I'm nherdy enough to read alot of this shit but I'd like more recommendations. I like ancient/medieval stuff mostly and for that you can't top Steven Pressfield. He's got Gates of Fire, which is a very realistic retelling of the story of Thermopylae that makes 300 look like absolute horseshit, plus Tides of War about the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, Virtues of War about Alexander the Great, The Afghan Campaign which is a rather brutal and bloody account of a little known guerrilla war that Alexander's troops fought in Afghanistan, and Last of the Amazons which basically takes a little snippet in Plutarch about a long-ago invasion of Athens by the Amazons and fleshes it out into an incredibly engrossing tale about the difference between civilization and savagery. The thing I like is his absolutely amazing attention to detail and his use of guys like Herodotus and Thucydides, but his ability to fill in the gaps with his own ideas is incredible. For instance, in Last of the Amazons he studied the Sioux Indians and other Great Plains tribes in order to help him develop a realistic description of horse-based cultures. There's not one I wouldn't recommend, but Gates is definitely the must-read of the group.
Bernard Conwell has some awesome medieval stuff. He's most famous for the Sharpe's books about the Napoleonic War but I've read some of his books about Arthurian Britain and just read Agincourt and enjoyed them more.
Michael Shaara's Killer Angels is obviously the gold standard for American military historical fiction, but his son Jeff's stuff is mostly dry and really just a poor imitation of his dad.
Anyone read those or have any good recommendations?
Related:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/disunion/
What SKO said. Also...
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
For World War II, I really liked The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, even if they were about a bunch of Navy phags.
For 19th Century navy phaggery, the Aubrey–Maturin series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey%E2%80%93Maturin_series) is excellent. It mostly deals with the Napoleonic wars, but it also includes stuff about the Brits getting their asses handed to them by Old Ironsides (U-S-A! U-S-A!).
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no
Johnny Got His Gun?
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
Quote from: Oleg on November 01, 2010, 10:11:49 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
I would agree if I weren't too busy rocking out to one of the most kickass guitar solos of all time.
Quote from: Oleg on November 01, 2010, 10:11:49 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
"I'm a creep. I'm a weirdo..."
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 10:34:57 PM
Quote from: Oleg on November 01, 2010, 10:11:49 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
"I'm a creep. I'm a weirdo..."
Heh.
Quote from: Oleg on November 01, 2010, 10:11:49 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
At first I hated Load but then I was like hey this is pretty good. Then I hated Reload instead. But then I was like hey there are a couple of decent songs on here. But after that? Blurgh.
Quote from: Slaky on November 02, 2010, 08:54:11 AM
Quote from: Oleg on November 01, 2010, 10:11:49 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:50:38 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:49:07 PM
Quote from: SKO on November 01, 2010, 09:45:26 PM
Quote from: Bort on November 01, 2010, 09:44:38 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
What, no Johnny Got His Gun?
That's not so much historical fiction in my mind as a philosophical discussion with a thin veneer of history.
That and a totally wicked Metallica video...
Amen. Darkness, imprisoning me, all that I see, absolute horror.
Fucking sellouts.
At first I hated Load but then I was like hey this is pretty good. Then I hated Reload instead. But then I was like hey there are a couple of decent songs on here. But after that? Blurgh.
(http://i.imgur.com/5KCt4.jpg)
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
For World War II, I really liked The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, even if they were about a bunch of Navy phags.
All's quiet on the Western Front is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my list of "should read's".
And I actually was coming here to inquire about War and Remembrance.
Quote from: Yeti on November 02, 2010, 07:54:33 PM
All's quiet on the Western Front is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my list of "should read's".
[/quote]
Lewis Milestone's 1930 version? Brilliant.
There's one coming out in 2012 with Daniel Radcliffe. It has a lot to live up to.
Quote from: Fork on November 03, 2010, 11:50:05 AM
Quote from: Yeti on November 02, 2010, 07:54:33 PM
All's quiet on the Western Front is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my list of "should read's".
Lewis Milestone's 1930 version? Brilliant.
There's one coming out in 2012 with Daniel Radcliffe. It has a lot to live up to.
[/quote]
Radcliffe as Paul Baumer? Fuck that. The original is one of Hollywood's greatest films. Ever. The fact that film was one of the first movies with sound ever made is astounding, because the quality is better than movies made 30 or 40 years after that. Lew Ayres is brilliant in that movie. Brilliant. But yes, Yeti. Read the god damn book.
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
What SKO said. Also...
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
For World War II, I really liked The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, even if they were about a bunch of Navy phags.
For 19th Century navy phaggery, the Aubrey–Maturin series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey%E2%80%93Maturin_series) is excellent. It mostly deals with the Napoleonic wars, but it also includes stuff about the Brits getting their asses handed to them by Old Ironsides (U-S-A! U-S-A!).
I couldn't agree more. I spent a year reading through tthe Aubrey Maturin books and then went back and started over. I also agree with the Winds of War, which is not quite as good as War and Rememberance. If you like that Holocaust stuff read John Hersey's The Wall, about the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto. Schindler's list is kind of fictional non-fiction.
Quote from: CBStew on November 03, 2010, 08:21:03 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
What SKO said. Also...
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
For World War II, I really liked The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, even if they were about a bunch of Navy phags.
For 19th Century navy phaggery, the Aubrey–Maturin series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey%E2%80%93Maturin_series) is excellent. It mostly deals with the Napoleonic wars, but it also includes stuff about the Brits getting their asses handed to them by Old Ironsides (U-S-A! U-S-A!).
I couldn't agree more. I spent a year reading through tthe Aubrey Maturin books and then went back and started over. I also agree with the Winds of War, which is not quite as good as War and Rememberance. If you like that Holocaust stuff read John Hersey's The Wall, about the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto. Schindler's list is kind of fictional non-fiction.
I read
Mila 18 like ten years ago and really liked it. I'll have to pick up
The Wall.
I just read this thread and I still don't get something. How can it be historical and fiction? Are you guys saying the past never happened? Because you might be right. How do we really know? You know? Good stuff. I won't read any of those books, though. It's quite possible I lived right through it.
Quote from: Fork on November 03, 2010, 11:50:05 AM
Quote from: Yeti on November 02, 2010, 07:54:33 PM
All's quiet on the Western Front is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my list of "should read's".
Lewis Milestone's 1930 version? Brilliant.
There's one coming out in 2012 with Daniel Radcliffe. It has a lot to live up to is a racing certainty to be irredeemably shit.
Quotes, and text fixed.
Quote from: Tonker on November 07, 2010, 03:19:56 AM
Quote from: Fork on November 03, 2010, 11:50:05 AM
Quote from: Yeti on November 02, 2010, 07:54:33 PM
All's quiet on the Western Front is one of my favorite movies. It's been on my list of "should read's".
Lewis Milestone's 1930 version? Brilliant.
There's one coming out in 2012 with Daniel Radcliffe. It has a lot to live up to is a racing certainty to be irredeemably shit.
Quotes, and text fixed.
Sending the correction work offshore works for us.
Quote from: CBStew on November 03, 2010, 08:21:03 PM
Quote from: Tinker to Evers to Chance on November 01, 2010, 08:33:52 PM
What SKO said. Also...
World War I, the list begins and ends with All Quiet on the Western Front.
For World War II, I really liked The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, even if they were about a bunch of Navy phags.
For 19th Century navy phaggery, the Aubrey–Maturin series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey%E2%80%93Maturin_series) is excellent. It mostly deals with the Napoleonic wars, but it also includes stuff about the Brits getting their asses handed to them by Old Ironsides (U-S-A! U-S-A!).
I couldn't agree more. I spent a year reading through tthe Aubrey Maturin books and then went back and started over. I also agree with the Winds of War, which is not quite as good as War and Rememberance. If you like that Holocaust stuff read John Hersey's The Wall, about the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto. Schindler's list is kind of fictional non-fiction.
I'm in the process of reading the Aubrey Maturin series right now. I started this summer and am currently on volume 9 of 21.
At first the period style of dialog takes some getting used to but flows rather easily and becomes one of the more enjoyable qualities after a few chapters.
The nautical terminology takes quite a bit more effort to understand and sort through but there are plenty of sources available as guidebooks or online to help with translation.
Start with something like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_tactics_in_the_Age_of_Sail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_tactics_in_the_Age_of_Sail) and this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail-plan#Types_of_ships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail-plan#Types_of_ships).
I have done a small amount of sailing over the years and even that limited experience helps to understand basic concepts.
I also found it helpful to have an atlas nearby to get a better sense of the routes being taken.
Obviously this may be more of an undertaking than you wish and the books can be enjoyed without the extra effort at research as the story lines are more than just about sailing.
So how do I like them?
Did I mention that I am on volume 9 of 21?
If you have any interest in The Napoleonic Wars, The War of 1812 or the Age of Sail you won't be disappointed.
flannj Seal of Approval.
They probably don't qualify as historical fiction, but I don't feel like starting a new thread. Anyhow, Pillars of the Earth and (so far) World Without End by Ken Follett are both excellent. The Pillars mini-series was meh, but Swearingen was in it.
Quote from: Kermit IV on January 11, 2011, 01:49:39 PM
They probably don't qualify as historical fiction, but I don't feel like starting a new thread. Anyhow, Pillars of the Earth and (so far) World Without End by Ken Follett are both excellent. The Pillars mini-series was meh, but Swearingen was in it.
I concur. Pillars of the Earth was an excellent read, if not entirely historical, as you say.
New to me:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DrunkHistory
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on March 29, 2011, 12:59:33 PM
New to me:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DrunkHistory
I should have posted those awhile back. The Burr-Hamilton duel is outstanding.