Historical Fiction To Snuggle Up With This Autumn

In which I muse about historical fiction and how it is the perfect accompaniment to an Autumn evening.
#booktube #readingrecommendations #booklover #bookreview #fiction #favouritebooks #novel #bestbooks
Books discussed:
Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton
Old St Paul’s by Harrison Ainsworth
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
The Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Conner
To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey
The Map of Love by Adhaf Souief
Rizzio by Denise Mina
The Clocks in this House All Tell Different Times by Xan Brooks
The Secret Life if William Shakespeare by Jude Morgan
The Colour by Rose Tremain

[@librariesandlabradors]

Historical fiction just evokes autumn vibes to me so this couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you! I’ve added many to my TBR.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Gosh: my timing isn’t always a strength ☺️🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡📚

[@mariasmiles68]

Old St Paul's and Rizzio sound so interesting!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Let me know what you think if you read them 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@blueeyes2938]

I loved The Map of Love. I read it on a long train journey from the south of France in 2000. I really wish I hadn’t let go of my copy of it… time to replace and reread I think. It’s a story that really stayed with me.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Absolutely 👍 I have it in my heart 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@alisonbell3475]

The Map of love is so beautiful one of my favorites. 😍🗺️

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Yes! Another Map of Love fan 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@Garonica1]

Thank you. I love your choice of historical books. I love how you introduce the books and your succinct reviews.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

My pleasure! 💜💜💜🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚

[@maryfilippou6667]

So glad you mentioned Old St Paul's! I got it soon after reading Last Antonia Fraser' s memoir where she praised it. What a whirlwind! My teen favorite which I finally found by Chance, thanks to my granddaughter! Is The Man on a Donkey by HF Prescott, in the wake of Henry VIII' s monastery destruction. We follow abbess Christabel Cowper.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Ooo. I haven’t come across that one! 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@marlenb.1880]

Dear Louise, I'm so happy that I found your channel! I am a book lover from Germany (not active on KZbin but on Instagram) and I wanted to both get reading inspiration from outside the German booktube bubble and practise my English skills so I was looking for booktubers based in UK. I watched some of your videos and already got a lot of new input for my wishlist. So I subscribed and I'm sure I will watch your videos on a regular basis! You said in this video that you loved To the bright edge of the world and you can still recall the feelings you had while reading about the Alaskan landscape and the adventurous journey of the people in this book. So if you loved that, you should really have a look at "The arctic fury" by Greer MacAllister. It's about a (fictional) Arctic expedition in the 19th century, and the special thing is, that it is made by a group of women. One year later the leader of the expedition, Virginia, stands trial for murder. And the question is: what happened on the ice? I read it about one year ago in wintertime and it was a book I will hardly forget! So if that sounds good to you - give it a try! Greetings from Dresden! Marlen

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

That sounds absolutely up my street. I’m adding it to my wishlist straight away. Thanks so much for your comments, I hope you continue to enjoy my musings 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@marlenb.1880]

I'm sure I will! I also found your son's channel and will have a look there, too. 😊

[@kduhy4379]

Thanks Louise. Love historical fiction and shall be giving The map of love and Remembered a go. Loved Rizzo and The colour too. Have just read After the Party by Cressida Connelly for one of your prompts between the wars and thought it was very interesting and The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng which was beautiful.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

I’m really looking forward to House of Doors, have heard so many good things about it 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@helendeacon7637]

Very pleased to discover your channel today. Thank you Louise! Lovely recommendations. Greetings from Sydney.🌺🥀🌻

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Lovely to get your sunny greetings from Sydney. We have some sun here too this morning. So glad that you’re enjoying my channel 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@sarafairchild2588]

Wow. Thank you, I have put many of them on my list. In reference to Alaska, I suggest Tisha by Robert Specht which I thought was fiction but later read that it is a factual story.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

I’ve had that experience with a couple of books. Thanks for the suggestion 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚💛💛💛

[@debrahills8148]

I adored To the Bright Edge of the World and have never read anything else quite like that exploration up that Alaskan river! You’ve made me want to read Map of Love and Remembered. Thank you!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Do hope you enjoy them 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@GloriaZThompson]

Love that this recommendation list includes so many books I had not heard of before. Thank you for sharing. To the Bright Edge of the World is high on my read list for this winter. I really enjoyed Snow Child by the same author earlier this year.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Snow Child is exquisite! Glad you’re finding my musings useful 🧡🧡🧡🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚

[@JardineraAnge]

The way you describe books really strikes a chord with me Louise. Thank you for such interesting recommendations! ❤

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

You're so welcome! 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@janepeacock3704]

Hi Louise 👋🏻 to start with your last choice first - I really want to read this now!! 😌 📖 will see if the library has it 😌 thanx for recommendation 👍 (I have a thing for Alaska!) I’ve read 2 of the titles for sure but some time ago now - Joseph O’Connor’s & Rose Tremain’s; the latter especially has remained in my mind as a wonderful read & I 💛 the cover. It’s a book I’d like to reread & I must read another by J O’C. TTFN 😘

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

What is it about Alaska? Totally understand the draw 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@juliequick5526]

I’m afraid it is raining and howling a gale here too! Good time to curl up with a book. Loved these suggestions and you look on very good form Louise 💖

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

So sorry that you’re sharing the bleak weather but the books will get us through 📚📚📚🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡

[@monabrumbelow9767]

Great suggestions!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Glad you like them! 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@indydriven2596]

Great recommendations and that blouse looks so lovely on you. 😍

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Many thanks. I bought it many years ago from @monsoon 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@susprime7018]

Sounds some good reads, going to read Old St. Paul's by Ainsworth, but so far I have 5 books in the stack for Victober, so some may not be finished by November. I remember the Elizabeth Buchan you read, did not work for you, but I am enjoying Light of the Moon, set in WWII by her with a female character going to France to work undercover against the Nazis.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thanks for mentioning Elizabeth Buchan, might give her another try 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@thedilettantesbookshelf]

I just found your channel and am a new subscriber. I started reading historical fiction a few years ago and just love it! Thank you for all the recommendations.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

My pleasure 😊 Thanks so much for subscribing. I do think historical fiction is my favourite genre 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@leeh4343]

Great recommendations yet again - thanks Louise 😊

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Glad you like them! 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@Penny-ws4mz]

Confession, I clicked like after just seeing your title, what's not to like - love - about historical fiction? I believe in each to their own when it comes to reading but I have to confess to not understanding readers who don't like historical fiction, why not? It's a way to experience what came before us, our today. Thank you for all the reading ideas, many new to me books. The Map of Love, Rizzio and The Secret Life of William Shakespeare (visited Stratford Upon Avon recently) are going right to my TBR! One of my favourite historical fiction novels is The Siege by Helen Dunmore.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Oh yes! I love The Siege - and your enthusiasm for historical fiction 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@angelahampson391]

Brilliant v

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@jan9084]

I love this episode and wrote down several titles. Perfect timing as I happened to have a gift card from my birthday.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Brilliant 🤩

[@wooshell11]

I absolutely loved Rizzio! Got me intrigued right from the first page, even though I knew all about it and have been to Holyrood and seen where he died. The Colour was utterly compelling for me too.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Yes, they’re both so different and equally fab 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@MJ-in-Canada]

I’m always up for historical fiction. I quickly devoured the excellent “Rizzio” after you recently recommended it. Believe it or not, it was my first Denise Mina experience.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Mine too! I do have The Long Drop waiting though… 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@tamarabulazel3320]

I watch your videos regularly from Germany...and you keep on amazing me with titles that despite being an avid reader have never heard of! Thank you for being so authentic and unpresumptous! Will buy " Remembered" now.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thanks for your lovely comments 🧡🧡🧡🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚

[@tamarabulazel3320]

Dear Louise, just wanted to say that I'm right in the middle of reading "To the Bright Edge of the World" and enjoying every Page of it, a perfect Sunday thanks to you🎉🎉🎉 Made me think of David Guterson's " The Other" that I cherished for similar reasons at the time....or the amazing Story "The Tiger" by John Vaillant- amazing adventure stories...dealing with the elements.....

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

So delighted that you are enjoying it 🤩 and thanks for sharing your recommendations 📚📚📚🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡

[@janebowell3985]

Thank you Louise 🎉 “Remembered “ sounds interesting! I haven’t heard of it so I may try to pick it up. “To the Bright Edge of the World” also intrigues me. 🎉 Take care in the rain

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

They would be great picks and quite different from each other 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@fernandamurari8577]

Hi there! Wonderful selection! Have added many of them to my wish list! All the best!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thank you! You too! 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@jorjastonej]

Thank you! Wonderful diverse selection.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thanks for listening 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@linsrabbits]

I love historical fiction too, and am looking forward to autumnal days curled up with a good book, so was delighted to see this video, thank you the recommendations! ❤

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

My absolute pleasure 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@angelafraser4572]

Oh thank you I have 'map of love' on my shelves having picked it up from a free library but didn't know anything about it. definitely getting prioritised thanks to your ringing endorsement

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Hope you enjoy it! 😊🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@SavidgeReads]

Won’t be reading Star of the Sea because boats, though was tempted by the murderer. The Map of Love and The Colour I really want to read now. It’s very much the season for historical fiction, I’ll be heading to more of it this autumn and winter. Hoorah for Remembered. What a brilliant, brilliant book. And I love Eowyn. I hope we get a new book from her soon.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Yes, she’s taking her time… but I think that’s a good thing 😊❤️❤️❤️

[@enidlacob1157]

It is stormy and cold in Cape Town It is just the weather to be wrapped up reading so thanks for this. I adored The Map of Love and I must reread it In fact it is in a pile of books waiting to be reread

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Lovely to know you are another Map of Love fan 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@ReadBecca]

I've just read Three Fires from Denise Mina last week for Shorty Sept as well, brilliant stuff and not at all what I expected. Very short sharp writing, and a cutting look back at history from a modern lens.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Another for my list… 😀

[@stuartreynolds4915]

Thank you for recommending these, I always enjoy your videos. Old Saint Paul’s is free on kindle at the moment 😊 and I’ve also ordered a second hand Remembered. Edge Of The World is on my husband’s book shelf which I will now have to borrow! Lynn

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Do borrow that book! I’m so glad that you are finding my recommendations helpful 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@cindyhaiken5644]

Just read two new works of historical fiction: The Fraud, which I loved and Let Us Descend, Jesmyn Ward’s novel set before the Civil War, which was very tough but powerfully written. There is something autumnal about historical fiction!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Must get hold of the Jesmyn Ward! I love her writing 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@tangledthreads3976]

I love historical fiction! Thank you for such an interesting collection of recommendations. I look forward to reading some of them.♥

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Hope you enjoy them 😊🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@allisonryder4781]

Lots of great titles here. I’m excited to try and find them. Thank you for your recommendations. I always like what you offer! ❤🇨🇦

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

You are very welcome! 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@charlottemolloy]

Loved watching this, loads of books I've never heard of!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Glad you enjoyed 😊🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@tonivandermoere1588]

We are still having good weather in Chicago, but I am not sure for how long! I thoroughly enjoy your channel, Louise. It's always a pleasure to watch. I have had The Map of Love sitting in my bookcase for years, so now I plan to pull it down and read it. Thank you also for your recommendations on another historical fiction series by CJ Sansom, the Mathew Shardlake mysteries. I think you mentioned this a few weeks ago, and I started the series. It is really wonderful and has given me a greater understanding of Tudor England. I am finishing up the third book and can't really stop reading them!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Gosh! You’re ahead of me now with Shardlake ☺️ Please let me know what you think of The Map of Love 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@curioushmm9027]

i live on the east coast of u.s. in new jersey and we've had some super thunderstorms a couple of weeks ago but all is come at this moment...i love denise mina's mysteries so i want to read this book especially since i find i really love a good historical novel too.beautiful creatures by chevalier and the signature of all things by gilbert are among my favorites.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Love anything Chevalier 🧡🧡🧡🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚

[@Beatts113]

Yay so glad you’ve done this! Thank you. Will be watching once I’ve finished the ironing/last dog walk! Can’t wait! x

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Lordy! The ironing! Anything to alleviate it 🤣🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@StephaniePatterson-jb5it]

I have to say I'm with Simon. If ships and seamanship are involved, it's not for me. Part of the issue for me is (I think) that they are largely without female characters. I'm thinking of Moby Dick (parts of which I acknowledge are beautiful) and perhaps the most boring book I've ever read--Lord Jim. But I like Joseph O'Connor so I might make an exception. Great video.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

I think if Moby Dick and Lord Jim are your bench mark for novels at sea then I’d give a contemporary author a try. English Passengers by Matthew Kneale is one of my all time favourite novels 🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚🙏🙏🙏

[@wendycayless]

A historical novel to recommend is Mirandi Riwoe's Stone Sky Cold Mountain which has as it's protagonist a Chinese young woman in the gold rush on the Palmer goldfields in Far North Queensland. At the height of the rush many at the site were Chinese. And I LOVED At the Bright Edge of the World.

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thanks so much for your recommendation 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@michalaharesnape5434]

Thank you, I’ve added a few of them to my TBR list. I think I remember Simon saying on his channel that you are an English teacher. Do you think you could tell us more about that, how it has affected your reading, the books you enjoy teaching, any advice you could give to us about getting more out of our reading?

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Thanks so much for these suggestions. You’ve really got me thinking 🤔 I’ll give them some thought and see what I can come up with 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@michalaharesnape5434]

@@louisesavidgemuses4135 Fantastic! It just occurred to me that you have a unique perspective on books compared to lots of other people I see on book tube and I would be really interested to hear it! Lots of love x

[@HelenSchneider-tl3yh]

Is it the same W. Ainsworth who is a character in Fraud by Zadie Smith???

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Ooo- I don’t know 🤷‍♀️ Intriguing 🤔 Will have to investigate 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@ericamangin1184]

Great video - have put a few new ones on my TBR :) Have you read any Leon Uris? I've read Russka (Russian history) and Trinity (Ireland) and they were brilliant. I'd def recommend if you haven't already :)

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

No, I haven’t. Thanks so much for the suggestion 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@ralphharris6374]

Thank you. Wonderful video as usual Louise. I’m just getting to the end of the Booker long list so may pick one of these up. If you could only pick one of these to cwtch up with this autumn which would it be? Xx

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

That’s such a tough question. Maybe The Star of the Sea. It’s the one that I feel most like rereading right now. Which of the Booker longlist would you recommend? 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@ralphharris6374]

@@louisesavidgemuses4135 okay thank you I will give that a read after Booker season. Gosh that’s a tough one. It’s a really tough list this year. I’ve just finished the audiobook of the Bee sting and it was excellent. Up to three quarters of the way through I thought it was going to be the winner but now I’m not so sure. I’m in the middle of If I survive you- Paul Escoffery which I nearly DNFd but now I’m really enjoying it. I loved Old Gods Time- Sebastian Barry so probably this one. I’ve got a couple more to go but don’t think I will finish it before the short list is announced on Monday. Probably the Sebastian Barry. His prose is gorgeous. I’ve never read anything by him before but I will be after this. Are you going to read the shortlist with Simon this year?

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Some more suggestions The series of historical crime novels by Ambrose Parry ( husband and wife team) . It’s set around how important Edinburgh was in medical history & invention. Anaesthesia/ midwifery/surgery & medical training in 18th century. 🍀👋☘️📕📖📚🇮🇪💐☕️

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

I read the first of these a while ago and loved it - all that medical detail! Must get round to the second. 🙏🙏🙏📚📚📚🧡🧡🧡

[@amandainoak]

I love Star of the Sea! So eye-opening re the Irish Famine/Genocide...

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Yes indeed! 👍

[@benreadsgood]

Hadn’t heard of Rizzio before, but you’ve sold me on it. Really appreciate you sharing lots of books that don’t usually get airtime on BookTube. Thanks 🙏 P.S. Love love love the thumbnail!!!

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

My absolute pleasure, I just love rambling on about books 😂🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@iamtherealjulia]

Louise, as historical fiction goes....you MUST MUST MUST read "The Weight of Ink", by Rachel Kadish.

[@lindaleehall]

A wonderful book

[@louisesavidgemuses4135]

Adding to my wish list right now 🙏🙏🙏🧡🧡🧡📚📚📚

[@spexi513]

📖 🪱 💚

[@mariasmiles68]

Old St Paul's and Rizzio sound so interesting!