Posted on 09/27/2013 12:03:41 PM PDT by Hugin
Hi everyone,
Recently I've found myself with a lot of spare time on my hands, so I've been doing a lot of reading, and I'm looking for recommendations. I'm not looking for anything heavy, but basically escapist fiction, with my favorite genre being historical fiction. I've read everything by most of my favorite authors; Bernard Cornwell (Sharpe's Rifles, Saxon Tales, etc.), Conn Igulden (Emperor, Genghis series), Stephen Pressfield (Gates of Fire, Afghan Campaign, etc.), and also Michael Crichton. So I'm looking for recommendations and who better to ask than Freepers?
“September Hope”-
new non-fiction book about the American side of the real-life story of “A Bridge Too Far”
God’s and Generals is a good American civil war novel based on history.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Gods-Generals
Lonesome Dove
Many years ago, my Daughter gave me the complete Sherlock Holmes. It was enjoyable reading although I later learned it didn’t have every story.
The series by Matt Bracken are pretty good escapism and you just might learn a bit too.
You can’t do better than some of the Sir Walter Scott historical novels. Also I found Jules Verne much more readable than most science fiction.
Also Killer Angels. Same period of time.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-killer-angels?store=allproducts&keyword=the+killer+angels
You beat me to it.
And for fun, anything by A. Trollope
Any number of James Michener’s novels....Hawaii, Texas, Poland, Alaska and my alltime favorite of his, Centennial.
“Unintended Consequences” John Ross
I love the Neal Stephenson trilogy starting with Quicksilver.
One of the best biographies of the WWII era was “Ashes of Honor” by a member of the French SS. Yeah I know but it really does give you a very good view of the other side.
Was Conn Igulden’s Genghis series better than his Emperor series? I read the first book of the Emperor series and, since it had absolutely nothing to do with the historical record, I did not read any additional books in that series.
Colleen McCollugh’s First Man in Rome series is good but requires close attention. The history in it is first-rate.
Some skinny guy from Chicago wrote a couple works of fiction.
Still available on Amazon.
Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea
Fascinating non-fiction on the discovery of the SS South America (about 1984) deep off the No Carolina coast with the load of 1st San Fran minting of Calif Gold Rush coins in 1850 found stacked beneath the sea.
Decoding the Heavens (non-fiction)
the 1st Computer? Discovered in Mediterranean off of a Greek Island (Antikytheria) and the 100 year search to figure out just what it was. Roman plunder of Greek artifacts.
Reads like a mystery novel.
Authors escape me right now — they are both on Amazom.
I'm reading THE EXORCIST: OUT OF THE SHADOWS by Bob McCabe. It is about the making of the film but you might also consider the novel by William Peter Blatty if you've never read it.
Anything Louis L’Amour of course and David Gemmell is good too. Peter Brett’s Warded Man (Painted Man in some countries) series is interesting.
I can't put it down. I haven't devoured books like this since I first found Tolkien...
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