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Historical Fiction Resources and LinksLibraryThing If you haven't yet discovered LibraryThing, go there right now! This is a site where you can enter and organize your personal library, whether it consists of the books you own or the books you have read, loved and entered in the library of your heart. It also includes groups where you can discuss books and ask for suggestions. The Historical Fiction group is one of the largest and liveliest.
Another great forum for discussing historical fiction is HistoricalFictionOnline.com. This is the new site created by the moderators from the old HistoricalFiction.org site, which recently disappeared to the consternation of its 600+ members. Membership in the new site is also free and, as with the old site, will make you part of a friendly, international group of people who love to read and discuss historical fiction. Get involved in helping to rebuild this fabulous discussion forum!
A wonderful source of information about the latest historical novels just arriving in bookstores or about to be published is the Historical Novel Society. Many useful features of their website are available to all visitors, but you must be a dues-paying member to get their publications: the Historical Novels Review (published quarterly with over 800 novels reviewed every year) and Solander (published twice a year with author interviews, retrospectives on notable historical fiction writers, and original fiction).
Sarah Johnson, who maintains the Historical Novel Society website, is Associate Professor of Library Services at Eastern Illinois University and an expert on historical fiction. Her 2005 book, Historical Fiction: A Guide to the Genre, contains the most comprehensive published listing of historical novels that I am aware of. More info Daniel Hahn's new The Oxford Guide to Literary Britain and Ireland covers both contemporary and historical fiction, but is a rich source of historical novels with British, Scottish, Irish and Welsh settings. It was just published June 12, 2008, by the Oxford University Press. More info In future, I hope to add listings of historical fiction written for children and young adult readers. Many readers in their teens also enjoy historical novels written for adults. Hannah Logasa's 2007 book, Historical Fiction - Suitable for Junior and Senior High Schools offers a guide. More info
Most reviews on this site include two or three suggested nonfiction titles for readers inspired to learn more about the real-life history behind the fiction. For serious history nuts, historical novelist Elizabeth Chadwick has posted a list of the books in her personal medieval history library on her blog at Elizabeth Chadwick Reference. It's to drool over, and a great list to bring to the library.
Historical romance is a huge genre, and quite a few of these novels emphasize romance at the expense of history, so I have not attempted to make a comprehensive listing of historical romance novels. Many excellent websites serve romance readers, but my favorite is the exceptionally well organized
Romance Reader at Heart.
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