Historical Fiction set 1890 - 1910

[jenna]

Thank you all for your suggestions in regards to 1940's fiction. I'm also now starting to get very interested in the period of 1890 - 1910, especially anything set in England (but definitely not limited to it). I think it's come from re-reading my old fave A Woman Of Substance, of which a big chunk is set in this time period. I'm also reading one called Maggie Craig right now which is quite good. Anyone know of anything else good? I'm very open minded about the theme of the book, as long as it's set within the period.

[Aleen]

Have you tried the "Amelia Peabody" series by Elizabeth Peters? "Crocodile on the Sandbank" is the first in the series which focuses on Amelia's adventures in Victorian Egypt. Great fun!

I particularly liked Recorded Books audio version of the series with narrator Barbara Rosenblat. Once you've listened to her interpretation of Amelia, you'll hear her voice when reading any of the books. There are something like 18 books to date, covering the 1890's to past WWI.

Not serious literature, but very entertaining!

[woodsman]

Wilbur Smith wrote a book or two set during the boer war, which I believe was about this period, might have been earlier? And dealing with life in colonial Africa, Rhodes etc.

Cant remember the titles but the books are in the Courteney series i think.

All a bit vague I'm afraid.

[woodsman]

Sorry its the Courtney Novels you want and the ones in question are:
When the Lion Feeds,
A Sound Of Thunder,
A Sparrow falls,
The middle one is set during the Boer war but havent read the last in ages, so might start again now in fact.

I really rate Smith as a writer, but not sure about the historical accuracy, although his take on African politics is interesting.

[murphy]

In the detective genre set approximately during that time, you have:
Anne Perry's Thomas & Charlotte Pitt series starting with The Cater Street Hangman
Carole Nelson Douglas' Irene Adler series starting with Goodnight, Mr. Holmes

Will Thomas' new series starting with Some Danger Involved about the private inquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn

Laurie R. King's series about Sherlock Holmes later life with Mary Russell starting with the Beekeeper's Apprentice.


Second the suggestion for the Amelia Peabody books. They are a great deal of fun, but then so is anything by Elizabeth Peters. IIRC, the first book is Crocodile on the Sandbank.

[Tanegashima]

Try
The Last War by HG Wells

[pyan]

Mr American, by George MacDonald Fraser.

A lot of Rudyard Kipling's work is set in Edwardian times.

[Stenevor]

The Go-Between - L P Hartley (read it this week, lovely book)
Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

[paranoid marvin]

War Of The Worlds

The Victorian British Army VS Mars

[Dusk]

Oo, that's my period as a historical fantasy writer, so I hope more people will post suggestions here. I'm afraid all that I have on my own bookshelf is Norma Johnston's "Keeping Day" series, which is a young adult series set in Yonkers, New York, that is loosely based on the lives of the author's grandparents. Though Ms. Johnston has her problems as a historical fiction author, she has a gift for presenting that era's very different social code in a way that seems quite natural.

A snippet:

"'Evening party this year, Evie? Don't you think Letitia's rather young? You know what went on at the Hodges' party.' Since Mrs. Hodge, who is given to weeping and wailing, is a member of the local Ladies' Aid, Mary Lou's precocious attempts on the opposite sex are as common knowledge among the grown-ups as they are among our crowd at school. Aunt K picked up a punch cup and raised an eyebrow. 'Your good cut glass for a children's party? You are an optimist, Evie."

"'Oh, I don't know, Kate,' Mama said sweetly. 'Letitia's 'most grown up now. Fourteen. Like her to have things nice. Started walking out with Mr. Sterling when I wasn't much older.' That was a whopper. Mama was sixteen when she first met Pa, and if I'd even suggested I was old enough for a steady beau, she'd have tanned my hide."

[Curt Chiarelli]

If you have a flair for walking on the darkside, I can't recommend highly enough two works of fiction by Caleb Carr: The Alienist and its sequel, The Angel of Darkness.

[mortbury]

Philip McCutchan wrote a series about the British Army in Afghanistan during Victoria's reign.

[Genner]

I don't know if this will do, but Sarah Waters has novels set in the period of the 70's of the 19th century. She's a very interesting writers, providing lots of details about the life back then.

[Contrary Mary]

Shanghai by Christopher New. Out of print, but your library may have it. It is set in China starting in 1903; floolows life in the Bristish settlement there. Covers the era from 1903 to 1945; so covers both eras you like so far.

Quite well written--a big, long historical novel with lots of good characters and events. Just finished it in fact.

[paranoid marvin]

All historical sci-fi , and very good reads too:

War Of The Worlds
The Time Machine
And slightly earlier (1860s) A Journey To The Centre Of The Earth