My Top 10 Historical Fiction Books of All-Time 

Just stumbled across this video and I know I'm two years too late but I highly recommend the book Chinese Cinderella, it's a historical non-fiction set in China and tells the story of Adeline Yen Mah's life, it's tragic, inspiring and heart-wrenching. This book isn't fiction but I first read it when I was a teenager and it's what got me hooked on the historical genre in general. Chinese Cinderella is targeted towards teens, but the author also wrote a longer autobiography of her life called 'Falling Leaves' which is for an adult audience. Either one I recommend though!

A great list! Loved Where The Lost Wander, The Nightingale and The Book Thief. I really want to read more Amy Harmon and I also want to read a Gentleman in Moscow. Dear Mrs. Bird sounds like one I would enjoy. 😊💙

Added a few to my tbr! I just read The Nightingale this month and really enjoyed it. It’s hard to go into a rating of a book that has soooo many reviews and not be a tad influenced by them. Maybe try the audiobook for your reread? I enjoyed the narrator and her French accent.

I love when vloggers focus on nonfiction or historical fiction. Thanks for your thoughts on these, a few I read and a few I definitely added to my wishlist, topping it Salt to the Sea.

So many good books here! Outlander, book thief, Salt to the Sea, Gentleman in Moscow, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Nightingale- love them all!!

Yay!!!!!! City of Thieves is one I’d love to get my hands on! 😊 The Book Thief is incredible. ❤

A FANTASTIC historical fiction book where the author and main character is a person of color was The Yellow Wife. Excellent read !! I'm an Amy Harmon fan also! I tried Gentleman in Moscow and put it down, but I definitely plan to try it again.

Thanks I want to read more historical fiction books! This is great!!

So many books to add to my wishlist! I haven’t come across a couple of these authors so thank you for the recommendations. Cannot recommend A Gentleman in Moscow enough…one of my all time favourite books and Amor Towles is one of my all time favourite authors as a result ❤

I highly recommend Connie Willis’ All Clear duology Book one: Blackout Book two: All Clear I’m with you on loving Dear Mrs. Bird. I feel like I just received an early present when you said Book 3 is on the way! Thank you for this interesting group of books!

I can’t remember if you have read these or not but Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, were books that I’ve read over the last few years that were very impactful and that have stuck with me. Where the Lost Wander, The Nightingale and Outlander are on my top 10 list as well.

I have to read few of the books which you have suggested. I am adding remaining in my tbr list. I love historical fiction but after reading one usually I need something light as many of those covers heavy topics. These are some of the books which covers part of lesser known history(Some of these books are famous and some less so) A Thousand Splendid Suns/The Kite Runner Pachinko Homegoing Moloka'i The Great Alone The Vanishing Half The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane/The Island of Sea Women Purple Hibiscus The Henna Artist A Fall of Marigolds Before We Were Yours Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI Orhan's Inheritance The Mountains Sing The Other Einstein Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet I hope you enjoy some of these.

Just what I was looking for. Thanks, and you’re doing great work - keep it up!

I loved the kitchen house if youre looking for diverse!

So glad Outlander is here. Imo nothing comes close to that series except maybe Tolstoy, Dickens and Dumas. Yes, it’s brutal in parts but that’s life.

Great. You have a very comforting and pleasant voice!

Isabel Allende has lots of non white characters and is so page turning. My favorite is Daughter of Fortune. I added a few from this list to my tbr, have read many and agree they are so good! I also need to read A Gentleman in Moscow--been on my list for years!

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, The Women by Kristin Hannah, The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

I just absolutely ADORED Dear Mrs. Bird. I *liked* the sequel but not nearly as much as the first book. I haven't read Salt to the Sea, but I have read Between Shades of Gray. That book stuck with me for so long. And I read and really enjoyed The Nature of Fragile Things. I have enjoyed the YA historical fiction by Stacey Lee. She writes about the Chinese in America in different times, and the hardships they faced. One of them was set in Atlanta after the Civil War, I believe (The Downstairs Girl), another set during the earthquake in San Francisco.

I'm so glad I found this review! I love books like Mrs. Mike The Magic of Ordinary Day Ect. I just read Where the List Wonder. I loved it!

Never heard of most of these! Good list for new reads. My recommendation of ones I've love are Shogun by James Clavell, Aztec by Garey Jennings, Inca by Greggory Micks and Clan of the cave bear by Jean Auel. Long but awsome reads all of them 🤓

If you would like recommendations for diverse historical fiction: "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi, set on the African continent. It's the story of two half sisters. It was a 5 star read for me and so many others I know. Right now I'm reading "Peach Blossom Spring" by Melissa Wu set in China in the time of WWII and later. It's a refugee story about family and survival when a town is destroyed during WWII by attacks from Japan. I'm loving it so far. It's a new release. It's my November BOTM choice.

To tell you the truth, historical fiction is my favorite genre but I’m absolutely tired of WWII stories by now. On the other hand, Ken Follett should be in any historical fiction list in my opinion, one of the big names of the genre.

I've watched so many videos on how people adjust their favorite lists. I have changed my views on so many things and books as I look back. But I don't erase my past. I still loved those older reads as fives at that time in my life and they stay that way. My new lists may bump them down or off but but they keep their status on the old list.

So interesting! Great to be reminded of the Mrs Bird series as I meant to read the second one. I think I remember reading A Voice in the Wind and would also like to reread it. There was one book in that series that made a big impression on me so perhaps that is the one. The Nightingale is one of my top ten books. You gave me some great book suggestions so I will mention a few good ones for you! Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi, since you are looking for more diversity. :) Enjoy!

Great list! I loved The Nightingale; I think you may remember the story once you start rereading it because it’s so impactful. Amy Harmon is high on my list to try! Have you read Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, which is set in Holland? It’s excellent! 😊📚

You’re making me rethink trying Susan Meissner. I read a book of hers last year and it was quite possibly one of the worst books I’ve ever read 😅 But she wrote it in 2008, so maybe her writing has grown since then. A lot of historical fictions that others have loved and I feel meh about, you’ve felt the same way, so I take your recommendations seriously. The Nightingale was one of my favorite books last year, so I hope it holds up for you! Have you read any Amy Tan? I have read two of her books and I love how she focuses on WW2 in China with imperial Japan invading. It’s such a unique perspective, compared to most Western European WW2 books.

The entire works of the Logan family by Mildred D.Taylor! The most famous is Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry but she has a whole series of books

Have to say thanks for this video again. I've also become a huge Amy Harmon fan. Where the Lost Wander was great. I liked "What the Wind Knows Even better". "The Unknown Beloved" was also really good.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese! It's my all-time favourite book and it happens to be set in Ethiopia so it fits your diversity goal ☺

Surprised that Ken Follet dint show up, you did have some great recommendations. Thanks!

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi is a hidden gem. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

As Bright as Heaven is so good. I’ve read almost all of the Diana Gabaldon books. As Bright as Heaven is one of my all time favorites. Blessings.

Love the outlander series. Waiting and waiting for book 10 to come out!

I reread The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson the other day. I read it when I was a school librarian preparing a group of elementary students for a book competition. I thought what a treasure many YA books are! Anyway, I was glad to see Number the Stars on your list - another book to not miss!

Not shouting… just quietly excited for you to read a gentleman in Moscow.

I’m sorry I just found you. I am busy with sick relative but you gave SOO many good recommendations I wanted to answer your last part. Historical. Non-white. Have you read Killers of the Flower Moon??? I live near this area I am sad to say. There’s also movie and documentary too. Hope it’s new to you. Thanks for recommending

We Appy Few is a great book to read. Its the story of a group of men who go off to fight the battle of Agincourt, where a young boy falls in love and understands what it means to be a man.

I have had What She Carried on my TBR for a while. Maybe it would branch into the diversity you are looking for. Great list!

A winter garden by Kristin Hannah!

The hired girl by: Laura Amy Schlitz is an amazing book where a young girl has a horrible home life so she finds her way to a Jewish family and becomes a hired girl. This book is full of adventure and a little bit of romance. It's different from other hf books because the point of view is from a young girl and the book is pretty much her diary. This book is a definite 5 star book and I recommend it to any who likes hf.

If you want WWII fiction, check out The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman. I'm not a huge fan of WWII fiction (only because I've read so much of it), but that one really made an impact on me. Some other 5 star historical reads for me were: THIS TENDER LAND and ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger (coming of age in Minnesota. Set in the Depression and the 60s, respectively. Both of these are standalones) HAMNET by Maggie O'Farrell (16th century England, about Shakespeare's family) THE MOUNTAINS SING by Nguyen Phan Que Mai (a family story set, in part, during the Vietnam War from a Vietnamese perspective) THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Louise Erdrich (about the Termination of Native tribes in the 1950s) And an author you might like, based on what you talked about in your video, is Sarah Dunant. She writes a lot of books set during the Italian Renaissance.

I am new to your channel and maybe you have already picked her up, but I think you would love Lisa See, in particular Island of Sea Woman, the Girl from Hummingbird Lane and and her latest Lady Tan's Circle of Women.

Insightful video. Thanks. I just started uploading my own historical fiction stuff last night. I wish I can review them with you and have coffee. Haha

I loved dear mrs 🦅 bird it’s a gem

Recommendation since you want to diversify your reading: Copper Sun by Sharon M Draper. Follows a teenage girl from her village in Ghana as she is stolen during the slave trade, taken to North America, and lives on a plantation as a slave. Really harsh but needed insight on plantation life

We read and love almost the same novels. But here are some Historical Fiction novels Ive also loved, in no particular order: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett Once We Were Brothers by Ronald Balson Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks My Name is Resolute by Nancy Turner The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson Killer Angel's by Michael Shaara

I know it's not what your channel is about, but would you be able to give us a tour of the room you're in? It looks amazing, especially that table. 😁

I kinda do the same thing as Gloria. If I like a book by an author I will try other books by the same author to see if I like it. There are so many good historical fiction books. Most of them will be WW2, which is why books set in another time can be super interesting as well. Anyways, some great books by different authors. Ken Follett: Fall of Giants trilogy and Pillars of the Earth (soon to be 5 books in the series) Kristin Hannah: Absolutely loved "The Nightingale". Have since read The Great Alone, Winter Garden and The Four Winds. The Four Winds beeing a great second. Kate Quinn: Rea The Alice Network and loved it. Have since read The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye and The Huntress. Loved them all. Diana Gabaldon: I'm also a big Outlander fan, allthough I have given up during the 7th book. Left it over a year ago, but might get back to it. Heather Morris: The Tattooist of Auschwith. Have only read the first, but apparently there are 3 in the series now. Amy Harmon: Loved From Sand And and Ash, so will have to look into the other two as well. Kristin Harmel: Book of Lost Names. Really liked this as well.

Based on this list, you will love everything by Kate Quinn. She has a series set in Ancient Rome, another in the Italian Renaissance, and all her more recent books have revolved around WWII. She’s fantastic. Her book Daughters of Rome is my favorite book ever.

I have been really wanting to try Amy Harmon, and also Ruta Sepetys. Secrets of a Charmed Life, was also just OK for me. I loved Number of the Stars. And I've only read the first book in the Mark of the Lion series.

I’m a bit late, but thank you for these great recommendations

I loved as bright as heaven but i actually liked the nature of fragile things more.

I love many of these same books too. Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan Henry is one of the best historical fiction books I’ve read. I’m currently reading When We Had Wings which is written by Susan Meissner, Kristina McMorris and Ariel Lawhon and so far it is good.

I just finished "The Personal Librarian " by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Great read...the authors notes after brought me to tears! ❤️📚❤️

Voice in the wind - yes

I listened to the audio book for Dear Mrs. Bird and loved it!!!

Code Name Helene was my favorite historical fiction from 2022, with Yellow Wife coming in 2nd place.

Loved Dear Mrs. Bird. Read both books. Five stars

Have you read Yours Cheerfully, the sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird? I also really loved that one! It had all the same ingredients as the first one and the third one comes out at the beginning of next year I believe!

Hello, I’m a new subscriber . I haven’t read any of the books you mentioned, but will write them down to keep an eye out for. I’d like to recommend The Glovemaker and also The Promise by Ann Weisgarber , The Visitors by Sally Beauman , Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier , and Gillespie and I by Jane Harris. They all get 5 ⭐️ ( for me). Happy Reading. ❤

The only one of these I haven't already read and loved is City of Thieves. I really need to remedy that! Have you read Kindred by Octavia Butler? It has a time travel element, but is a thought provoking read. I'd be curious what you think of that one. Also, have you read any Bianca Marais? She has 2 hf books set in South Africa. I also read The Attic Child this year and really liked that one. There...those are a few of my recs for you with non-white, non-war focuses.

I'm 70+ years old so I've had more time read to than you have, but you did sell this as 'all-time' so here's my list. 10. Tirant lo Blanc by Joanot Martorell: The granddaddy of historical novels set in late medieval Mediterranean area. Don Quixote even read this one. 9. Simplicius Simplicissimus by Hans Grimmelhausen: A funny and disturbing early novel set during Thirty Years War in Germany. This was the most brutal war in Germany EVER and I am including WWI and WWII. 8. The Happy Return (UK/Can)/Beat to Quarters(US) by C.S. Forester: The first (of many) Horatio Hornblower novels set during the Napoleonic Wars. 7. Seige of Khrisnapur by J.G. Farrell: Set during the Mutiny in India. Very well written. 6. The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell: Don't let the title fool you. This is a disturbing novel written from inside the head of an SS officer during the Shoah. 5. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck. Behind the lines of Nazi occupation. The most widely read, banned, unpublished book (samizdat) of all time. 4. The Virginian by Owen Wister: The first western. A lot of cliches except that Wister was there first. 'I want you out of town by sundown.' 3. The Bridge at Andau by James Mitchener: 1956 Hungarian Uprising. I could have included a bunch by Mitchener. This is probably his shortest. 2. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy: 1812 Invasion of Russia. First time 'in media res' used in a novel. I've read or listened to this three times. 1. Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman: 1942/43 Battle of Stalingrad. Written in the 50s, the book was 'arrested' in the 60s, author died in 70s, a copy was snuck out and published in Switzerland in the 80s, translated and published in English in 2006. We've had to wait a long time for this, but it was worth it. Prequel 'Stalingrad' was published in English in 2012. This is the simply the best historical novel I've read in 60 years. BTW, I've read a lot of the ones you've listed and like them. Just not the best of all-time.

I love you keep making these videos please!

I just read “West With Giraffes”, by Lynda Rutledge. Incredible journey! I loved it!

I love so many of these same books! Based on this I would recommend “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel.

Hello - have to say that I share the love of so many authors you mention here - Amy Harmon ( my favorite was 'What the Wind Knows' ), Susan Meissner, Diana Gabaldon. I HAVE to recommend a couple to you, by Ciji Ware - I've devoured so many of her books - and HIGHLY recommend ALL of them! Wanted to call out 'Island of the Swans', 'Wicked Company'. 'A Cottage by the Sea' was the 1st of her that I've read, and was hooked! Check these out - I think you will love them. I too cried thru 'Nightingale' - just read it this past fall, and just finished 'Four Winds' by Kristen Hannah. Found that one depressing, but an interesting read. Very resiliant characters. Looking forward to watching more of your videos, and finding new books to read! :) Jacqueline

Peter Tremayne sister Fidelma series of o eat 30 books I loved

Hello, can you do a review on The Forbidden Man by Gerald R. Knight

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger is a book I didn’t want to end. Also, I’ve read a few books by Amanda Skenandore-Between Earth and Sky and ….Mireille West (sorry whole title escapes me), but both made me want to read her other books. Both authors are white and their main characters are white; however, Native American characters and culture are a prominent feature in those books (though not Mireille West), so if you would like to read stories that feature indigenous cultures, I recommend those books.

Have you read To Calais in ordinary time? I love that book. I'm still reading it but I absolutely adore the writing and the rich use of archaic language. Also I don't think I'd read anything from David B just because of what he and Weiss did 😭

Still have to read Nature of Fragile Things!! Have you read Vera?? So good too!!

If you like ancient history you should read Boudica by Manda Scott. Its a 4 book series and it is amazing. It will give you all the feels. Very well written.

As Bright as Heaven is fantastic! I couldn’t read Outlander series. Way too “much” of everything.

Where the lost wander is a fantastic book!

I am totally shocked. You like Outlander. My reread to see if I still like it is Jackdaws by Ken Follett. Also The Evening Class by Maeve Binchy.

Children of gods and fighting men (Vikings) The Manningtree witches

'Outlander' belongs here for sure, all the way through 'Go tell the bee's'. 'Pillars' got me hooked with book one, although the last two weren't as good to me. If you're looking for leading characters of color, 'She who became the sun' and 'He who drowned the world' were really great, ming dynasty era. I'm a poc myself, and i hate it being about color just for the sake of making sure there's enough colored characters and the same goes for inundating stories with occurrences of queerness that aren't believable just for the sake of inclusion - 'She who became, He who drowned' included both in a beautiful, believable, relatable way that didn't leave me with a bad 'oh look, another inclusion piece of work' taste in my mouth. I thought the nightingale was great as well, and it kind of reminded me of another i loved called 'To See you Again' by Betty Schimmel (sp) although that one is actually non fiction.

Yes!! City of Thieves!!! Sooooooooo good!

The Glass Palace by Amitabh Ghosh, you will love it.

Read Ken Follett Pillars of the Earth. Trust me its incredible.

i recommend memoirs of a geisha, the help, molokai, before we were yours

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is 100 percent outstanding!!!

Thank you so much for saying Outlander isn't for everyone. I was soooo surprised and horrified when I read it, because in the beginning I really loved her writing style and the plot and the characters and overall I was in love with it but then I began to feel like it fetishized r*pe in a way that I found deeply triggering and I really really wish anyone who had recommended it to me had said ANYTHING about that before I went and fell in love with a book I couldn't bring myself to finish. I totally understand how some people can move past that, like I said, the characters and the writing style were so lovely I attempted to keep going but in the end I had to give up.

Read flashman George macdolad frasier full stop

You should read The Book of Names. WW2 Loved it. And read The Shadow of the Wind.

Have you read The Skylark’s War? By Hilary McKay? I really enjoyed it this year.

City of Thieves on my all-time list too.

You must read the Bronze Horseman set in Leningrad!

Girl your voice sounds like pure honey. I could listen to you all day long nonstop

Have you read The Suitcase of Lost Words its one of my favorites

How can you have a top 10 historical fiction list without Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett? For me, it’s a must read of any genre.

The yellow wife exceptional book. emotions all over the spectrum.

A Gentleman in Moscow!!! Not yelling at you 😆. But yes, read it, read it, read it!

I just read between shades of grey

Do you read any non-white historical fiction?

Great information from beautiful lady

Affinity by Sarah Waters or the Warlord series by Bernard Cornwell (tw for sexual violence for those)

As Long ast he Lemon Trees Grow

I haven't read A Gentleman in Moscow yet, either.