11/22/63 by Stephen King. “I kept hearing that this book was about traveling back in time to save President Kennedy - and that definitely was the driving force of the narrative - but I actually enjoyed all the other plot lines so much more! At one point in the middle of the book I just wanted to say ‘Forget Kennedy! The world will be fine. Let's just get back to the high school and Sadie!! Put on another show! Dancing is life!’ I didn't care that Oswald met with other Russian immigrants or even that he beat his wife one minute and charmed her the next. But I realize that all of these little pieces are what make the whole so much more fulfilling. George experiences little harmonies - residue of his time travel that keep raising flags. We really need to experience all of these events with him to understand and appreciate the final outcome. By the end of the book I felt like I knew these people, this town - I wanted them as friends and neighbors. It takes 700+ pages to bring so much to life so clearly and it was worth the investment to read every page.”

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini No surprise here, I guess. Here are your reviews: "Follow-up to The Kite Runner. Challenging life of women in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule." … "I am enjoying it, though it's depressing! I preferred Kite Runner I think but am only half way through and it's picking up... it's a good read if you are interested in the plight of women in Afghanistan...not light summer reading!" … "I started reading this one, and it's a page- turner. It' got a historic backdrop of some 30 years of Afghanistan turmoil." … "Unbelievably sad yet uplifting, this story centers on two women in modern Afghanistan and the men who love or abuse them. Not for the faint of heart -- I cried like a baby."

The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields. “Historical fiction about Edith Wharton's affair at age forty-five with a young journalist.  A dual narrative story from the perspectives of Edith and her governess-turned-secretary, Anna Bahlmann. The narrative, which covers the years 1907-1910 (though with frequent flash-backs to earlier periods), takes the reader to Paris, England and Mrs. Wharton's beautiful estate in Lenox, Massachusetts.  I enjoyed the glimpses of the exalted literary circle in which Wharton ran (Henry James, a good friend, makes frequent appearances).  The novel also lifted the veil on her unfortunate marriage to Teddy Wharton.  His vulnerability and deteriorating mental condition were poignant, and the portrayal of her reaction to them was candid and real.  Ms. Bahlmann, who was not mentioned in Wharton's autobiography, was clearly a critical figure in her life, someone who mitigated the pain caused by Wharton's cold, indifferent mother. It's very beachy historical fiction. Vivid details provide backdrop and context, but the reader doesn't feel obliged to take notes and prepare for an examination.  (And the descriptions of Wharton's torrid affair put it on the "Other Boleyn Girl" side of the historical fiction spectrum.)”

All That Isby James Salter. From Amazon: “From his experiences as a young naval officer in battles off Okinawa, Philip Bowman returns to America and finds a position as a book editor. It is a time when publishing is still largely a private affair—a scattered family of small houses here and in Europe—a time of gatherings in fabled apartments and conversations that continue long into the night. In this world of dinners, deals, and literary careers, Bowman finds that he fits in perfectly. But despite his success, what eludes him is love. His first marriage goes bad, another fails to happen, and finally he meets a woman who enthralls him—before setting him on a course he could never have imagined for himself.”

All the King’s Menby Robert Penn Warren. “An American classic. Just so, so good. Originally published in 1946, it won the Pulitzer Prize the following year and remains one of the best novels about politics ever written. It's the story of Willie Stark, a character loosely based on Louisiana Governor Huey Long. All The King's Men is set in swampy Louisiana back in the 1930s, but the dirty politics and back-room scheming will ring true to anybody who follows the ways of Washington in the 21st century.”

Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams. "I've loved all of Beatriz Williams books; they have the same cast of characters floating in and out of all of them, but I can never remember any of the back stories and they are not necessary to enjoy each book on its own.  This novel centers on a troubled woman who buys an old Mercedes and becomes involved with the old woman who had previously owned it.  The story goes back and forth between present day and the woman's past during WWII with a Nazi husband and a Jewish lover.  Lots of twists and turns to the story - a fun, quick read."

America’s First Daughter, by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.  "Excellent! It’s historical fiction, written from the POV of Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, Martha 'Patsy' Jefferson Randall. It begins with the family’s flight from the British after Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence and ends a few years after his death, when Patsy assumed the duties of first lady to bachelor Andrew Jackson.  Filled with family drama, politics (of both the American and French Revolutions), romance and LOTS of kids (scary to think of life before birth control!), it also provides wonderful insight into Jefferson, the man, champion for liberty and the slaveholder.  (Sally Hemmings is featured throughout the book, although the authors acknowledge literary license was employed to link together well-hidden facts.)  Both fascinating and charming – I highly recommend!"

At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier. “A gripping account of a what life was like for early Americans who had to literally saw down and enormous trees and dig out the trunks to be able to plant food to eat.  Tough life but the son, Robert Goodenough (like the name?) makes it out of the Ohio swamp and all the way across the country.  His journey shows what grit and determination can do for you.  And in the process of reading this very enjoyable book, you learn so much about trees and nature and the life of American pioneers.”

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen. "A woman and her disgraced high-society husband leave the US, along with his best friend, during WWII to search for the Loch Ness monster. The trio is ill-equipped to deal with the deprivations of wartime Scotland.  The woman ends up befriending the house maids and falling in love with the inn-keeper, while her husband and his friend make fools of themselves and enemies of those around them."

Awayby Amy Bloom. From Amazon: “The epic and intimate story of young Lillian Leyb, a dangerous innocent, an accidental heroine. When her family is destroyed in a Russian pogrom, Lillian comes to America alone, determined to make her way in a new land. When word comes that her daughter, Sophie, might still be alive, Lillian embarks on an odyssey that takes her from the world of the Yiddish theater on New York’s Lower East Side, to Seattle’s Jazz District, and up to Alaska, along the fabled Telegraph Trail toward Siberia. All of the qualities readers love in Amy Bloom’s work–her humor and wit, her elegant and irreverent language, her unflinching understanding of passion and the human heart–come together in the embrace of this brilliant novel, which is at once heartbreaking, romantic, and completely unforgettable.”

Beneath the Marble Sky by John Shors. "a love story of the building of the Taj Mahal.....most excellent read."

Blood and Beauty: The Borgias by Sarah Dunant.  “Despite the frothy title, this is actually a beautifully written and researched novel of the notorious Borgia family in 15th century Rome. The characters are so vividly sketched that it reminded me of of Hilary Mantel's Cromwell trilogy ("Wolf Hall," etc.) Definitely superior to Dunant's earlier novels set in Florence. And the best news:  Dunant says a sequel is coming soon.”

The Bloodletter's Daughter by Linda Lafferty - This is a historical fiction novel set in the 1600's in Austria that was inspired by a real-life murder that threatened to end the Hapsburg Dynasty. It follows King Rudolf's illegitimate son, Don Julius and his descent into madness and obsession with the daughter of the town barber/bloodletter. This book utterly fascinated me. It is dark, definitely depraved at times, but not without hope and redemption.

Brooklynby Coim Toibin.  This was on the 2012 New Fiction list. It was bumped up this year on the strength of additional enthusiastic reviews.  Eilis Lacey grew up in a small town in Ireland after World War II.  When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor her in America, she decides she must go, leaving behind her fragile mother and vivacious sister.  “I loved the tone and the voice of the narrator, the way the story was sparsely told and yet so full of life.  Toibin shows us so much about the time and experience of Irish immigrants in the years after World War II without telling us explicitly."  (Great interview with author here: BBC)

The Chaperoneby Laura Moriarty. “A fast beach read with a vivid 1920's backdrop, this is the story of Louise Brooks (who became a famous silent film star) and the chaperone accompanying her to NY where she will attend dance school. To borrow from Wicked lyrics, both women are not sure they were changed for the better, but because they knew each other they were changed for good...”

Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan. “The book itself ticks so many of my boxes - WW2, set at the homefront in England, epistolary format. Now do each character in a different narrator's voice and add snippets of choral music to the scenes where the ladies are singing together and it really makes the whole experience a complete delight.”

Circling the Sun by Paula McClain – coming this July.  Early reviews on Goodreads are very positive about this book by the author of The Paris Wife.  “Paula McLain, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Paris Wife, takes readers into the glamorous and decadent circle of British expats living in Kenya in the 1920s. Circling the Sun tells the story of the beautiful young horse trainer, adventurer, and aviator Beryl Markham, from her childhood in British East Africa to her relationship with hunter Denys Finch Hatton and rivalry with Out of Africa author Karen Blixen—a notorious love triangle that changed the course of Beryl’s life.”

Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams. An American nurse and a British soldier fall in love in France during WWI.  Upon their return to England, however, the charming soldier appears to be a master manipulator.  She flees to the States but remains trapped by his manipulations. What is real and whom can she trust? Many twists and turns make this a fun read to the end.

The Commonerby John Burnham Schwartz. “Interesting fictional account of the life of Empress Michiko. I love this type of story, romance, contemporary and historical fiction of a fascinating culture all in one. Well written too!”

The Death of the Heart and The House in Paris. By Elizabeth Bowen. “Re-reviewed in the Post as must-reads & look delicious (in the Somerset Maugham-kind of tradition I think).”

The Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell. “…Really great history of Shanghai and redemptive father-daughter story.”

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. "For those who like romantic Austen-esque novels set in the early 19th century, this is a charming alternative to the trashy ones that dominate the genre. A young woman, bored and trying to avoid an unwanted suitor in Bath, England, joins her social climbing twin sister at a house party in the English countryside. Shenanigans and romance ensue. Fluff, but much better written and not as pornographic than the usual fare."

The Edge of Eternity Trilogy: Fall of Giants (1), Winter of the World (2), Edge of Eternity (3)  by Ken Follett. “ Starting in the run-up to World War I and concluding in modern day, this trilogy examines the forces that shaped the last century. The characters are well-conceived and the strong pace continues through all of the books. My main complaint is that characters who led the first book were marginalized in the second, and this was repeated in the third. I cared about those people! And I would have appreciated more depth of understanding as they approached the end of their lives. Other than that, a good, historical read.”

The Eight by Katherine Neville. Written in 1997, “an intense thriller that is steeped in history. The story revolves around a chess set with magical powers that is sought after across the ages. Highly complex and quick-pace at the same time.”

Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir. “France, England. Good old raucous Royals.  Ok, I love good romps of royals in historical fiction and normally love Alison Weir's books. This one didn't do it for me (too dry), but big Alison Weir fans may really love it. It got very good reviews.” (This reader preferred The Children of Henry VIII by Weir, saying it was “wildly more interesting and entertaining.”)

English Passengersby Matthew Kneale. I LOVED this book!  Description:  "In 1857 when Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley and his band of rum smugglers from the Isle of Man have most of their contraband confiscated by British Customs, they are forced to put their ship up for charter. The only takers are two eccentric Englishmen who want to embark for the other side of the globe. The Reverend Geoffrey Wilson believes the Garden of Eden was on the island of Tasmania. His traveling partner, Dr. Thomas Potter, unbeknownst to Wilson, is developing a sinister thesis about the races of men...Meanwhile, an aboriginal in Tasmania named Peevay recounts his people’s struggles against the invading British, a story that begins in 1824, moves into the present with approach of the English passengers in 1857, and extends into the future in 1870. These characters and many others come together in a storm of voices that vividly bring a past age to life."

Flashman by George Macdonald Fraser (and others in the Flashman series). These are guy books. Drew has really enjoyed them. They are “satirical histiography” about this a rascal -- Harry Flashman – who finds himself amid great events of the 19th century, while being chased by jealous husbands and getting (and accepting) credit for courage that he didn’t actually possess.

The Garden of Evening Mistsby Tan Twan Eng. "On a mountain above the clouds once lived a man who had been the gardener of the Emperor of Japan.... Eng's writing is poetic at times and full of beautiful imagery. The Malaysian settings of the Japanese garden and the tea estate are fully drawn and for the past few days my head has been filled with visions of lush jungle and a formal structured garden of rock and foreign plants - contrasting images that parallel life in a country controlled by outsiders, first by the British and then the invading Japanese during the war. Teoh Yun Ling is a retired judge who returns to the Cameron Highlands with aphasia - she will slowly forget how to speak and write and understand language. As a result, she starts to document her past and her story is told through her writing interspersed with episodes in the present day. The story unfolds slowly and while the book is character driven, the plot is generally compelling."

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.  This isn’t exactly a revelation.  Amor Towles’ Rules of Civility was a previous top pick, and this book was much-anticipated and was an immediate hit.  But I can’t not include it as a top pick, because it just IS a top pick. The story follows an aristocrat who is sentenced to house arrest in a luxury hotel in Moscow during the Russian Revolution and stays there for decades.  "The book is a lot more fun than it sounds.  Well written and the narrator is quite an engaging character.  There are some implausible plot twists but otherwise a very good book."  “Loved it.  What a wonderful character.  So much to chew on and think about, but also just a rollicking good story.”  “Loved it. My whole book club loved it.”

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.  From Amazon:  "The narrator, John Ames, is 76, a preacher who has lived almost all of his life in Gilead, Iowa. He is writing a letter to his almost seven-year-old son, the blessing of his second marriage. It is a summing-up, an apologia, a consideration of his life.  Robinson takes the story away from being simply the reminiscences of one man and moves it into the realm of a meditation on fathers and children, particularly sons, on faith, and on the imperfectability of man." Won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.  The novel was inspired by the Vermeer painting of the same name.  (The author had a poster of the painting - it moved wherever she did for 16 years.  She said she was fascinated by the ambiguous expression on the model's face).  Sixteen-year-old Griet lives with her family in Delft.  Her family has fallen on hard times and sixteen-year-old Griet is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Johannes Vermeer. The novel was a runaway bestseller in 1999.  They made a movie out of it with Colin Firth and Scarlett Johanssen.

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride.  “A real winner.  It’s an historical fiction take on John Brown and the raid of Harper's Ferry.  It is funny, interesting and well written.”

The History of Love  by Nicole Krauss.  From Amazon:  "A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother’s loneliness.  Leo Gursky taps his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbor know he’s still alive. But it wasn’t always like this: in the Polish village of his youth, he fell in love and wrote a book. . . . Sixty years later and half a world away, fourteen-year-old Alma, who was named after a character in that book, undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family. With virtuosic skill and soaring imaginative power, Nicole Krauss gradually draws these stories together toward a climax of “extraordinary depth and beauty” (Newsday).

History of a Pleasure Seeker by Richard Mason.  “Set in the early 20th century Holland, this novel follows the upwardly mobile Piet Barols who is hired as a tutor in a fabulously wealthy household.  Piet moves easily between the upstairs and downstairs, charming his way into good fortune and insinuating himself into the lives of the rich around him.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, by Julia Alvarez. From Amazon: "The Garcías —Dr. Carlos (Papi), his wife Laura (Mami), and their four daughters, Carla, Sandra, Yolanda, and Sofía—belong to the uppermost echelon of Spanish Caribbean society, descended from the conquistadores. Their family compound adjoins the palacio of the dictator’s daughter. So when Dr. García’s part in a coup attempt is discovered, the family must flee. They arrive in New York City in 1960 to a life far removed from their existence in the Dominican Republic. Papi has to find new patients in the Bronx. Mami, far from the compound and the family retainers, must find herself. Meanwhile, the girls try to lose themselves—by forgetting their Spanish, by straightening their hair and wearing fringed bell bottoms. For them, it is at once liberating and excruciating being caught between the old world and the new, trying to live up to their father’s version of honor while accommodating the expectations of their American boyfriends. Acclaimed writer Julia Alvarez’s brilliant and buoyant first novel sets the García girls free to tell their most intimate stories about how they came to be at home—and not at home—in America."

I am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith.  “The story of Livia Drusilla, second wife of Cesar Octavianus, from when she was 14 until Cesar Octavianus returns from his victory over Egypt. Told by Livia in a fairly contemporary voice yet historically accurately.  It is a love story and a story of power, ambition, and intellectual curiosity, set in the aristocracy of the Roman Empire. An easy read, yet fascinating because of the historic importance.  Perfect for the beach

In Sunlight, in a Beautiful Garden: A Novel by Kathleen Cambor. From Amazon:  “In Sunlight, in a Beautiful Garden is the story of a bittersweet romance set against the backdrop of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, flood -- a tragedy that cost some 2,200 lives when the South Fork Dam burst on Memorial Day weekend, 1889. The dam was the site of a gentlemen's club that attracted some of the wealthiest industrialists of the day -- Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Mellon, and Andrew Carnegie -- and served as a summertime idyll for the families of the rich. In Sunlight, in a Beautiful Garden imagines the lives that were lived, lost, and irreparably changed by a tragedy that could have been averted.”

An Instance of the Fingerpostby Iain Pears. “If one gets into historical mysteries, this is an all-time winner.” From Amazon (quoting People):  "It is 1663, and England is wracked with intrigue and civil strife. When an Oxford don is murdered, it seems at first that the incident can have nothing to do with great matters of church and state....Yet, little is as it seems in this gripping novel, which dramatizes the ways in which witnesses can see the same events yet remember them falsely. Each of four narrators—a Venetian medical student, a young man intent on proving his late father innocent of treason, a cryptographer, and an archivist—fingers a different culprit...an erudite and entertaining tour de force."

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd  “Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.”  “This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women”  “This is a flat-out masterpiece. Kidd has always written beautifully about the power of relationships between women (Secret Life of Bees) and in this book she does so again, set against the realities of slavery in the early 1800s. She focuses on fractious and loving mother-daughter relationships as well as how women grow in wisdom as well as years. The writing is perfect in every respect. This one deserves to become a classic.”

The Jane Austen Society.  "If you like Austen, this is a must-read.  Mostly set prior to and during WWII, the novel is about eight very different people joining together to form the Jane Austen Society, who share the goal of preserving Ms. Austen's last home in the little village of Chawton.  The group includes a doctor widower, a farmhand, a former schoolteacher, an actress, one of Austen's relations and a solicitor. Lots of pride, prejudice, sense and sensibility.  Not the most propulsive, but, like Austen's novels, it builds well to a satisfying conclusion." [editor's note: made this a top pick, as there are indeed a lot of Austen lovers among this list's contributors and followers].

The Kite Runner, by Khalid Hosseini. They recently published a tenth anniversary edition of this novel, which became an instant classic when it was published in 2003.  Powerful, engaging, sad, yet also a page-turner, it tells the story of a friendship between a wealthy Afghan boy and the son of a family servant, set against the ominous backdrop of 1970s Afghanistan.

The Known World By Edward P. Jones. "Pulitzer Prize winning novel about a black slaveowner two decades before the start of the Civil War."

The Last Convertible by Anton Myrer: A wonderful story about five young men who go to Harvard together in the 1940s. It spans many decades, and is a wonderful read. A PERFECT beach book.

The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl "A historical mystery, this is a lovely, exciting read. Charles Dickens has died during the writing of Edwin Drood, leaving the work unfinished. Or did he finish it? You'll see."

The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith. "This was the best novel I read in 2016.  It's a page turner that tells the story of a 1960s forgery by a young art historian in NYC and then transports you to 1600 Holland and the story of the artist whose painting was forged. Both are women and their lives parallel and connect in surprising ways."

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. "A historical novel based on real women during WWII.  An American socialite, a Polish girl in a Nazi-camp, and the Nazi doctor who run experiments.  The writing is excellent, and the story of these 'rabbit girls' of the camp is both horrifying and uplifting".

Lincoln at the Bardo by George Saunders "This is such a different way of story telling (including quotes - real and fictional - about Lincoln and the historical setting). I think going in without a lot of preconceived ideas and just letting the story unfold is the best way to go. The premise is Lincoln visiting his eleven year old son's grave the day of his burial. But really the heart of the book for me was the wide ranging cast of characters who are between the worlds - in the Bardo of the title - and their touching, funny, tragic, and heart breaking stories. I listened to this book on audio which I highly recommend. There are over 160 voices and they all bring these characters to life (so to speak). Many of the characters make fairly brief appearances but they are vivid in my memory.”

Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland. “Another great art-centric period piece by Vreeland.  This one is centers on Lisette, a newly-wed Parisian art gallery worker who moves to the countryside of France to care for her husband's dying grandfather.  He has a beautiful art collection, and teaches Lisette about the artists before he dies.  When WWII breaks out, her husband hide the art so that it won't be stolen by Nazis, but fails to tell Lisette where it is before he goes off to war.  Lisette vows not to return to Paris until she finds all of the missing art, in the process learning about the countryside and the resilience of the people.”

Luncheon of the Boating Partyby Susan Vreeland. "France. Historical novel that chronicles the backdrop to this famous Renoir painting. A fun read for those who liked Girl With A Pearl Earring or Madame X (of the same ilk as this book)." Instantly recognizable, Auguste Renoir’s masterpiece depicts a gathering of his real friends enjoying a summer Sunday on a café terrace along the Seine near Paris. A wealthy painter, an art collector, an Italian journalist, a war hero, a celebrated actress, and Renoir’s future wife, among others, share this moment of la vie moderne, a time when social constraints were loosening and Paris was healing after the Franco-Prussian War.

The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean. "Historical fictiony book about a women sliding into Alzheimers whose most vivid memories are those from her time hunkered down in the Hermitage during the siege of Leningrad during WWII."

The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B by Sandra Gulland.  "This is the first in a series of three historical fiction novels about Josephine Bonaparte. Very interesting, good historical details, lots of fun."  Gulland was on the early side of the historical fiction trend, one that really got rolling with The Other Boleyn Girl a couple of years later.

March By Geraldine Brooks. “Sort of the male version of Little Women and it's not too long."
 

Metropolis by Elizabeth Gaffney: "Historical fiction set in NYC during building of Brooklyn Bridge."  From Amazon: "On a freezing night in the middle of winter, Gaffney’s nameless hero is suddenly awakened by a fire in P. T. Barnum’s stable, where he works and sleeps, and soon finds himself at the center of a citywide arson investigation.  Determined to clear his name and realize the dreams that inspired his hazardous voyage across the Atlantic, he will change his identity many times, find himself mixed up with one of the city’s toughest and most enterprising gangs, and fall in love with a smart, headstrong, and beautiful young woman. Buffeted by the forces of fate, hate, luck, and passion, our hero struggles to build a life–just to stay alive–in a country that at first held so much promise for him." 

Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell.  “Gaslit London is brought to its knees in David Morrell’s brilliant historical thriller.”  A brutal murder that took place in 1811 is being recreated in 1854 London, causing panic.

Museum of Extraordinary Things From Amazon: "Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father’s 'museum,' alongside performers like the Wolfman, the Butterfly Girl, and a one-hundred-year-old turtle. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.

“The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his father’s Lower East Side Orthodox community and his job as a tailor’s apprentice. When Eddie photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman’s disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie... 

"With its colorful crowds of bootleggers, heiresses, thugs, and idealists, New York itself becomes a riveting character as Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a sizzling, tender, and moving story of young love in tumultuous times. The Museum of Extraordinary Things is Alice Hoffman at her most spellbinding."

My Dream of You by Nuala O'Faolain. “This book intertwines the stories of two women, an Irish travel writer living in present-day London, and a British landowner's wife during the 19th century potato famine, who was convicted of committing adultery with an Irish groom. This book has gotten lots of great reviews."

The Nightwatchby Sarah Waters. "This is a mesmerizing story of young people in Britain during the Second World War. Ingeniously told backward, it takes characters where they are and answers the most intriguing of questions: How did they get here? Satisfying to the last line, Nightwatch jolts the reader with domestic front reality and all that women did while men—most of them—were fighting. Waters is known as a lesbian writer, but this does her a great disservice (shame on me for letting the label slip out again). She ranks among the greatest of stylists, and her use of historical detail is beautiful."

Norwegian By Nightby Derek B. Miller.  Evidently this novel has been a big hit in Europe. "I found it a little slow at first, and then I was taken on a great ride.  It is a well written novel that has many aspects to it.  It is hard to put it in one category. It is a thriller.  There is a historical piece, that I really enjoyed.   There is plenty of humor, and yet, it is very touching.  It has been awhile since I read a book that I didn’t want to put down, and didn’t want to end.  All the members of my book group thoroughly enjoyed it." "The protagonist Sheldon Horowitz, is a wise 82-year-old who carries the weight of many losses - his wife, his son (Vietnam), his friends. Then a woman upstairs is murdered in while he is hiding in the closet with the woman's young boy. Afraid the killer and his gang will return for the boy, Sheldon runs off with him, and an adventure ensues, with Sheldon's many memories woven through.  Sheldon's wonderful character emerges throughout the novel. It's just magnificent."

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. “Troubled foster teen Molly, a Penobscot Indian, takes on a 'community service' job of helping 91-year-old widow Vivian Daly clean out her attic. While she initially thinks she and this wealthy widow have nothing in common, the treasures locked away in the attic tell the story of Vivian’s life, from Ireland to New York to the orphan train, a fictional story in this case, but an actual train that carried orphans from East to West for 75 years. A ride on the orphan train was a crapshoot as to whether a child would end up with a good family or as an indentured servant. Vivan was abused by two different families before finding a decent life, one that ultimately was marred by great loss. Molly and Vivian come to be friends and to help support each other, and this is one of those rare books that truly feels like it ends too soon.”

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory.  This is the #1 bestseller that really put Gregory on the map and launched a thousand imitators (not to mention a movie).  Trashy and fun, it is set against the backdrop of the intrigue of the tudor court of Henry VIII.  The Other Boleyn girl is Anne's sister Mary.  Everyone in the court is utterly ruthless, including Anne's own parents.  It's a fascinating page-turner.  some people fussed (as they always do with this genre) about historical accuracy.  She took liberties.  Enjoy the book, soak up the atmosphere, but don't try to cite it in a history paper.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. “Sparse and powerful.” From Amazon:  We were going out stealing horses. That was what he said, standing at the door to the cabin where I was spending the summer with my father. I was fifteen. It was 1948 and one of the first days of July. Trond’s friend Jon often appeared at his doorstep with an adventure in mind for the two of them. But this morning was different. What began as a joy ride on “borrowed” horses ends with Jon falling into a strange trance of grief. Trond soon learns what befell Jon earlier that day—an incident that marks the beginning of a series of vital losses for both boys. Set in the easternmost region of Norway, Out Stealing Horsesbegins with an ending. Sixty-seven-year-old Trond has settled into a rustic cabin in an isolated area to live the rest of his life with a quiet deliberation. A meeting with his only neighbor, however, forces him to reflect on that fateful summer.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. "A sweeping novel of 4 generations of Koreans in Japan during WWII.  It is a story of love, war, and family.  Difficult to sum up, but an interesting read".

The Paris Wife by Paula McClain. I think I might be the only one who has not yet read (and loved) this novel, so this may be a review in service of just me. In fact, it got so many recommendations that I had to winnow down the comments (which I did at random): "A simple, but nicely told story of Hemingway and his first wife during their time in Paris. The story comes across very real the entire time, you feel for Hadley, know that it all will not end well - and so does she pretty much, but totally understand her choices and her acceptance of the consequences. The writing is kind of lyrical.” …. “Interesting from two perspectives: historical and a love story. Liked because Hemingway is such a fascinating person. His huge self-confidence and adventure seeking persona are intriguing.” … “You'll want to reread Moveable Feast when you finish.”

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks: This one also got a few votes. "I just finished this. One of the most interesting, well-written books I've read in a long time. She's a masterful writer and tells a terrific story." And: "I am in the middle of Brook’s latest and am totally captivated. As she has in her other books, the characters are quickly real to you and important. But this one is a mystery, really, about tracing the history of an ancient book. So far I love it, but I have always loved her books!"

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.  At 900 pages, you better be on a long beach vacation.  Many contributors listed it as an all-time favorite.  Others didn't like it.  "I tried so hard to read it, as a guy I was trying to impress said it was his favorite book of all time.  I got horribly bored and gave up on it.  (and on the guy)."  For whatever it's worth, it was popular enough that they made a big, popular miniseries out of it.

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Vanora Bennett. "I am into historical fictions so skip this if you are not, but it is about Sir Thomas Moore and his family and it is very engaging. Decidedly low-brow."

The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan. "The first book in the new series by Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson fame . I've always been fascinated with ancient Egypt, so this one is a great fit." This is technically a children's book.

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway.  From Amazon: “’You are now a member of the Guild. There is no return.’” Two hundred years after he was about to die on a Napoleonic battlefield, Nick Falcott, soldier and aristocrat, wakes up in a hospital bed in modern London. The Guild, an entity that controls time travel, showers him with life's advantages. But Nick yearns for home and for one brown-eyed girl, lost now down the centuries. Then the Guild asks him to break its own rule. It needs Nick to go back to 1815 to fight the Guild’s enemies and to find something called the Talisman.  In 1815, Julia Percy mourns the death of her beloved grandfather, an earl who could play with time. On his deathbed he whispers in her ear: ‘Pretend!’ Pretend what? When Nick returns home as if from the dead, older than he should be and battle scarred, Julia begins to suspect that her very life depends upon the secrets Grandfather never told her. Soon enough Julia and Nick are caught up in an adventure that stretches up and down the river of time. As their knowledge of the Guild and their feelings for each other grow, the fate of the future itself is hanging in the balance.”

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay. Historical fiction about the roundup of thousands of Jewish families in Paris, deported and and ultimately transported to Auschwitz."Easy, interesting read for the beach."  "I read it in a day and understand why it's so popular but suggest reading with managed expectations. It's about a horrifying bit of French history. Sarah's story was poignant, evocative and sad. That said, it is not a very elegantly written book, and I had little sympathy for Julia (doormat!). It also ultimately devolved into a rather silly romance. With all that, I still think it's a good read."

Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation's Treasures from the Nazis by Robert M. Edsel. “From the author of “The Monuments Men” (one of the worst cinematic interpretations of a book ever!), this book follows the same plot, but focuses on the plundering, hiding, seeking and retrieving of famous works in Italy.  Fascinating reading for history and/or art buffs – or just people who like well-written stories of heroism and romance.”

The Second Mrs. Hockaday.  By Susan Rivers.  "A debuty epistolary novel about seventeen-year-old Placida, who meets the much older Gryffth Hockaday, a Major in the Confederate Army, while he's on leave. They marry quickly and he takes her back to his farm.  When he is called back to duty, he leaves Placida in charge of his young son, slaves and the farm.  He returns two years later to find out that Placida stands accused of a terrible crime.  What happened in his absence?  You'll turn the pages to find the answer."

Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. "It’s billed as historical fiction, but I think it would be better categorized as historical romance/farcical caper. I flew right through it and enjoyed it. It’s one a few similar books by this author."

Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams.  Beatriz writes the BEST beach books.  A Hundred Summers was on the list last year, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  This is her latest novel, another romantic, page-turning saga set against vivid historical backdrops.  Secret Life has interwoven narratives – that of young Vivian Schuyler in 1964 Manhattan, and of her aunt, Violet Schuyler Grant in 1914 Berlin - an aunt Vivian never knew she had until she receives a mysterious parcel and begins to unravel a secret family history.

The Secret of Santa Vittoria by Robert Chrichton. From Amazon: “In the last days of World War II, German forces are sent to occupy the Italian hill town, Santa Vittoria, and claim its great treasure: one million bottles of the Santa Vittoria wine that is its lifeblood. The clownish mayor, Bombolini, matches wits with the urbane German captain, Von Prum, as the town unites -- aristocrats and peasants, old enemies and young lovers -- to deceive the Germans and save its wine. Where the wine disappears to is the secret of Santa Vittoria that Robert Crichton brings to life with wit, heart, and suspense in his masterpiece of classic storytelling. First published in 1966, The Secret of Santa Vittoria was on the New York Times bestseller list for 50 weeks -- 18 weeks as #1 -- and became an international bestseller.”

Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes. From Amazon: “1946. World War II has ended and all over the world, young women are beginning to fulfill the promises made to the men they wed in wartime. In Sydney, Australia, four women join 650 other war brides on an extraordinary voyage to England—aboard HMS Victoria, which still carries not just arms and aircraft but a thousand naval officers. Rules are strictly enforced, from the aircraft carrier’s captain down to the lowliest young deckhand. But the men and the brides will find their lives intertwined despite the Navy’s ironclad sanctions. And for Frances Mackenzie, the complicated young woman whose past comes back to haunt her far from home, the journey will change her life in ways she never could have predicted—forever.”

Snow Flower & The Secret Fanby Lisa See. “China. 19thc. Friendship. Historical novel with a bit of suspense. Engrossing read.”

Song Yet Sungby James McBride. "A beautiful writer – also the author of Miracle at St. Anna’s. This book is about the Underground Railroad on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (Harriet Tubman’s route, btw) and tells the story of whites and blacks living there during the 1850’s against the backdrop of the gorgeous forests and waterways that make the area unique. It provides some of the contentious history of slavery in Maryland within an interesting fictional story.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky: Several people mentioned this book to me in person, plus I got the following reviews: "Beautifully written tale about life during WWII. The book is wonderful, but three times as good once you read the appendix." … "Loved this book. Story is so interesting as is the story of the author."

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki  “My favorite book from this year! It's historical fiction meets contemporary and is delightful and thought provoking.  It made me think that we all need a Buddhist nun grandmother in our lives.”  “Some strong themes (terrible bullying, attempted suicide) but my husband and I both liked it very much.”

Tears of Autumn: A Paul Christopher Novel (and other titles) by Charles McCarry.  First published in 1975.  "I am rereading the titles of this author, thankfully back in print. He is a former spook who wrote a series about Paul Christopher, a tactiturn poet/spy. Beautiful writing. McCarry gets the political machinations just right. Tears of Autumn is a plausible explanation of the Kennedy assassination."

Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner. “This came out in 2008 but is very interesting given the current situation in Cuba. It's a fictional story about American businessmen and their families living in Cuba in the '50's and the high lifestyle that they led just before the Castro regime took over.  Told mostly from the children's perspective. A little Mad Men "Cuban Style". Really, really enjoyed this.”

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. “Mitchell can take spit globules, gout, puss, blood letting, beatings, anal exploratories, overall bad hygiene, and organized rape and turn it into poetry. I'll admit that the idea of a historical novel set in a 1799 Dutch trading post off the coast of Japan didn't readily appeal to me. And the dialect of the first section (something like garbled cockney that Mitchell calls ‘bygonese’ in an interview in the back of the book) was a little difficult to process at first. Give it time and let yourself absorb Mitchell's deliberate language and vivid imagery. You are in the hands of a master storyteller. A Thousand Autumns pulls in elements of romance, action, political thriller and high seas adventure. His characters are varied and complex - even minor characters have multi-dimensions that add depth to the story. By the end of the book I was fully invested, cheering and mourning the various outcomes of each character's fate.”

The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan “My favorite beach read from last summer. I loved it. Definitely good to have the family tree to refer to throughout as the characters get plentiful. I’m a huge Rushdie fan and while she is not quite in his league, she has a hint of his lyricism. It’s just a beautiful story of incredible strength and pure sorrow.”

Transatlantic by Colum McCann. "Interwoven stories over generations from Frederick Douglas to George Mitchell's involvement in the Good Friday Peace Accord."

The Transit of Venusby Shirley Hazzard. “You may have read Hazzard’s The Great Fire a few years back, but this 1980 book is even better, richer, more ambitious. It’s the story of two orphaned sisters that spans more than next forty years. Like The Great Fire, it’s a love story at its heart. Read the last chapters carefully to discover how perfectly and intricately plotted the story is. Hazzard’s writing is painterly, incandescent, and her wisdom and knowledge light up every page.”

Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay “A complex fiction set in 6th Century China, this book weaves multiple story lines and numerous characters together fantastically. An assuming young man is gifted 250 very special horses by a neighboring enemy state, which immediately shines a spotlight on him, giving him both great power and great enemies. How he can safely get word of the horses to the emperor and decide how to play within a warring court, determine who are his friends and foes, and the impact that small decisions can make in a larger history play out in the novel.”

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. "Won the Pulitzer, the National Book Award and countless other prizes - and deserves it. Whitehead retells the hero's journey in this book, and the unlikely hero is an escaped slave named Cora. She runs from her abusive master and her broken kinspeople and discovers that the vaunted Underground Railroad is actually a real railroad, built underground by hands unknown. On her journey, she experiences the varied treatment of African Americans - the violence of her home in Georgia and the dark municipal experiments of South Carolina. The lily whitewash of North Carolina. The unmet promise of Indiana. Like Odysseus, she encounters white people who are ogres and white people who are kind, and hears the siren song of black activists and the laments of blacks who have given up to the oppressive system of slavery. The writing is elegaic at times, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez-like at others. It's an important, thoughtful book, and I'm glad I read it." 

The Unlikely Spy and other titles by Dan Silva. “These are great beach reads if you like fast-paced, historical mysteries. My husband and I both read them – but honestly we’ve read them a few times and are always surprised (again) by the ending. They don’t stick, but they are good.”

An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine. “A book lover's book! This is about a reclusive woman in Beirut who translates her favorite books into Arabic. It provides wonderful musings on literature and the time period gives us a great historical look at the Lebanese Civil war. Excellent book club book but I read it at the beach and loved it.”

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter. “Page-turning historical fiction based on true events, and truly an example of the truth being even more remarkable than fiction. Inspired by the author's family, the novel follows different members of a large Jewish family who are separated at the outset of WWII and manage to survive against all odds.”

The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War)by Phillippa Gregory. "If you like this genre, this is a quick, fun read about Queen Elizabeth and Tudors v Yorks ('War of the Roses' or the 'Cousins Wars.') A summer Harlequin in that British royal history kind of way."

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.  Winner of the Booker prize, a novel about Thomas Cromwell, the villain of "A Man for all Seasons" (but not of Wolf Hall). "Lovely tempo and atmospheric style of writing in an historical setting. Quite a successful combination." "Who knew one could feel sympathy towards Oliver Cromwell?  If you love the Tudor age and no detail is too much, this is the book for you.  The writing style bugged friends of mine, I think they found it pompous, but it didn't bother me.  I loved the book and enjoyed the different twist on an old and well-known storyline.”  (Ed: It is indeed brilliant, but like many readers, I was beyond annoyed by Mantel’s ambiguous use of the pronoun "he." A hint to increase your enjoyment: If she says "he," she generally means Cromwell.  She did better with this in the sequel.)

World Without End by Ken Follett. The sequel to the Pillars of the Earth.  From Amazon:  Ken Follett astonished the literary world with The Pillars of the Earth, a sweeping epic novel set in twelfth-century England that centered on the building of a cathedral and the men, women, and children whose lives it changed forever. Now, two centuries after the townspeople of Kingsbridge finished building the exquisite edifice, four children slip into the forest and witness a killing-an event that will bind them all by ambition, love, greed, and revenge...

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani.  “The book takes the read with 15 year-old Thea to a privileged all-girls riding camp and school in 1930, as much of the country is falling into the Depression. But Thea is sent there as a punishment for a scandal, away from her 1000 acre farm in Florida, her beloved pony and her twin brother. We slowly learn about Thea’s life and transgressions in her isolated farm world as Thea learns what it’s like to be surrounded by other girls her own age, care about what people think, how she looks and how much money has insulated her and those around her.  She grows to love the camp and learn about herself and her parents, and the faults that parents cannot place on their children.  Though she makes some horrible decisions, she is a sympathetic character and a thoughtful narrator.”

Z: a Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler.  “Zelda’s side of the story.”  Entertainment Weekly says:  “Fowler expertly depicts the rapture of the couple’s early love, and later, the bullying and sickness that drove them apart…Z zips along addictively.” —Entertainment Weekly