrives in an unlikely form. A painful, beautiful book about the power of love, and a 1983 Pulitzer winner. Content warnings apply. More info →
Do you have a favorite historical novel (or two) that aren’t set during WWII? Please tell us about them in the comments section!
P.S. 20 historical mysteries featuring feisty female characters, 15 immersive historical fiction books about overlooked events, and 33 historical fiction books avid readers can’t get enough of.
102 comments
Pillars of the Earth and the rest of his series remains my favorite book of all time.
I loved the original 2 books and loved them. Haven’t read Column of Fire or Armor of Light. What did you think of those?
I read this book over 48 hours in 1993 and it remains my favorite novel to this day.
Absolute favorite series of all time!
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi is one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the last few years.
I completely agree! I loved this book!
I loved Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr! There’s the stories tied together, and none of them WWII. One is set at the fall of Constantinople, one is the recent past, and one is actually the future.
Anne, Thank you! This is a great list. I already found some TBRs. I loved the Covenant of Water. Such a beautiful read.
I highly recommend Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles. The series takes place in 9th century England and is about the forging the united country of England. Another favorite series of mine is Conn Iggulden’s books about the Khan dynasty. I was fascinated by the story of Genghis Khan and his family. It is a history I knew nothing about and told almost like a thriller.
I’ve always wanted to learn more about Genghis Khan, as well. I’ll add that book to my TBR! Thanks!
Thank you for these recommendations! Sifting through the WWII novels (and I do love many of them!) is sometimes difficult when you want to read historical fiction about another time period. I am a huge fan of Jacqueline Woodson and I’m looking forward to reading that book. I also really enjoyed Nickel Boys. I would add Harlem Shuffle to this list, too.
I would also add Dennis Lehane’s newest novel, Small Mercies to this list. I really enjoyed that one and plan to add it to my favorites that I read this year.
I had quite a few historical fiction novels on my list of favorites from last year: https://brittanydahl.com/blog/11-best-books-to-read-in-2022/
My WWII-setting-loving heart is a little sad anyone wants less of them – HA! – but I do love historical fiction period. A few others:
– Cutting for Stone (finished Covenant of Water week before last also) – India in the 1950s through modern times but going back to 50s and 60s often.
– A Gentleman in Moscow – Russia 1920s
– Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk – 1920s on in NYC; interesting look at women in the advertising workplace in a time when women weren’t in the field
– Band of Sisters – Is WWI! There are lots of historical fiction books set in WWII but not as many as WWI and this one is – loosely – based on a group of American women who went to France to volunteer during WWI.
– A Bakery in Paris by Aimie Runyan – Set during French Revolution and immediately following WWII; really enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more by her.
– The Kitchen House – late 1700s to early 1800s; southern US
– The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – all over the world and in a variety of time periods!
– The Weight of Ink – 1600s to modern day time; London and US with some Spanish history as well. This book introduced me to treatment of the Jewish people in Europe that I was not very familiar with – excellent book.
Those are just a few to take you to different places in different times!
A Gentleman in Moscow – Yes! One of my favorite books.
Love Lillian Boxfish!! ❤️
I love The Weight of Ink!
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish is my “best book of 2023”…loved it SO much! Beautifully written. The details, the history, the culture, the complexity of the stories. The characters are magnificently interwoven…I could feel the connections across the centuries through the pages. Just an amazing reading experience…the magical quality of the written word to connect people through time, space, gender and faith with adventure and intrigue.
Marie Benedict- Carnegie’s Maid (and maybe First Ladies but I’m still reading it, so far it’s pre-WW2)
Pip Williams – The Dictionary of lost Words and The Bookbinder. Themes of suffragettes and the making of the Oxford Dictionary.
I recently read “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan, about the writers Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis.
I thought of this one as well! I am currently reading Surviving Savannah by the same author which would also count for this list.I don’t like it quite as well as Becoming Mrs. Lewis but still good.
I’m listening to The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland on audio right now and it’s really good. Historical fission based on the Richland VA theater fire of 1811, told from 4 different points of view – an upper class white Roman, a white crew member in the theater, an enslaved blacksmith who saved many people during the fire and an enslaved young woman who was at the theater the night of the fire.
Richmond, VA
I was just coming to post this as I just finished it yesterday! I really enjoyed it and this is coming from someone who is not typically a fan of Historical Fiction!
Love this book!
Here’s 4 historical novels set in various time frames … from the 1700s to the early 1900s, some that spill into more recent dramas!
http://www.lindastoll.net/2023/02/4-historical-fiction-writers-i-think.html
I loved The Girl in his Shadow by Audrey Blake (about women in science and medicine in England in 1840), and the Paris Hours by Alex George (one day in Paris in 1927 told from 4 perspectives). So many on your list were favorites as well!
Highly recommend the India Tea series by Janet Mcleod Trotter for lovers of historical fiction. There are 4 books, starting with The Tea Planters Daughter, that follow generations of tea plantation owners in India and moves back and forth between India and the UK over the years. I adore these books! They are out of print in physical books but you can usually find the ebooks.
Love so many of the other books on this list! It’s always refreshing to read historical fiction outside of WW2!
I’ve never read the India Tea series but I’m reading the Preveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey. They’re a historical fiction mystery series set in early 1900’s India. They’re great if you like reading about India and also like mystery.
This is so funny! I literally did a book round-up a few years ago that was this exact same topic (although I’ll admit that mine was definitely inspired because I myself was starting to tire of reading about WWII all the time!). I’ll drop the list below if anyone is looking to add even more titles to their TBR:
https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2017/11/10/15-absorbing-historical-fiction-reads-that-are-not-set-during-wwii/
I will say that after I took a pretty long break from reading WWII stuff, I’ve started to enjoy it again. I enjoyed Jennifer Ryan’s The Kitchen Front, and I also read Lovely War (I think that one was WWII. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong!). I enjoyed a lot of the others on your list as well–Lisa See is always a favorite, and Malibu Rising was a fun one. I really disliked The Signature of All Things, but I think I’m in the minority there 🙂 Historical fiction will always be one of my favorite genres!
I loved Malibu Rising! So interesting having it based on a ’60’s crooner.
Lovely War is mostly WWI, with some WWII
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (12th century Korea) and Joy in the Morning (1920s Michigan) by Betty Smith. Two of my favorites, with wonderful characters.
Yes to A Single Shard! Wonderful read – also for middle-grade readers.
Lisa See’s “The Island of Sea Women” is one of the best historical fiction I have read. It’s based on a Korean island in the 1930s and 1940s. Read it! 🙂
I was going to suggest The Island of Sea Women as well! Though technically, that one starts in the WWII era in terms of timeline, the historical context more prevalent and important to the story was of the Korean War as well as the decades after it. I read the book several years ago and to this day, I can still remember vividly much of the story and its characters. It’s one of my all-time favorite novels but also one of the most emotional stories I’ve ever read!
I LOVED “The Island of Sea Women!” One of my all-time favorites – I had to do a deep dive after reading it to learn more about these women and Korea at that time. Fantastic!
Anne, this is a fabulous selection of books! I’m always looking for non-WWII historical fiction for my mom, and I think she will love Fingersmith, The Sympathizer, Hamnet, and Vanished Days. I’m currently rereading Lessons in Chemistry for my bookclub and am looking forward to starting River of the Gods by Candice Millard.
Happy Reading!
Thank you for this list! I’m on the hunt for historical novels that are set in Canada. My teens and I have read quite a few geared towards middle-grade readers (The Broken Blade, Wintering, Madeleine Takes Command, The King’s Daughter, Elijah of Buxton, as well as those set in the USA – Blue Birds, Stella by Starlight, Children of the Longhouse). I’m looking for more, not necessarily middle-grade, but those are fine too. Thanks!
Hi Leanne, for historical fiction set in Canada, specifically my home province of New Brunswick, I can recommend The nine lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong and The Sea Captain’s Wife by Beth Powning.
I am Canadian and can make a few suggestions:
The Lightkeeper’s Daughter by Jean E. Pendziwol
Waiting for Time by Bernice Morgan
Ridgerunner by Gil Adamson
The Law of Dreams by Peter Behrens
Deafening by Frances Itani
Hi Leanne – I really enjoy Iona Whishaw’s Lane Winslow mysteries, set in the post-WW2 interior of BC. The books have great covers, too 😊
So many good reads on your list and in the comments. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is another favorite of mine.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. One of my favorite titles ever. The story is set against the background of the Prague Spring of June 1968, the Soviet invasion of the country that followed in August, and the aftermath of the crackdown on liberalization.
The story is about two women, two men, a dog, and their lives in the 1968 Prague Spring period of Czechoslovak history.
Also loved the movie! For any Daniel Day-Lewis fans out there. I remember watching it in the movie theater and the surround sound of the Soviet tanks arriving was so scary.
Girl at War
I second Bernard Cornwell, but my favorites from him is the Richard Sharpe series. The main character is a British soldier and series follows his life from the 1790s through the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes was very good. It has a dual timeline set in the present and in 1886 during a purge of the Chinese in San Francisco. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent is set in Iceland in the 1800s and is the story of the last woman executed there. It’s a haunting book, but is one that has stuck with me. Finally, I loved My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. After seeing the musical I went looking for historical fiction about the Hamiltons and loved this version of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s life.
Kite Runner is a great choice. Unforgettable.
I don’t ready many historical novels, but here are some of my favorite non-WWII historicals-
Amor Towles:
A Gentleman in Moscow
Rules of Civility
The Lincoln Highway
Wendell Berry: Port William books (haven’t read them all, but loved the ones I’ve read)
William Kent Krueger:
This Tender Land (1932 Minnesota)
Ordinary Grace (1961 Minnesota)
Paulette Jiles:
News of the World
Simon the Fiddler (both set in post Civil War Texas)
Katherine Reay:
A Shadow in Moscow (the Cold War)
Wow– my TBR is growing exponentially! Some others not mentioned yet–
-The Stationery Shop, Marjan Kamali (Iran, 1950s revolution)
– Surviving Savannah, Patti Callahan (US Southeast, mid-19th C)
– The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, Kim Michele Richardson (Appalachia, early 20th C.)
This is a story of WWI rather than WWII, so not that different maybe, but still fascinating: Switchboard Soldiers, by Jennifer Chiaverini
My Bookenders Book Club have read many of these, and tons of WWII books-so many I wonder if we should be the WWII book club, only because there are so many well-written stories from that time. Of this list Hamnet was my favorite. Two more I’ve recently read are The Glorious Guiness Girls and West With Giraffes. The first is based on real people (yes, that Guiness) and set during and after the Irish War of Independence, the Roarings 20s, and into the Great Depression. One reviwer has said it is part Gatsby and part Downton Abbey, and I agree. It was a captivating read.
West With Giraffes is an American story of an orphaned teenager and survivor of the Dust Bowl and the hurricane of 1938, two giraffes that also survive the hurricane, and the keeper tasked with delivering the animals to the new San Diego Zoo. Its a wonderful read steeped in the culture of the era.
Wonderful book. This was my book club’s last read! A bit long but I enjoyed it!
That is, I am referring to Switchboard Soldiers.
Almost all of Susan Meissner’s books are in settings other than WWII. A Fall of Marigolds about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York is especially good. As Bright As Heaven about the 1918 pandemic is also very good.
Ruta Sepetys has wonderful historical fiction as well. I particularly enjoyed I Must Betray You set in Romania in 1989 as the communist regime is collapsing.
I just finished The Fountains of Silence set in 1957 in Madrid during Francisco Franco’s regime. I was so engrossed in the powerful, beautiful story and writing. It made me want to read everything Ruta Sepetys writes!
I kept thinking why hasn’t someone mentioned Ruta Sepetys’ books! They are fast reads and hard to put down. I Must Betray You was so good!
I loved Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. I need to finish that series. I have other suggestions. The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
The Circle of Ceridwen series by Octavia Randolph. It takes place in the late 800s to early 900s and is about the Dane invasion of England.
Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross.
This is a really old one, but if I remember correctly, very relevant for today, Captain and the Kings, by Taylor Caldwell
The Source and Centennial, by James Michener
I have many more suggestions but I’ll stop there.
I forgot to add The Walking Drum and The Last of the Breed by Louis L’Amour. The first is takes place in the Middle Ages, the second is a Cold War drama.
The Water Dancer is excellent.
Oh, Centennial! I read it when it was first out in paperback. I clearly remember trying to not cry too hard when the buffalo were decimated, since I was riding public transportation. 🙂
Thank you for this comprehensive list! Here’s a shameless plug for The Poetry of Secrets (Scholastic 2021) a YA historical fiction of forbidden love set during the Spanish Inquisition. Love your newsletter.
I loved Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell and also recommend her latest book The Marriage Portrait set in 16th century Europe. (Like Hamnet, it is also rather dark but a compelling story by a gifted writer.)
Almost anything by Geraldine Brooks is wonderful,but I think People of the Book which spans several historical periods is among my favorites.
Rules of Civility, Amor Towles first novel set in NYC in the 1920s is a splendid read as well.
I love this genre.
Yes to Geraldine Brooks! Everything I have read of hers was so good! Even her non fiction ‘Nine Parts of Desire’ written about the lives of Islamic women a few decades ago is so interesting in light of political changes in their lives since.
When Two Feathers Fell From The Sky by Margaret Verble
1926 Nashville. Wonderfully written. Fascinating characters that bring together so many historical issues of the times.
Before We Were Yours-Lisa Wingate
What She Left Behind-Ellen Marie Wiseman (a look at the appalling treatment and admission criteria to mental institutions in the 1930s. It has a coming of age parallel story.)
Take My Hand-Dolen Perkins-Valdez
The Cuban Heiress- Chanel Cleeton
West With Giraffes-Lynda Rutledge
The Women’s March-Jennifer Chiaverini
These books made me do more searching on the historical events they were based on.
The Four Winds-Kristin Hannah
Oh, there are sooo many that could be added!! And thank you Anne and all in the comments for more great suggestions
West With Giraffes was fantastic!
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne: this book is AMAZING!!! 1940s Ireland to present day, follows one man birth (to a unwed teenage girl) through life. LBGTQ historical fiction. Audiobook is fab too!
Preveen Mistry series by Sujata Massey: historical fiction murder mystery set in early 1900s India, female barrister who is not allowed to become a lawyer because she’s female but still solves crimes.
Moloka’i by Alan Brennert set in 1900s Hawai’i, well the leprosy colony on the island of Moloka’i
“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah. I learned a lot about what life was like during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. It was something that I was never taught in US History class in high school.
Are all books set in a time period other than present day historical fiction? I think the story has to be tied to specific historical events – at least that’s how I think of it. For instance, to me, Lessons in Chemistry is not historical fiction in spite of its 1950’s setting. The Gown is definitely historical fiction to me because it is a fictional story closely tied to the wedding of Queen Elizabeth.
What a great list! So many great choices. I actually read a lot of historical fiction, since that’s my favorite genre. Most the ones I was going to suggest are either already on the list or mentioned in the comments, so I will focus on ones that I didn’t see mentioned yet…
Here are a few non-WWII historical fiction I read recently and really enjoyed:
The Porcelain Moon by Janie Chang (set in France during WWI, about the hundreds and thousands of Chinese laborers brought to Europe during that time)
A Map for the Missing (set in 1970s -1990s China)
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford (this one is set in the past, present, and future, covering 7 generations of women from the mid-1800s to 2085; I’m not sure I completely understood the story, but I love Ford’s writing and the sections about the historical figure Afong Moy were fascinating).
Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden by Zhuqing Li (this is non-fiction, but it reads like a novel – some of the story starts during WWII, but the bulk of it is about the time period afterwards with the civil war in China that resulted in Chiang Kai-shek fleeing to Taiwan. For those who are interested in how the situation between Mainland China and Taiwan came to be historically, this is a good one to read).
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang (set during the Gold Rush era in the American West)
Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim (the story starts in 1917 Korea and spans through 1965 – there is some WWII in here, but it also covers the historical events that happen before and after that time period)
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri, about the journey of Syrian refugees to Britain (and her follow up to that one, Songbirds, which was set on the Greek island of Cyprus)
Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng (set in 1980s China as well as during the Cultural Revolution)
Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft (set during WWI time period in Bombay)
These are just from the past 2 years (there are more from prior years — too many to list!).
So many good suggestions mentioned! I second many of them! I will add some that I loved: 3 novels set in India, but very different: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry—ordinary men in India surviving incredible adversities and injustice, The Far Pavilions by M.M.Kaye–a saga of Indian princesses and Englishmen, and Zemindar, by Valerie Fitzgerald, a magnificent love story set during the Indian Rebellion.
Then, there’s The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donaghue—set after WWI in an Irish ward for pregnant victims of the Spanish Flu—set over just 3 days—it’s amazing.
The Foundling by Ann Cleary—institutions for “Feeble-Minded Women of Child Bearing Age” in Pennsylvania—these were NOT mentally handicapped women! The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell–more putting of women in institutions. Unbelievable!
A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe, where the protagonist joins a Cold War spy ring in the US.
1000 White Women, by Jim Fergus—a deal the govt made to trade 1000 white women to the Indians for brides—and how that worked out!
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Such a classic of the South and too-slow changing attitudes towards blacks…
The Poldark Series by Winston Graham. Cornwall in the late 1700s, so entertaining, but also educational.
The Poldark books are sooooo good! — and so is the TV adaptation (shown on PBS a few years ago — the final season aside, which was totally invented by the scriptwriters and not based on any of the books at all).
I devoured “Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?” by Crystal Smith. The setting alternates between two timelines: 1930 or 40-ish Deep South and Hollywood, and current day Hollywood. The author doled out little morsels of information along the way, which kept me engaged in the story.
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
The Color of Air by Gail Tsukiyama
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed
Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte (middle grade)
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen
“Lamb at his Bosom” by Caroline Miller, older book, (1930’s). Beautiful, gripping story about a young married couple & their extended families beginning their lives in 1840s in antebellum southern Georgia through the Civil War. One of my now favorite books ever.
On a previous WSIRN recommended list for Southern fiction I posted a comment about Gone With the Wind not being included on that list. Another listener replied to my comment & suggested the above book, (an opposite side of the tracks story to GWTW), & thanks SO MUCH for that recommendation whoever that reader was! Just a beautiful book & fascinating story. The author, a young housewife, also had an interesting background . Thanks again!
TW: sexual assault
I couldn’t finish The Pillars of the Earth due to an extremely graphic rape scene. I know a lot of people who love this book, but I couldn’t.
For those of us who don’t want to read things like that, Thank you for letting us know about this.
Thank you for this list. I’m one of the people who don’t want another WW2 setting. That being said, I’m on my second reading of Anne Perry’s 4 book WW2 series. It’s good enough that it warranted another read.
M.M.Kaye has several excellent books about India during the British empire’s colonization.
Geraldine Brooks’s stunning and evocative Year of Wonders has stuck with me for, well, years! The novel is set in plague-ravaged England during 1666.
I’m currently reading Our Last Days in Barcelona. So far I am enjoying this book.
I liked This Tender Land.
There are some really good ones on this list and in the comments! I just finished a good one by Kate Atkinson – Shrines of Gaiety is set in Roaring Twenties London and deals with some pretty gritty subjects (dope, police corruption, prostitution, murder, and young girls disappearing off the streets) – but it’s Kate Atkinson, so the language sparkles and the characters are complex.
I also recently finished The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, which was an absolutely joyful historical fantasy, set in medieval times on the Indian Ocean. It’s about a forty-something mom who has retired from her days as the captain of a pirate ship “getting the band back together” to rescue the daughter of a former shipmate. It’s not for traditionalists, but it was fast-moving and had lots of interesting magic. Shannon Chakraborty, the author, did a TON of research to get all the historical details right regarding sailing, geography, religious practices, and myths. Highly recommended.
As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner is about the Spanish flu era. It is my favorite historical fiction book.
The Second Life of Mirielle West, The Undertaker’s Assistant, and The Nurse’s Secret are amazing. By Amanda Skenadore.
Thanks for this list! I can’t stand WW2 books so this was perfect for me. 😊 I’m forever trying to find books that weren’t set in WW2!
A Well Behaved Woman – fictionalized account of Alva Vanderbilt. Set during the gilded age in NYC, loved this one!
Here’s a bunch of my faves from various time periods/genres:
The Baroque Trilogy by Neal Stephenson – 17th Century Europe. Bonus if you’ve read Cryptonomicon – his WWII historical fiction (haha)- as there are family connections!
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride – US Civil War era
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – Spans from the 18th century to present day
Shogun by James Clavell – 1600’s Japan. I’ve read this book So. Many. Times.
The Doomsday Book/To Say Nothing of the Dog – both by Connie Willis. One is set in Medieval England, the other in Victorian Era.
Les Rougon Macquart by Emile Zola – these books span decades of 1800s France. I especially loved Au Bonheur Des Dammes (what the BBC’s The Paradise was based on) and Le Ventre de Paris which is set in the Les Halles market in Paris. Highly recommend reading especially if you’re in or planning to go to Paris 🙂
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin – The series spans from the 1970s to the 2000s (also a great miniseries with a young Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis)
I’ve also been enjoying the Perry Mason mysteries lately. Not sure if they qualify as historical fiction, but they certainly transport me to the 30s-50s California setting.
What a great list Anne! Thank you! I would also add the author Michelle Moran. I loved her historical fiction books. My favorite was Madam Tussaud set in the French Revolution! I also really enjoyed Nefretiti and Cleopatra. There are other titles as well 🙂
Oh Anne, it feels like this blog post was written for me! I love WWII historical fiction (and it’s easy for me to find) but I often need help finding good historical fiction set in OTHER time periods. I really enjoyed “The Signature of All Things” and think it’s Elizabeth Gilbert’s best book. The writing is beautiful. A couple non-WWII historical fiction books I’d recommend are: “Once Upon a River” by Diane Setterfield and “The Essex Serpent” by Sarah Perry.
Thank you for this list! I agree, WWII is my favorite historical fiction time period, but it’s fun to explore others as well. I loved The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner. It’s a beautifully told story of the last matriarch of the Romanov family. I’ve reread it several times and can’t recommend it enough.
I Love The Pillars of the Earth SO MUCH!!!
Crossing the Horizon by Laurie Notaro is historical fiction that looks at 3 women vying to become the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It’s wonderful; I recommend it to anyone who thinks they don’t like historical fiction.
Any ideas for books set in colonial United States? Thanks so much. Love all these new ideas!
I just finished The Women by Kristin Hannah (releases 2/24). It will be on all these lists. Sooo good!!
The Tea Chest by Heidi Chiavaroli is a dual-time story based on the Boston Tea Party. I thought it was extremely well done.
Similarly, any historical fiction books set in 19th century German come to mind? Have read Colm Toibin’s “The Magician,” but looking for something slightly older. Thanks!
In Memoriam by Alice Wynn is excellent! Takes place in World War I in England and centers around two boys in boarding school who fall in love. Can’t recommend it highly enough.
Sharon Kaye Penman has written many historical fiction books , from Richard III to the Plantagenets. Her books are accurately researched and very readable.
C.J.Sansom has a series of mysteries set in the time of Henry VIII, with historical accuracy and intriguing storylines.
Yes, SKP and C.J. Sansom – both excellent writers of historical fiction.
The Gilded Years. About the first Black woman to attend Vassar. My favorite book of the year!
Don’t forget African historical fiction. Robert Ruark’s Something of Value and Wilber Smith’s series beginning with When the Lion Feeds, to name just a few.
Moloka’i by Allen Brennert was my last un-put-downable historical fiction read. I read it over the course of one weekend. Set in the Moloka’i leper colony, it follows the life of a young girl sent into exile in the late 1800s after her diagnosis until after the cure was found in the 1960s. Heartbreaking at times, but uplifting and thought-provoking, too.
Please check out Anne Fortier. She wrote Juliet and The Lost Sisterhood. Both amazing historical fiction not set in WW 2.
Going old school here- so many books by John Jakes is set in 1850s-1870s America. His North and South trilogy is a dual family saga that spans these decades. He also has a series that is set during Westward Expansion. I think those are called the Kent Chronicles.
I recently re read The Sojourner after 40 years, it is still one of my favorite American novels. ( I am Canadian) Marjorie Kinnan Rawling’s prose is lovely, the story poignant, and characters unforgettable. An oldie but so worth seeking out!