My wife needs a new author

[pumpkincat]

She has been reading Susanna Kearsley, Mary Alice Munro, Ann Patchett, Alexander McCall Smith, Daphne Kalotay, Kate Morton, Anne Korkeakivi, Jonas Jonasson, and Ellen Airgood. Books that have a history lesson entwined in a reasonably compelling story. Philosophical bends that leave a person wondering and pondering in a pleasant way.

Any suggestions???

[Dr. Drib]

Please post in the appropriate forum.

Your thread has been moved to the Reading Recommendations Forum.



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[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by pumpkincat

She has been reading Susanna Kearsley, Mary Alice Munro, Ann Patchett, Alexander McCall Smith, Daphne Kalotay, Kate Morton, Anne Korkeakivi, Jonas Jonasson, and Ellen Airgood. Books that have a history lesson entwined in a reasonably compelling story. Philosophical bends that leave a person wondering and pondering in a pleasant way.

Any suggestions???

I've been meaning to read some Ann Patchett.

I'm going to suggest a few.

Stephen Galloway: Ascension, Finnie Walsh (I know it says it is about hockey, but it's about growing up and life more than anything)
E. Annie Proulx: The Shipping News (I also liked Accordion Crimes)

[MickeyC]

Recommend you visit Literature Map http://www.literature-map.com/. You enter an author's name and hit Enter. The page closes and a new one opens with your author's name in the center with other author's names arrayed around around it. The physically closer to your author another author is, the more like your author he/she is.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by pumpkincat

She has been reading Susanna Kearsley, Mary Alice Munro, Ann Patchett, Alexander McCall Smith, Daphne Kalotay, Kate Morton, Anne Korkeakivi, Jonas Jonasson, and Ellen Airgood.

I've only read two of the four authors mentioned, so my suggestions might or might not really match what you're looking for.

I haven't read anyone that reminds me of Kearsley's books - they've been highly unique to my reading experience!

There was a historical fiction novel I read sometime ago that made me think a lot: Household Golds by Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove. I was thrilled when this finally became available digitally and I could get rid of my yellowing paperback.

I've only skimmed McCall-Smith books...although I have a "mountain" of them on my TBR pile. I really enjoyed the historical fiction by Deanna Raybourne. I've actually not read her most recent book yet (A Spear of Summer Grass), but it's actually had some controversy because it's set in 1920s colonial Africa, and some felt she handled the idea too...kindly?

Raybourne's books that I have read were interesting historically...I just don't remember if they have the "philosophical" considerations you're looking for.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by cassidym

Recommend you visit Literature Map http://www.literature-map.com/. You enter an author's name and hit Enter. The page closes and a new one opens with your author's name in the center with other author's names arrayed around around it. The physically closer to your author another author is, the more like your author he/she is.

I believe it is more that people who like this author have also liked this one and not similarity of author itself. I do find it useful for finding other paths to reading though and it is a valuable link.

[caleb72]

If your wife is interested at all about Australian history, perhaps Kate Grenville? She wrote a trilogy of books about early 19th century Australia. I'll come clean and say I haven't read her (although I'd like to). She has won quite a few prizes in my neck of the woods and I get the feeling she paints colonial Australia, particularly black and white relations, in a fairly stark way.

I'm not sure if this is too regional or too dark (I believe there's quite a bit of violence depicted). But I thought I'd throw it out there.

[elemenoP]

The Secret River by Kate Grenville is one of my favorite. books. ever. (and I'm not Australian.) It definitely meets the criteria of historical fiction that makes you think about philosophical matters. I, too, have only read two of the OP's authors (although I'm intrigued now!).

eP

[maxbookworm]

I just read a *wonderful* trilogy set in ancient Rome by Kate Quinn. Highly recommended!

Mistress of Rome
Daughters of Rome
Empress of the Seven Hills

One of the things Quinn does that I love is give you a sense, at the end of the book, for how many of her characters are based on historical figures, and which ones are her creative additions (usually just one or two). It amazes me how much of her books are based on fact, because in reading them, they are just fun-to-read and delightful stories.

[curtw]

I'm going to go with Lawrence Norfolk. Lempriere's Dictionary was great, and The Pope's Rhinoceros was almost as good. Haven't yet read In the Shape of a Boar.

[BookCat]

Robert Graves: "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" and, maybe "Goodbye to All that".
On a lighter note, Anya Seton's historical novels, such as "Katherine"
Mary Stewart's Arthurian books.

[owly]

Have you been to your local library and asked? :-)

[jmilica]

Try this - Seattle Public Library - Your Next 5 books. You don't have to be a member, just provide email address and books your wife likes.
I got response after two days and a very personalised one.
http://www.spl.org/using-the-library...r-next-5-books

[FatDog]

Try "Mistress of the Art of Death" by Ariana Franklin.

[Lili819]

Geraldine Brooks