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Books/book club

Historical (but well-researched) writers

(58 Posts)
Wheniwasyourage Thu 10-Apr-25 16:26:55

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles - the Dynasty series goes from the Wars of the Roses in England to 1935 in 35 volumes about a Yorkshire family. The first one I read was set in 1912, so although the same family features all the way through, you don't have to read them in sequence if you don't want to.

eazybee Thu 10-Apr-25 16:21:53

Mary Renault:Ancient Greece:.
Alison Weir: mainly medieval to Tudor, novels about historical
characters as well as biographies.
Pat Barker: trilogy about the women in the Trojan War.

spabbygirl Thu 10-Apr-25 16:09:20

Frugola

Ayse I forgot to mention Follett! His Pillars of the Earth, plus its prequels and sequels are some of my favourites. I remember Anya Seton was one of y mother's favourites. Also Jean Plaidy.

spabbygirl Am reading a McGrath (The Rose Trilogy) at the moment. She seems to know her facts but I do not find her writing style up that of other writers.

Grandmabatty (what a lovely name!) Thank you for these suggestions. I do not know either writer.

thats a shame Frugola, I know what you mean though

Frugola Thu 10-Apr-25 16:07:14

Ayse I forgot to mention Follett! His Pillars of the Earth, plus its prequels and sequels are some of my favourites. I remember Anya Seton was one of y mother's favourites. Also Jean Plaidy.

spabbygirl Am reading a McGrath (The Rose Trilogy) at the moment. She seems to know her facts but I do not find her writing style up that of other writers.

Grandmabatty (what a lovely name!) Thank you for these suggestions. I do not know either writer.

spabbygirl Thu 10-Apr-25 15:56:33

carol McGrath is also very good and has degrees in history & writing

ayse Thu 10-Apr-25 15:52:15

Ken Follett has done several historical novels, well researched. Early medieval through to WW2 and beyond. They are stand alone but better read from earlier until later. I don’t normally do early medieval but they were very well written and just sucked me in.

Years ago Anya Seton and Victoria Holt did interesting historical tales.

Grandmabatty Thu 10-Apr-25 15:50:09

Dorothy Dunnett? Nigel Tranter is dated now but I used to enjoy his work

Frugola Thu 10-Apr-25 15:38:41

My favourites are Sharon Penman, Philippa Gregory, Sansom and Elizabeth Chadwick but am open to recommendations!

My favourite period is mediaeval to Elizabeth I.