James Short Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 I am still interested in knowing if anyone had recommendations for any historical fictions set during WWI, even though I am not allowed to mention the book I recently read myself because someone thinks its too promotional for me to mention its title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardengirl Posted November 6, 2013 Share Posted November 6, 2013 how can mentioning a book you have just read be promotional? Unless you wrote it yourself? I have read anumber of books set in WW1 but just off the top of my head can't think of any with the exception of the brilliant trilogy written by Pat Barker [fiction] Im hope less with titles but it may be Regeneration[maybe not] just google this author and you will find out. Oh there is also Sebastion Foulks as well, he has written a couple of good books set in this time period which you may enjoy [i know that Birdsong is one.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 An awful lot of people sign up and in their first posts mention an obscure or very recently published book, only to disappear into the internet fog. It then turns out that they are associated with / are the author or something to do with a publishing house. Occasionally someone without deceptive intent can get caught in the net. In answer to the query; I can thoroughly recommend the two mentioned by gardengirl above, The Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Other well known ones would include; All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Remarque A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway Parade's End by Ford Maddox Ford Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves (a memoir) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Short Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 Thanks. I recently watched the Birdsong and Parade's End television adaptations, and they were okay, and of course I've read A Farewell to Arms. I'll look at the others, but mainly I'm looking for more action-oriented fiction. I've really enjoyed John Buchan's 1916 spy novel Greenmantle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 The one that came to my mind immediately is also one of my all time favorites . A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin . Highly recommended ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) I'm reading a good one at the moment courtesy of Amazon Vine and is due for release in mid Jan 2014, called "The Moon Field" by Judith Allnatt. Another good read was "My Dear I wanted to tell you" by Louisa Young. There is an excellent one by Susan Hill but the title totally eludes me at the moment. Anne Perry has also written a series of WW1 books, the most memorable for me being Shoulder the Sky. Strange Meeting is the Susan Hill book. Edited November 7, 2013 by SueK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardengirl Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 I'm reading a good one at the moment courtesy of Amazon Vine and is due for release in mid Jan 2014, called "The Moon Field" by Judith Allnatt. Another good read was "My Dear I wanted to tell you" by Louisa Young. There is an excellent one by Susan Hill but the title totally eludes me at the moment. Anne Perry has also written a series of WW1 books, the most memorable for me being Shoulder the Sky. Strange Meeting is the Susan Hill book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 Hi James, nobody has mentioned A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Hi James, nobody has mentioned A Very Long Engagement by Sebastien Japrisot. Good shout Vodkafan. I bought this book fairly recently as the DVD is one of my all-time favourites. Another good book (although non-fiction but reads as fiction) is Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuppycakes Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) how can mentioning a book you have just read be promotional? Unless you wrote it yourself? I have read anumber of books set in WW1 but just off the top of my head can't think of any with the exception of the brilliant trilogy written by Pat Barker [fiction] Im hope less with titles but it may be Regeneration[maybe not] just google this author and you will find out. Oh there is also Sebastion Foulks as well, he has written a couple of good books set in this time period which you may enjoy [i know that Birdsong is one.] Birdsong! I read that in another book club I was in. The book is well written and very realistic. Glad I read it. But it was a bit too mature for me. And the storyline I didn't find all that interesting. I didn't like the adaptation either. Edited November 15, 2013 by cuppycakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintmark Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 William Boyd -Waiting for sunrise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulh2oman Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 If you like alternative historical fiction, Harry Turtledove is a fun read. He covers the major wars including WWI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Although the original poster hasn't been back on the forum for a few years, I thought I'd add to this thread in case anyone else was interested. I've just finished The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson which is set in Rye, East Sussex, just before the outbreak of the first World War and follows through into the early period of the war too, and I thought it was a fantastic read, and would recommend it. It gives a feeling of how the war affected a local community as well as telling the main characters personal stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilliputian Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I quite like Black Poppies by J J Kennard. Has a bit of a Hemmingway feel to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shades Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 An awful lot of people sign up and in their first posts mention an obscure or very recently published book, only to disappear into the internet fog. It then turns out that they are associated with / are the author or something to do with a publishing house. Occasionally someone without deceptive intent can get caught in the net. In answer to the query; I can thoroughly recommend the two mentioned by gardengirl above, The Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Other well known ones would include; All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Remarque A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway Parade's End by Ford Maddox Ford Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves (a memoir) All Quiet on The Western Front.. A great Movie, maybe I will pick up the book. Did you see the movie as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Although the original poster hasn't been back on the forum for a few years, I thought I'd add to this thread in case anyone else was interested. I've just finished The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson which is set in Rye, East Sussex, just before the outbreak of the first World War and follows through into the early period of the war too, and I thought it was a fantastic read, and would recommend it. It gives a feeling of how the war affected a local community as well as telling the main characters personal stories. I started reading this Claire, got up to about Chapter 5 then put it aside. Something about it was annoying me, can't quite put my finger on it, but I nearly always like the books you like, so I'll give it another try sometime later. I'm very captivated by books written about the two world wars, particularly ones set in Gt Britain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Oh, what a shame. It was definitely a grower, and it was probably at least a third of the way in before I was gripped, but I often find that the case. But hey, maybe on another day, you'll get along with it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Oh, what a shame. It was definitely a grower, and it was probably at least a third of the way in before I was gripped, but I often find that the case. But hey, maybe on another day, you'll get along with it better. Just picked this up again, Claire, almost a quarter through now, and it's really growing on me. It may have been I was in the wrong mood before Finding Hugh and Daniel particularly witty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Just picked this up again, Claire, almost a quarter through now, and it's really growing on me. It may have been I was in the wrong mood before Finding Hugh and Daniel particularly witty Oh, I'm so pleased to hear that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 I read a book called Goshawk Squadron by Derek Robinson, which was about a squadron RFC fighter pilots. It was not exactly Biggles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serious girl Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 i am not interested in historical books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 On 24/06/2017 at 10:23 AM, serious girl said: i am not interested in historical books Then there#s no reason for you to be on a thread about WWI historical fiction - LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bel-ami Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 You could try The Great Swindle by Pierre Lemaitre - grotesque, compelling, epic.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Law Posted November 19, 2019 Share Posted November 19, 2019 Is it proper to mention my own self-published book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted November 20, 2019 Share Posted November 20, 2019 On 19/11/2019 at 6:14 PM, Richard Law said: Is it proper to mention my own self-published book? It would be against the rules to promote your own book, sorry, but thanks for checking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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