Favorites for reading about past
Historical fiction has a new meaning, since SHS students have learned about many important events through the years. Now, when we read books about the Holocaust, we are informed about the topic.
Here is a list of (in my opinion) great historical fiction books. However, some of these books were recommended from friends and I have not read them yet. Warning: the books are varying levels of difficulty and require different levels of maturity due to the seriousness of some of the grave situations the characters are faced with or due to romance.
“Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys
Set in the winter of 1945 four teenagers have their own secrets while they flee on the Wilhelm Gustloff from the Soviet advance.
“The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova
A young woman studies her father’s past and how it relates to thousands of year of history he challenged with the existence of vampires.
“Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein
A girl with her pilot friend evade the SS while spying for the Allies.
“My Brother Sam Is Dead” by James Lincoln Collier
Set in the American Revolutionary war, a family is on opposite sides leaving Tim Meeker in between his brother (soldier fighting for independence) and father (man proud of mother country.
“Jefferson’s Sons” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Thomas Jefferson had children with his slave Sally Hemings; this is the story of how they grew up.
“London” by Edward Rutherfurd
Spanning two thousand years and half a dozen families, this is the story of the city of London.
“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
Story of an adopted girl who learns to read, two German (adoptive) parents, and a hiding Jewish man in Nazi Germany.
“The Devil’s Arithmetic” by Jane Yolen
Hannah is sent back to Poland 1942, where she is taken to a concentration camp, during Passover Seder.
