Whole life story recommendations

[Gobolino80]

I've just devoured 'The Romantic' by William Boyd. I absolutely love what I'd describe as 'whole life story' books (not even sure if that's a genre of fiction) which he seems to be so good at. Does anyone have recommendations for books that are similar? I really love family sagas that span centuries too.

Edward Rutherford novels span family stories over the centuries as far as I remember. It's been years since I've read his books but Eire, London and New York were my favourites.

Sorry, the Irish books are Princes of Ireland and Rebels of Ireland.

Have you read Sweet Caress and Love is Blind by Boyd? Assuming you have read Any Human Heart?

Also The Hearts Invisible Furies John Boyne
Life after Life and A God in Ruins Kate Atkinson
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Have you read any human heart by Boyd? Loved that

@Mercurial123 I haven't read any Edward Rutherford books although I've picked them up when browsing in books shops a fair few times so I should probably give him a go, thanks for the suggestion

@theveg I loved Any Human Heart, it was the first one of his that I read. I haven't read The Lacuna but I loved The Poisonwood Bible and her most recent one so that's a good shout, Hearts Invisible Furies and everything Kate Atkinson writes is fantastic. Thanks for your suggestions.

@freezingone I have read that, it was the first one of his that I tried, I read it in a couple of days! He's a great storyteller and I'd highly recommend The Romantic. Thanks for your suggestion

A Diary of an Ordinary Woman by Margaret Forster is about a woman looking back over her whole life that spans the twentieth century. For family / inter generational sagas then I’ve recently read and enjoyed Pachinko and The Crow Road.

@TattiePants I haven't read any of those, thanks so much for the suggestions

Diary of an ordinary woman reminds me of Any Human Heart but from a woman’s perspective. I also forgot one of my favourite books from last year which was Still Life by Sarah Winman.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides is brilliant. Spans a generation or two (or three) of a Greek family who flee Greece because of war and move to the US and all sorts of shenanigans (a twist) and some everyday life. Oooh I might even read it again after reading my excellent review 🤪

Stoner

Violetta by Isabel Allende is a brilliant novel covering a whole life story. Based on her real mum.

Also agree Stoner and Middlesex. Also Kristen Hannah has a few. The Great Alone is a good one.

Demon Copperhead- new one by Barbara Kingsolver based on David Copperfield. Can't put it down.

Love in the time of cholera

Tattiepants you beat me to it. Diary of an Ordinary Woman is one of my favourite Margaret Forster books, I've read it three times. Her Shadow Baby might also fit the bill OP.

I second Pachinko. The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard is supposed to be very good.

*are

I’ve just finished Hearts Invisible Furies, so was going to suggest that…
The new Ian McEwan.
or, Coming Home by Rosemary Pilcher.

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

Elizabeth Strout is brilliant and there are now 4 novels in the Lucy Barton series, all excellent. All 4 track Lucy's life. Strouts other novels overlap some characters too, all excellent.

The Rose trilogy by Jennifer Donnelly is a multi-generational saga. I read it years ago and really enjoyed it

There's the Chinese classic Story of the Stone. About a wealthy family and their eventual downfall.

The Cairo Trilogy is one of my favourite books. Have read it three times.

East of Eden, it's so much better than the film.

YY to the Cazalet Chronicles and how about Jane Smiley's Last Hundred years trilogy?
I agree that East of Eden is great.
And if you like Edwardian literature,I recommend The Old Wives Tale by Arnold Bennett.

I second Violeta ( hence my username!!) I loved it.

Also pachinko and hearts invisible furies