Top Ten Tuesday (49)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Historical Fiction Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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Guys, I have to tell you: I didn’t make this one easy for myself. I LOVE historical fiction, but it’s been awhile since I’ve read that genre as feverishly as I used to, much to my everlasting disappointment. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t still have my favorite historical fiction authors who are pretty legit. A mix of YA and adult coming atcha! (I’m trying to keep the historical romances off because that’s a whole other list, friends. Next time!) I know I’m missing some, guys, but there’s lots of books I haven’t read yet!

Margaret George

For serious, if you love historical fiction and don’t mind reading a book that can also double as a 5-lb. weight, READ MARGARET GEORGE. READ HER NOW. She writes complete, well-researched, absorbing historical fictions of everyone ranging from Mary Magdalene to Henry VIII to Helen of Troy to my personal favorite, Cleopatra. I can’t even tell you how awesome THE MEMOIRS OF CLEOPATRA is.

Diana Gabaldon

I know, I know, this one has some time travel in it and some pretty sexxxy scenes, too, but the historical fiction aspects are pretty legit. Lots of great history about Scotland and the clans, and eventually a great look at the pre-Revolutionary American South. And, ahem, the gingers. The hot, Scottish gingers. Those too.

Philippa Gregory

Friends, the court of Henry VIII and other assorted Tudors were SCANDALOUS places. Philippa writes some good, trashy historical fiction, friends, and you should give her stuff a shot. THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL is waaaaaay better as a book than the movie was.

Laurie Halse Anderson

I know lots of people know Laurie Halse Anderson as the author of SPEAK, a decidedly contemporary YA story. But her historical fiction series, Seeds of America (it begins with CHAINS), is pretty legit for a few reasons: One, Revolutionary America. Instant winner in my book. But two, it’s a pretty excellent series that examines the history of America through the eyes of a slave who becomes a spy for the Patriots.

Donna Jo Napoli

I’ve only read a few of Donna Jo Napoli’s historical fictions, but they’ve all been good. I especially enjoyed THE SMILE, about the Mona Lisa. Her books run the gamut of history, and I can appreciate the variety and the way she works in issues without being heavy-handed.

Ann Rinaldi

Another YA historical fiction author whose books are all over the time map. I read a few Ann Rinaldi books when I was growing up, and I remember loving them lots. I will say that I’m not so sure her older books stand the test of time particularly well, but she’s classic. I remember especially loving IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE, about a girl growing up during the Civil War.

Avi

Avi! Hilariously, I don’t recall reading any Avi when I was younger, but I have read a few of his books now that I’m grown. Not all of his books are historical fictions, but THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE is pretty awesome because it’s got PIRATES. A girl who becomes a PIRATE. I mean, honestly.

Deanna Raybourn

A little historical mystery for you, friends! Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series is basically AWESOME. Julia Grey is amazing: smart, snarky, clever, and I love reading about her huge, hilarious family. Julia and her hubs, Nicholas Brisbane, solve mysteries in Victorian England, and they basically rock my socks.

Anna Godbersen

So I haven’t been such a huge fan of her series set in the 1920s, but I pretty much devoured her series set in late 19th-century New York, with all its drama and forbidden love and murder and CRAZY BIZ. The Luxe series is basically trashy YA historical fiction and we all know how I feel about trashy!

Elizabeth Peters

YO, Amelia Peabody is LEGIT. So, Elizabeth Peters writes (wrote? Not sure if she herself still writes these books, considering that there’s over 20 of them now) the Amelia Peabody series about a young woman at the turn of the 20th century who is unmarried and for all intents and purposes, a spinster. She wants nothing more than to go to Egypt and work at the pyramids because, as you find out right off, Amelia is a very progressive thinker. Each book takes place during one dig season in Egypt and centers on some mystery/murder that Amelia and her family figure out. Because, obviously, she’s also BRILLIANT. This is a seriously great series, especially if you love the Egyptology.