Historical Fictionistas discussion

It kind of feels like we just did February nominations, doesn't it? I know the process thread says the 14th of the month. That rule just might change to "whenever Gretchen has time to sit down and create a new thread".

Anyway.

We never really took an opportunity to celebrate the new decade last year. And who could blame us? I'm calling for a re-do in 2021. This year we're going to celebrate the new decade! In terms of this books for this group, we're going to celebrate the historical 20's. The March 2021 theme is going to be The 20's. Not just the Roaring 20's. Any 20's.

Books nominated for March 2021 must be set in any 20's decades from 1920 back. 1820s. 1720s. 1620s. etc. etc. YOU MUST IDENTIFY THE DECADE YOUR NOMINATED BOOK TAKES PLACE IN WITHIN YOUR NOMINATION THREAD.

Example Post - I'm nominating The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. The book is set in India in the year 1921.

REMINDERS
NO SELF NOMINATIONS - Members who nominate their own books will be deleted without warning.
NOMINATION POST MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING: TITLE, AUTHOR, AND THE ABOVE MENTIONED NOMINATION REQUIREMENT - Nominations that do not include ALL THREE things will be not be counted.
EVERYONE GETS ONE NOMINATION AND ONE SECOND - Please make sure you a clearly stating if you are nominating or seconding a book. It makes it easier for the mods to keep track of which books need to be counted for the poll.

Nominations will remain open until Friday (1/15).
BOOKS IN A SERIES NEED TO BE READ IN ORDER - You can't nominate the third book in a series if we haven't read the first two.


The nomination process breakdown can be found here - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The complete list of the 157 books we have read for group reads can be found here - https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...

I'll nominate Drums Along the Mohawk by Walter D. Edmonds

From the summary:

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the publication of Drums along the Mohawk reminds us not only that Edmonds’s masterpiece is the best historical novel about Upstate New York since James Fenimore Cooper but also that it was number one on the best-seller list until overtaken by Gone With the Wind.

This is the story of the forgotten pioneers of the Mohawk Valley during the Revolutionary War. Here Gilbert Martin and his young wife struggled and lived and hoped. Combating hardships almost too great to endure, they helped give to America a legend that still stirs the heart. In the midst of love and hate, life and death, danger and disaster, they stuck to the acres that were theirs and fought a war without ever quite understanding it. Drums along the Mohawk has been an American classic since its original publication in 1936. This Syracuse University Press edition reproduces the book in its entirety.

Actually, you’re right on the nose with celebrating the new decade: decades begin with the -1 year and end with the -0 year! (Sorry, the old copy editor just had to say it.)

Kirsten "keep calm there are only 10 days left" wrote: "I'll nominate Drums Along the Mohawk by Walter D. Edmonds

From the summary:

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the publication of Drums along the Mohawk reminds us not ..."

This nomination isn't complete. Please see the intro thread for what's missing.

I would love to read Drums Along the Mohawk<-b> but it may have to wait for another decade as the action takes place between 1775-1783, and it was published in 1936, so no 20s anywhere. I loved The Widows of Malabar Hill when I read it last year, I just received the sequel last week.

I nominate The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Set in rural Alaska 1920

I nominate “Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring 20s” by Renee Rosen.

Tiki-Tami wrote: "I nominate The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Set in rural Alaska 1920"

I will second this. I just finished last week and would love to discuss.

I’m aware that the title of this thread is wrong. I know it’s not 2020 anymore. There’s no need to continue sending me messages pointing this out. I will fix it when I get a minute.

So many good books set during the 1920's it's hard to pick!
I will nominate The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich.

I found a list of historical novels set during the 1920's if anyone needs some ideas. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Suzy wrote: "So many good books set during the 1920's it's hard to pick!
I will nominate The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich.

I found a list of historical novels se..."
I second this book. It sounds interesting.

I nominate Jazz by Toni Morrison. It is set in Harlem in 1926.

I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, set in the 20s. I haven't read it in about 15 years so it would be great to reread. A true classic!

I'm nominating John Saturnall's Feast by Lawrence Norfolk which takes place in 1625

I would like to nominate Tomb of the Golden Bird - by Elizabeth Peters . Archeological dig in Egypt in 1922

I
Nominate A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar set in the Nineteen twenties in the Silk Road city of Kashgar 3 girls set out to join missionaries. Alternate chapters link to a modern day Traveller in Asia. Eventually the two stories link. It looks to be a fascinating tale of exotic locations and mix of cultures.

Author of Lady cyclists... is Suzanne Joinson

I nominate Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten
Set in 1725 St. Petersburg, Russia

Cary wrote: "I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, set in the 20s. I haven't read it in about 15 years so it would be great to reread. A true classic!"

I second A Tree Grows in Brooklyn !
I started reading it a few years ago but even though I liked what I read for some reason I never finished it. Would like to finish it.

For nominations - I nominate The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. It's set between 1625-1628. Many of us will have probably read it but still!

Maureen wrote: "I nominate Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten
Set in 1725 St. Petersburg, Russia"

I second this one :)

I second The Widows of Malabar Hill

Z.A. wrote: "I would like to nominate Tomb of the Golden Bird - by Elizabeth Peters . Archeological dig in Egypt in 1922"

We have not read any of the other books in this series so this nomination will not count.

Tina wrote: "I second The Widows of Malabar Hill"

This hasn't actually been nominated.

List to msg 23

The Snow Child - 1 second
The Master Butchers Singing Club - 1 second
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 1 second
Tsarina - 1 second
Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties
Jazz
John Saturnall's Feast
A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar
The Three Musketeers

Gretchen wrote: "Tina wrote: "I second The Widows of Malabar Hill"

This hasn't actually been nominated."

Gretchen; I will nominate The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey #1 in a series set in 1920's India.

I will second The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich.

Gretchen wrote: "Tina wrote: "I second The Widows of Malabar Hill"

This hasn't actually been nominated."

Oops, haha.

I nominate The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. The book is set in India in the year 1921.

I second “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn”.

I will second John Saturnall's Feast.

I will second Tsarina

I nominate Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages by Vanitha Sankaran. Set in 1320.

I will second the Widows of Malabar Hill

I will second Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages

I nominate The Good People by Hannah Kent. The book is set in Ireland in the year 1825.

I will second The Good People

I second A Tree grows in Brooklyn.

I will second Watermark.

List up to msg 39

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - 3 seconds
The Master Butchers Singing Club - 2 seconds
Tsarina - 2 seconds
The Widows of Malabar Hill - 2 seconds
Watermark: A Novel of the Middle Ages - 2 seconds
The Snow Child - 1 second
John Saturnall's Feast - 1 second
The Good People - 1 second
Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties
Jazz
-----cut off----
A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar
The Three Musketeers

I would like to second The Three Musketeers

I will second The Three Musketeers

Dollface by Renee Rosen set during the 1920s

I will second The Snow Child.

Amanda wrote: "Dollface by Renee Rosen set during the 1920s"

Amanda, just to clarify, you are seconding this?

I nominate Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
Set in London/Melbourne late 1920's

I second Cocaine Blues.

I second Jazz by Toni Morrison

I'll second or third Dollface

I second The Snow Child

I second The Widows of Malabar Hill