Historic Novels Reading List

A vast collection of textured books piled in an expansive library of knowledge and history

• Ancient Civilizations

  Novels set in ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, and more.

  • I, Claudius by Robert Graves

    A novel set in Ancient Rome, detailing the life of Emperor Claudius.

  • The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

    A novel that follows a young physician in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten.

  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

    A retelling of the story of Achilles in the setting of ancient Greece.

• Medieval and Renaissance Periods

  Explore the Middle Ages and Renaissance through these novels.

  • The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

    Set in the 12th century England, it revolves around the building of a cathedral.

  • The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

    A historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery in the 14th century.

  • Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

    Focuses on Henry VIII's court from the perspective of Thomas Cromwell.

• Modern History: 18th to 20th Century

  Novels that cover the events from the 18th century to the modern times.

  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

    A narrative that covers the French invasion of Russia and the impact on Tsarist society.

  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

    Narrated by Death, it tells the story of a young girl living in Nazi Germany.

  • Beloved by Toni Morrison

    Set after the American Civil War, it explores the impact of slavery and its aftermath.

• Exploratory and Colonial Periods

  Dive into the age of exploration and the colonial periods through these stories.

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    It depicts pre-colonial life in the southeastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of the Europeans.

  • The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

    Set in 1757 during the French and Indian War.