I can't classify something that took place within the span of my own lifetime as historical fiction, so...
Set at the time of the Vietnam war this book explores the shifting social mores within an Irish community, told from many points of view. The main character is Maureen, or Mo, a beautiful red head who is slated for great things by her family. But an ill considered love affair puts an end to one set of aspirations and opens another lifeline for her. And in the background the older generation dies of alcoholism, freak accidents and disease, while members of the younger generation are shipped off to Vietnam. The politics of draft deferment are also life altering, as is the death of a young father. The tale is well told, and admirable in how she handles the many bobbins of narrative against the weft of war, extended family and religious threads.