Why like historical fiction??

[Eric McClean]

Sorry buddy! But I don’t believe in fiction.

[jemado]

Thanks for the recommendation of "The Worst Hard Times". I'll have to check that one out. It's tough sometimes to find American history books that are actually interesting. A lot of them end up sounding the same. "Blah blah George Washington blah blah blah".

Did you like "Silent Star Colleen Moore Talks About Her Hollywood"? That seems like the type of book I'd enjoy.

[guytwo]

I did like the Colleen Moore book but it's out of print and I had to buy a used one. The Clara Bow book is extremely interesting, she was a very talented woman who was emotionally and financially abused by everyone. Yet she was a down-to-earth person and helped so may others, she related.

I get it about the "George Washington blah blah" thing. That's why kids don't like history, it can be made so boring - or not - but usually is boring in school.

Edits: There's a reason I wanted to read Moore's book first and then Clara Bow's and then Brooks book. It's on a page about in the middle of the Flapper book that talks about their fan base and the type of actors they were. If I hadn't loaned my copy to a friend of my mom's I'd tell you exactly which page.

Also:

Sorry buddy! But I don’t believe in fiction.

I hear ya' buddy and except for the occasional science fiction I don't either!

[imstilljoeypotter]

Pish tosh! There's nothing you guys can say that will make Phillipa Gregory any less awesome to me.

[guytwo]

Wow, according Wikipedia Philippa Gregory has a doctorate in 18th-century literature. I'm sure her books are wonderful, but not for me. Thanks for the knowledge anyway.

[DreamSE22]

My favorite historical fiction works are about the Tudor monarchy. I recently read Kleopatra by Karen Essex and it was very well written!

[guytwo]

Apparently a lot of historical fiction fans out there but I still don't get the appeal of fiction. Especially historical fiction.

[jemado]

CowBell I bet you would like this book; "Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern" by Joshua Zeitz

An easy read and very entertaining, great grandma was a wild child! The sexual revolution didn't start in the 1960's, it started in the 1920's.

Edit: Because this nonfiction book mentioned F.Scott Fitzgerald so much as the leader of the "Flapper Pack" I got 2 of his fiction books and didn't much like either one.

Just wanted to say that I'm currently reading "Flapper" and I think it's really great. I like how he ties in individual experiences with the greater emerging trend.

That's too bad that you didn't like Fitzgerald's writing. "The Great Gatsby" is one of my favorite books, and his short stories are really good too (Though I still find it interesting that he made most of his money from the short stories and not the novels). But again, if you're not really into fiction I can see why you wouldn't really be into it.

[guytwo]

Jemado I'm Glad to know that someone else is also enjoying the Flapper book.

I might add that I, also, am starting to really appreciate the Roaring '20's. It's a very interesting time.

EDIT: This is my next book, probably start in a week or so.
The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum and then maybe this one published in 1931.
Only Yesterday by Frederick L. Allen

[Fran]

My favorite historical fiction works are about the Tudor monarchy. I recently read Kleopatra by Karen Essex and it was very well written!

Have you read any of C J Sansom ... Dissolution, Dark Fire & Revelation
are all set in Tudor/Cromwellian England. I think he does a superb job in depicting the London of the period and especially the lives of people further down the social scale while also including a lot of the intrigue and duplicity of court life.
If you decide to try any of his books I'd love to hear your opinions.
Happy Reading!

[readingaddict]

I'm a university history student and I love historical fiction.
There are two main reasons I love it
1) A historical backdrop gives you the sense that the character your reading about is real, and even though everything they do or say is fiction you can really connect with them. This could just be because I'm a history student but it is one of the things that attracts me to historical fiction.

2) It's like looking through a window. A way of time travelling without all the science. Corny I know, but come on, how many of us would jump back in time if we could! And a fictional character just makes the view that you get of that world even bigger as the author can take them anywhere and to meet anyone.

Sure, so the authors don't always have all the facts straight and sometimes really push the bounds of believability but it's a great genre, Philippa Gregory being my favourite historical-fiction author.

Besides, I don't get why anyone would like science-fiction! I suppose it's each to their own!

[guytwo]

My fellow reader; you can get all that pleasure in nonfiction, no need to read pretend (fictional) history.

The real stuff is very interesting. Honest, for example:

I'm reading a book about the inventor Nikola Tesla, did you know that he worked for Thomas Edison and that Edison twice cheated Tesla out of money owed him?

Edison disliked the competition from Tesla's AC (Alternating Current) so he tried to discourage the public from using AC by hiring kids to steal dogs and cats so Edison could then electrocute them in public demonstrations. Also Edison's personal hygiene left a lot to be desired, even for those days.

Tesla's dad was a preacher and wanted Tesla to be one also.

[jemado]

My fellow reader; you can get all that pleasure in nonfiction, no need to read pretend (fictional) history.

The real stuff is very interesting. Honest, for example:

I'm reading a book about the inventor Nikola Tesla, did you know that he worked for Thomas Edison and that Edison twice cheated Tesla out of money owed him?

Edison disliked the competition from Tesla's AC (Alternating Current) so he tried to discourage the public from using AC by hiring kids to steal dogs and cats so Edison could then electrocute them in public demonstrations. Also Edison's personal hygiene left a lot to be desired, even for those days.

Tesla's dad was a preacher and wanted Tesla to be one also.

Although I totally agree that nonfiction can be really interesting, I have to step up and defend my fellow historical fiction fan.

True, you can get some really great stories from nonfiction (proof that sometimes fact is stranger than fiction) I think part of the draw of fiction is the way in which it's written. In nonfiction books, you don't get descriptive passages that really let you understand the setting or emotions. Whereas a nonfiction book might just say "he was likely saddened by this event" a fiction book will go into more detail and actually make the reader sympathize with the character. Plus, although I really love reading history books, I can also say that I've read plenty that have been poorly written. They can be dry and really dull if not written well, and sometimes written as a work of fiction can make it more interesting.

Don't get me wrong, I love fiction and nonfiction alike, but I can definitely see why people might prefer one over the other. Nonfiction offers the facts, real life, which makes it more interesting. However, fiction, especially historical fiction, can give you some facts in a way that is sometimes more enjoyable to read and can appeal to a larger audience.

Ok, thus ends my mini-rant

[guytwo]

OK, that was a great rant!

[yamileth]

I actually enjoy a lot of historical fiction; my favorites are the books that delve into a period of history or a historical figure's life from unexpected viewpoints. Obviously I don't take it as gospel or truly educational, but I liked books such as The Other Boleyn Girl and Signorina da Vinci. You don't normally get those perspectives from history books.