Hey, all!
Great to see all the different Historical Fiction posts out there! I have so many books added to my TBR pile, it's not even funny. I had a busy week so wasn't able to get a post in--maybe tonight?
Which brings me to a point I want to make sure everyone understands, since we've gained quite a few new people in recent weeks: there is no deadline to Weekly Geeks! You have all week to post your assigment--or you can even pick up a topic in a different week--or skip a week entirely. No need to apologize for missing or being "late"--no pressure to "catch up"--just jump in when you can and we'll be glad to see you!
And now, on to the round-up of some of the blogs that addressed this question of Historical proportions.
Sometimes feeling passionate about history can be a barrier to enjoying Historical Fiction. Take Sari, for example. She's working towards a Masters degree in European Medieval History, and admits she's too picky for a lot of historical fiction but she's your go-to girl for nonfiction. She's got me sold on Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, a book "about the 1854 Cholera outbreak and how John Snow stopped the epidemic. It reads like a detective novel and is very hard to put down."
Melissa of Book Nut gets mad when historical details aren't accurate, and the throwing of books ensues. She offers a list of entertaining (and, presumably, historically accurate) YA and adult historical fiction she thinks our fictionally reluctant Ashley will love.
Rikki got hooked on I, Claudius years ago, and now takes us on a literary tour of ancient Rome, with a film recommendation to go along with it.
Looking for something a little out of the mainstream? Susan offers a book list that includes many authors of color, including two stories by authors of Haitian and Dominican descent that take place in the Dominican Republic under dictator Trujillo. I'll definitely be seeking those out.
Paxton, of Calvacade of Awesome, ponders books that take place mostly in the present but have a focus on history (take the Da Vinci Code, for example)--do they count as Historical Fiction? (For the record, I'd vote yes, if the book transports the reader back to that time in any way). Paxton also takes us through his introduction to Westerns, starting with the Emilio Estevez movie, Young Guns.
And a big welcome to Jodie, of Book Gazing--this is her first Weekly Geeks assignment! (Jodie is a big fan of lit that takes place in the 17th century, and has challenged herself to read more in 2009. Be sure to stop by and welcome Jodie to the Weekly Geeks family.
Thanks to all for participating--I can't wait to see what Chris has in store for us next week!
Ali