History Through Fiction (28 books)

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This list highlights historical fiction that goes beyond entertainment to illuminate the past through story. The novels here are rooted in careful research and crafted with the goal of teaching readers about history in an engaging, character-driven way. Whether through footnotes, bibliographies, or simply richly accurate world-building, these books invite readers to immerse themselves in both history and narrative.

History Through Fiction, the independent press that inspired this list, publishes works that combine the strengths of fiction and nonfiction—bringing history to life while also serving as a resource for understanding it. Add your favorite historically grounded novels, vote for the ones that most moved you, and discover stories that both entertain and educate.

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1	The Choir by Carol M. Cram (Goodreads Author) 4.43 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	I Rode with Morgan: 20th Anniversary Edition by Jonathan M. Jackson (Goodreads Author) 4.85 avg rating — 142 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	A Writing Upon the Sand by J.M. Kirkley (Goodreads Author) 4.48 avg rating — 210 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	White Slaves: 15 Years a Barbary Slave: The shocking abduction of the citizens of Baltimore, Ireland by the famous Dutch corsair and pirate Murad Reis and the horror of the Barbary slave trade. by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) 4.41 avg rating — 39 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	OPT For Oneness - A Fictional Journey To Inner Peace and Higher Consciousness by Michael Aaron Mason (Goodreads Author) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Water Lilies of Mishipeshu by Karla Cruise 4.19 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Kentucky Choirboy by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) 4.87 avg rating — 31 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Resisting Removal: The Sandy Lake Tragedy of 1850 by Colin Mustful (Goodreads Author) 3.67 avg rating — 27 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Remembrance Man by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 22 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Boy With the Jade by Charles Bush 4.50 avg rating — 30 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	An Absolute Secret: A Spy Thriller set in wartime Sweden by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 67 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Porcelain Menagerie by Jillian Forsberg (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 254 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	PLAYING RUDOLF HESS: An Imposter Story by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 24 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Education of Delhomme by Nancy Burkhalter 4.09 avg rating — 68 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Shipwrecked Lives by Nicholas Kinsey (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	My Mother's Secret: A Novel of the Jewish Autonomous Region by Alina Adams 4.16 avg rating — 235 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Go On Pretending by Alina Adams 4.23 avg rating — 43 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Aziola's Cry: A Novel of the Shelleys by Ezra Harker Shaw (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 59 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Notes from a Deserter: A Soldier's Journey Home by C.W. Towarnicki (Goodreads Author) 4.59 avg rating — 58 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Wretched and Undone by J.E. Weiner 3.88 avg rating — 157 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	An End of Troubles by Hilary Coyne 4.46 avg rating — 13 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	South of Sepharad: The 1492 Jewish Expulsion from Spain by Eric Z. Weintraub (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 113 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The Aziola's Cry by Ezra Harker Shaw (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 59 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Reclaiming Mni Sota: An Alternate History of the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862 by Colin Mustful (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 118 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 970 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	The King's Anatomist: The Journey of Andreas Vesalius by Ron Blumenfeld (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 116 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	A Noble Cunning: The Countess and the Tower by Patricia Bernstein (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 162 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Sky Worshipers by F.M. Deemyad (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 104 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars