Best novels to learn about history, travel etc.

[spearly]

I was recently reading some reviews of Ken Follett's, 'The Pillars of the Earth' in which quite a few reviewers commented that they learnt so much about the history of that period and also understanding architecture just from reading the book. I wondered what other novels were good for an understanding of history, geography, languages, any areas really that we might not normally think about that could be recommended?

@OuterMongolia I don't think it matters that Wild Swans is a biography/autobiography - I read it as though it was a novel.

This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson is wonderful- all about the voyages of Darwin.

My favorite historical novel is Restoration by Rose Tremain, set in the reign of Charles II.

A suitable boy (vikram seth) and the Cairo trilogy (naguib Mahfouz) are both great for the 19th/20th century history of their countries.

Sarum - Edward Rutherford. Families in the Salisbury area from prehistoric times to 1980s

Hawaii - James Michener. Novel about the history of Hawaii from prehistory, through discovery and settling by Polynesian voyagers through to the 1950s

A Town like Alice and Requiem for a Wren, novels by Nevil Shute. WWII, Japanese POW camps and Australia.

The Last Kingdom series - Bernard Cornwell. Saxons, Vikings, King Alfred (also terrific TV series of the same name based on the books)

Couple of other books I thought of:

Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (Indian independence/partition)

James Clavell’s Asian sagas - particularly Tai Pan (Hong Kong) and Shogun (Japan) but there are others covering 20th century

This is a great thread btw; I’m inspired to revisit a lot of good books!

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas - excellent for understanding the later Napoleonic era. Plus it's a brilliant adventure!

Just remembered Olivia Manning’s Balkan and Levant trilogies (first book is The Great Fortune).
In these books the main protagonist spends a lot of time sitting around trying to occupy herself waiting for things to happen, despite the Second World War raging around her. Somewhat reminiscent of now for those of us not on the front line against the virus, minus social distancing (lots of drinking and partying).

Fury by Colin Falconer set in the run up to WW2 in Germany followed by the Holocaust and Palestine in the 1930s right through to the end of the 1947 war and the birth of Israel

How Green Was My Valley - Richard Llewellyn. Welsh mining family in Victorian times.

The Citadel - A J Cronin. Also set in Welsh mining community pre-WWII. Protagonist is a doctor working before the NHS (the novel was said to be influential in laying the foundations of the NHS)

Cronin also wrote The Stars Look Down, set in NE England coal mining community in the early 20th century.

Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean Auel. First of a series of novels set in prehistoric Europe at the time of the Ice Age.

I didn't realise that The Stars Look Down was a real book - isn't that the book that the Dowager Duchess is trying to read in Busman's Honeymoon?

Incidentally, Golden Age crime fiction is fascinating if what you want to know about includes 1930s social attitudes! Some of Dorothy L Sayers books tell you a lot about the institution they're set in, particularly Murder Must Advertise and Gaudy Night.

Eliza Graham novels set in the Second World War especially covering women's roles, eg, as special operations agents and propaganda-writers; and also the kindertransport experience, in The One I Was

I don't know Busman's Honeymoon Pen but Cronin's books were v v famous in their time.

And agree re Dorothy L Sayers

Some great books here to add to my reading list.

Thanks for starting the thread @spearly

Douglas Kennedy’s novels tend to be set against a distinct historic/political background. Not historical fact as such, but influences the story IYSWIM.

A Special Relationship - Middle East conflict
The Pursuit of Happiness & The State of the Union - McCarthyism, post war America
The Great Wide Open - Northern Ireland “Troubles”
The Moment - Cold War Berlin

Great suggestions here, I’m going to try some.

May I offer Howard’s End as an addition to the list?

It’s a wonderful novel, but also historically fascinating as it was published in 1910 and is set against the arrival of the suburbs and motor cars, as well as having some chilling portents for WWI.

A Tree grows in Brooklyn is great and full of rich historical detail.

Another vote for A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.
@MadameMayberry what's the time period of A Tree grows in Brooklyn? Just watched Brooklyn with Saoirse Ronan and am interested in the Irish immigrant experience in New York.

Winston Graham's series of Poldark books are set around the Napoleonic era and also give information on mining, banking, medicine and politics of the era.
Elizabeth Chadwick writes about the medieval era.
Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong is a brilliant book about WW1.
Nigel Tranter writes about Scottish history.

A Tree grows in Brooklyn is set in the early twentieth century if I remember rightly.

I love historical fiction especially when it's set during the first and second world wars, highly recommend

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
Captain Correlli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
Wake by Anna Hope
The Silent Hours by Cesca Major

I second the Flashman novels, I thought of them immediately when I saw your post. Immense fun to read and superb on 19th century history.

I immediately thought of the Children's Book by AS Byatt which has a lot of information on late Victorian/ Edwardian art, culture and politics, and is a beautiful read in my opinion. Although the Guardian review says "her briskly delivered but expansive accounts of, among other things, the development of London's museums, of late Victorian banking crises, of pottery and puppetry and of the Arts and Crafts, Fabian and suffrage movements are never less than informative but sometimes a little less than compelling."

Bird without Wings by Louis de Bernieres is set in Turkey after WW1.
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes deals with the British Empire in the late 19th century.I'd highly recommend both.

I enjoy Victoria Hislop's novels. In particular, The Island, set on Spinalonga in Greece and about the leper colony. She also has one about the occupation of Cyprus (I think it's The Sunrise) and The Thread (about Thessaloniki). As these are all places I enjoy visiting, reading about the history of them brings them alive - especially during the lockdown