Big People's Books,
Authors L-Z:
Louis
L'Amour - (historical fiction), etc.
o
The Walking Drum -
Tim
LeHaye –
· Commentaries
o
Revelation Unveiled - (commentary on the book of
Revelations)
o
LeHaye
and David Nobel - Mind Siege: The Battle for the Truth -
(illuminates error in many places)
· (fiction) LeHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins - Left
Behind series, etc. - (stories based in Biblical prophecy) l
Beverly
Lewis – (fiction) – Amish communities
· Abram’s Daughters
series
o
The Covenant
o
The Betrayal
o
The Sacrifice
o
The Prodigal
· The Heritage of
Lancaster County series
o
The Shunning
o
The Confession
o
The Reckoning
•••
o
The Postcard
o
The Crossroad
•••
o
The Redemption of Sarah Cain
o
October Song
o
Sanctuary (with David Lewis)
o
The Sunroom
Florence
Littauer –
o
Silver Boxes - (awesome book for encouragers)
o
I've Found My Keys, Now Where's My Car
o
also
the Personality Plus books and understanding/getting along with
everyone
William
Manchester – (autobiography/history)
o Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War (very readable, great
autobiography that greatly enhanced my understanding of Pacific geography and
the big picture of the WWII in the Pacific)
o
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Visions of Glory,
1874-1932 – Manchester is simply one of the best historians and best writers of
history ever! That's a pretty tall
order, but he is so good at gathering up all sides of stories in such great
detail then telling it in glorious language.
There are some others in our time who perhaps do as well in gathering
the facts. There are even others who do
a great job determining WHAT to tell and how to tell it, but his way with words
and his grasp of historical context is simply stellar! This 900 pp. volume fairly "romps"
along—I could barely put it down to sleep at night.
He puts the individual in the context of the times, portraying England as it was and weaving in world events along with the story of the man. He manages to make it all interesting and stimulating. The first 108 pp. are not even "the story"—they are the historical "setting of the stage". And all through the book, he intertwines the important details of the time into the story. I can't wait to read the next two volumes. What a towering author, and what a towering subject!
He puts the individual in the context of the times, portraying England as it was and weaving in world events along with the story of the man. He manages to make it all interesting and stimulating. The first 108 pp. are not even "the story"—they are the historical "setting of the stage". And all through the book, he intertwines the important details of the time into the story. I can't wait to read the next two volumes. What a towering author, and what a towering subject!
o
The Last Lion:
Alone 1932-1940 -- Possibly the
most heartbreaking years in all of his illustrious career in that there were so
many occasions during that period when Hitler’s horrendous goal could have been
stopped at the German borders had the British Government (Prime Minister, etc.)
been willing to acknowledge and act on Churchill's warnings instead of hiding
their heads in the sand and even refusing to acknowledge the facts when
presented. And if the French had lived
up to their reputation and potential.
Another wonderfully written one from Manchester.
o
The Last Lion:
Defender of the Realm 1940-1965
[with Paul Reid; Manchester passed away before he could do the actual
writing] -- In the Preamble I already weep.
I have realized there will be much weeping from 1940-1945. So far Paul Reid is proving equal to the job—Manchester’s
shoes are big to fill. More when I have
finished the book.
Kevin
& Alex Malarkey - (non-fiction)
o
The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven: a true story (non-fiction); story
of an auto accident and its aftermath
Leo
Marks – (autobiography, history)
o
Between Silk and Cyanide:
A Codemaker’s War, 1941-1945 - very
well written story by a very entertaining writer!
Peter
Mayle - (autobiography) - (His autobiographies are better than his novels.)
o
A Year in Provence
o
Toujours Provence
o
Encore Provence
Frank
McCourt – (autobiographies)
o
Angela’s Ashes – very bleak account of his life as a child
in Ireland; great writer, great book, but don’t read it if you are feeling
down; it is not an “up” sort of life.
o
‘Tis – not so
bleak—actually made me laugh sometimes in the beginning, still a fantastic
writer despite his gloomy outlook. First
20 or so years of his life in NYC.
Colleen
McCullough - (historical fiction)
o
The Thorn Birds - (Australia)
o
The Grass Crown - (Rome)
o
Caesar - (Rome)
David
G. McCullough - (many biographies/histories of American events and people,
excellently researched)
o
1776 - (Revolutionary War)
o
John Adams
o
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama
Canal, 1870-1914
o
The Johnstown Flood - (dam failure that
drowned Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1889)
o
Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary
Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore
Roosevelt
Josh
McDowell – (commentary)
o
"O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality - a
fictionalized commentary on current theological deceptions
James
M. McPherson – (history)
o
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era - (Oxford
History of the United States) - the best
organized and most complete telling of the story all in one book (952 pp)
Fern
Michaels – (romantic fiction) – light reading; if the promise holds up
throughout her work, it will be nice to have something better than a lot of
current novels, yet not a heavy work.
Good series to get from the library, rather than purchase.
· The Texas series
(Coleman family saga)
o
Texas Rich
o
Texas Heat
o
Texas Fury
o
Texas Sunrise
James
A. Michener - (fiction, with a heavy emphasis on history)
He’s
written a lot of books, but after a while I got jaded with him suddenly interjecting
his own agenda into what had been a historical story up to that point, so I
quite writing them up.
o
Caravans – very interesting story set in Afghanistan.
An American girl who married an
Afghani man is missing in Afghanistan. Her family is frantic, and a military
man stationed in Afghanistan in 1946 is assigned to find out what happened to
her. The story veers into some unexpected territory, and Michener delivers a
TON of Historical perspective on the people and places of Afghanistan.
o
Hawaii – story of missionaries (and their
generations) who go to Hawaii and try to convert the natives
o
Centennial - An
interesting story, but some large portions read more like a geology or
archaeology textbook than a novel, possibly for serious readers. A great deal of geological history. Also outlines the story of the Plains
Indians, the development of ranching, the breaking of treaties, the great land
giveaway, the farming which lead to the Dust Bowl, and the resultant ghost
towns—all skillfully woven through the story of the people in a small town in
Colorado and an author who is chosen to write about them.
Candice
Millard - (history)
o
The River of Doubt:
Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey -
Tells the story of his last great adventure (in the Amazonian
wilderness). Very well written, almost
heart stopping journey. Should you want
to learn more about the ecological environment in the Amazon, she makes it
quite interesting.
Margaret
Mitchell - (fiction)
o
Gone With the Wind
Nicole
Mones – (mystery)
o
A Cup of Light - makes you want to see exquisite
porcelain
Ralph
Moody - see 'middle people' post http://nanab-loves-lists.blogspot.com/2011/08/middle-peoples-and-some-adult-books.html
All
of his books are enjoyed by adults and some of them really are only for adults.
Farley
Mowat - good writer, Canadian conservationist, and animal lover extraordinaire,
controversial
· Autobiographical:
o
Born Naked - (autobiography through teenage)
o
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be -
(autobiographical based on his childhood experiences) (unlike Owls in the
Family listed in Middle People's books, this one is for at least teens &
up)
o
Owls in the Family - (autobiographical
boyhood stories), also included for 7+ yrs up in list below
o
Never Cry Wolf - (autobiographical) stories of
research into the nature of the Artic wolf - also the movie; his boss says he
was never alone, it was a team of 3 researches and also accuses him of
plagiarizing the boss's own work and claiming it for his own in this book;
Mowat disagrees but did not refute. Perhaps it is wise to remember that
he is first a writer, and a first-rate one at that!
o
The Boat Who Wouldn't Float -
(autobiographical) account of time spent on island of Newfoundland) This
is probably the funniest book he wrote. If you read it first you may hope
the rest are as funny. While they are often amusing, they are not this
funny. He has you chuckling out loud frequently in this one.
· Short stories –
o
The Snow Walker - a group of short stories
and legends of the native peoples of northern Canada. The last segment is
a heartbreaking set of facts about what happened to one group of them through
mismanagement by the government and downright nasty treatment. One of the short
stories, "Walk Well, My
Brother" is the basis for the movie, "The Snow Walker" [A "snow walker" is one
who goes to seeks one's own death.]
o
Novels:
o
Lost in the Barrens - (novel of northern Canada)
Louise
Murphy – (fiction, Holocaust)
o
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel - two children are hidden by an old lady –
hard story
Siddhartha
Mukherjee – (history)
o
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer - [Pulitzer
Prize, 2011]
Maureen
O’Hara, with John Nicolettie (autobiography)
o
‘Tis Herself: An
Autobiography
– well told story of her life and career, pithy, like so many of her
characters. Interesting and honest story
of one of my favorites.
Janet
Oke – (fiction)
· Love Comes Softly
series – pioneering stories (made into Hallmark movies
o
Love Comes Softly
o
Love’s Enduring Promise
o
Love’s Long Journey
o
Love’s Abiding Joy
o
Love’s Unending Legacy
o
Love’s Unfolding Dream
o
Love Takes Wing
o
Love Finds a Home
Sharon
Kay Penman - stories of England, Ireland, etc. (historical fiction)
(well-researched,
sometimes comes up with a different perspective on what might have been in the
absence of "proof"--then tells you the results of the research) --
see NOTE below.
o
The Sunne in Splendour
o
[Devil's
Brood helps one understand how little "The Lion in Winter" reflects the facts--but is still a
great movie]
o
others
Don
Pipe with Cecil Murphey – (non-fiction)
o
90 Minutes in Heaven – story of the outcome of an auto
accident. An adult is declared dead
officially for 90 minutes, but lived to tell the story. Also about his Ilzarov device used for such
injuries.
Anne
Purdy – (autobiography)
o
Tisha: The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaska
Wilderness -
as told to Robert Specht
Slavomir
Rawicz (autobiography)
o
The Long Walk –A Polish soldier’s imprisonment and torture
under Russian ‘investigation’. He was
sentenced to Siberia and all 500 prisoners had to walk the last 1,000 miles in
the Russian winter! Also tells of his
escape and traverse to India across the Gobi Desert—a truly amazing story. (The movie, “The Way Back” was inspired by this story, and I hope they followed
the story, as it has all the ingredients of a perfect movie.)
Richard
Reeves – (history)
o
Daring Young Men:
The Heroism and Triumph of The Berlin Airlift - June 1948-May 1949; well written,
interesting, informative, recent so there's new documents uncovered and
declassified. Great read!
Dave
Roever
o
Scarred (autobiography,
with Kathy Koch) – (includes his Vietnam war story)
o
Nobody's Ever Cried for Me -
(non-fiction, with Karen C. Crump) - Dave is a severely injured Vietnam Veteran
(with a re-constructed face) who has been speaking at thousands of high schools
in America for many years. This book is a few of the stories those
children have shared with him. It is not for the weak. (He is often
called to come when there are student suicides as well.)
Ginger
Rogers – (autobiography)
o
Ginger: My Story – interesting tale of her life and
career.
S.
Thomas Russell – (historical fiction)
o
Under Enemy Colors - 1793, Lt. Charles Hayden, a young
British naval officer under a horrible captain; reminiscent of C. S.
Forester's Horatio Hornblower series; author is a lifelong sailor and his
experience is obvious in his expert writing of sailing techniques
o
A Battle Won - (sequel) Master and Commander
Charles Hayden is given orders to return to the ill-fated
HMS Themis as the British fight the French for control of the
strategically located island of Corsica.
Obviously there will be more to this story.
Edward Rutherfurd – (historical fiction)
o
Sarum: The Novel of England - (Stone Age to
recent times)
o
London: The Novel - (Roman Invasion - the
Blitz)The Forest - (1099 - recent times)
o
The Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga - ( ___ -
1434)
o
The
Rebels of Ireland: The Dublin Saga - (1597 - 20th
century)
o
Russka: The Novel of Russia - (2nd century
to Bolshevik Revolution 1917)
New York - four centuries, beginning with Dutch settlers
The Forest - Norman Conquest to present day; natural companion to Sarum
Paris - [have not read this one yet]
New York - four centuries, beginning with Dutch settlers
The Forest - Norman Conquest to present day; natural companion to Sarum
Paris - [have not read this one yet]
Lucia
St. Clair Robson - (historical fiction) - author’s trademarks—exhaustive
cultural research and great weaving of history into entertaining stories
o
Ride the Wind - (Cynthia Ann Parker, Comanche
captive) [Spur Award, 1982]
o
Walk in My Soul - (Tiana Rogers, Sam
Houston, The Trail of Tears)
o
Ghost Warrior - (story of Lozen and Apache
fighting during 1850-1880) [2002 Spur Award
Finalist]
o
Light a Distant Fire
o
Mary’s Land
o
The Tokaido Road
o
Shadow Patriots: A
Novel of the Revolution - (through the eyes of a woman spy)
o
Last Train from Cuernavaca - story of the Mexican Revolution (1913),
based on a diary and a book written by two residents of Cuernavaca. One lady became a soldier in the revolution,
the other ran a luxury hotel—both of their stories are fascinating. Ms. Robson’s years of research and lyrical
writing make a wonderful tale—you can feel the heat of the fires and the
desolation as well as the beauty of the landscape and the smell of the flowers. [Spur Award, 2011]
Mary
Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – (historical fiction)
o
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - WWII, Isle
of Guernsey
Alexander
McCall Smith's – (fiction)
· #1 Ladies
Detective series... delightful stories of Botswana
o
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (#1) (1998)
o
Tears of the Giraffe (#2) (2000)
o
Morality For Beautiful Girls (#3) (2001)
o
The Kalahari Typing School For Men (#4) (2002)
o
The Full Cupboard of Life (#5) (2004)
o
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (#6) (2004; also known as The Night-Time Dancer)
o
Blue Shoes and Happiness (#7) (2006)
o
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (#8) (2007)
o
The Miracle at Speedy Motors (#9) (2008)
o
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (#10) (2009)
o
The Double Comfort Safari Club (#11) (2010)
o
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (#12) (2011)
o
The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection (#13) (2012)
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (#14)
The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe' (#15)
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (#14)
The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe' (#15)
· (other series, not so
much, although I have read parts of most of them; many people love them)
Karthyn
Stockett ― (fiction)
o
The Help – a truly great
story of two black maids and a white aspiring writer in Jackson, Mississippi in
the 1960’s. Deals with some hard
history.
The
Countess of Carnarvon - (biography)
o
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle – a truly
fascinating story of wife of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, illegitimate
daughter of Alfred de Rothschild. The
Earls of Carnarvon’s lives touched an amazing number of truly important people
and events at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th
century. To tell much more would spoil
the story. Very well written by the wife
of the 8th Earl of Carnavon who currently lives at Highclere Castle. (And, yes, some scenes from the television series
have been filmed at the castle. Some important
aspects of the TV series are based in fact upon the life of Lady Almina.)
Nigel
Tranter –
· Historical fiction,
Scotland:
o
The Bruce Trilogy –
o
The Wallace: The Compelling 13th Century Story of William
Wallace
- (historical fiction)
· History:
o
The Story of Scotland (history)
Nora Titone – (history)
o
My Thoughts Be Bloody:
The Bitter Rivalry that Led to the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln -
(history) There’s a great deal
of history here. I am not certain that I
would quite agree with the weighting she gives to her conclusions, but she’s a
very good researcher and a good writer, very informative.
Morris
L. West (fiction)
· Vatican Trilogy
o
The Shoes of the Fisherman ( Book 1) really
great story of an obscure Russian becoming Pope, also made into a great movie
Herman
Wouk - (historical fiction)
o
Winds of War - (WWII)
o
War and Remembrance - (sequel) - while
neither of these books are exclusively about the Holocaust, they include
Poland, Nazi Germany, Italy, etc.
Wm.
Paul Young – (fiction)
o
The Shack - [This is NOT a work of theology, and
in fact may lead some to error, but it is nonetheless a very different and
interesting way of dealing with the nature of God. For 'theology' consult
accurate sources. Being "well grounded" is highly recommended; then
books like this will not mislead you.]
Markus
Zusak – (fiction)
o
The Book Thief - story of helping
and hiding Jews and dissenters [Holocaust]
[You
will note the "conspicuous absence" of most of the
"classics". Been there, done that repeatedly; do not need to do most
of those again.]
NOTE: Current historical fiction often differs in
the telling of the factual aspects of the stories we have known as more and
more old documents, records, and tests are made available to researchers. Some
current authors make loose with the facts (as many movies do), but some are
quite diligent.
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