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Washington Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
5 new historical novels that whisk you away to another century
The 20th century looms large in this selection of five new historical novels. Momentous events — the sinking of the Titanic, life after World War I, the Hollywood blacklists — shape the lives of protagonists in stories that are both relatable and enlightening. As literary editor of the NAACP's magazine 'The Crisis,' Jessie Redmon Fauset was pivotal in championing the poets and authors of the Harlem Renaissance, nurturing the works of authors whose names remain familiar to us today: Nella Larsen, Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer and Countee Cullen among them. Murray's fictionalized account of Fauset's life shows that she was battling not only racism and misogyny but also rumors about her love life and relationship with the magazine's founder and editor, W.E.B. Du Bois. In tracing Fauset's journey, Murray artfully re-creates the excitement and exhilaration of Harlem at the blossoming of its literary and cultural heyday. As literary editor of the NAACP's magazine 'The Crisis,' Jessie Redmon Fauset was pivotal in championing the poets and authors of the Harlem Renaissance, nurturing the works of authors whose names remain familiar to us today: Nella Larsen, Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer and Countee Cullen among them. Murray's fictionalized account of Fauset's life shows that she was battling not only racism and misogyny but also rumors about her love life and relationship with the magazine's founder and editor, W.E.B. Du Bois. In tracing Fauset's journey, Murray artfully re-creates the excitement and exhilaration of Harlem at the blossoming of its literary and cultural heyday. Elinor Coombes, an unhappily married British aristocrat, finds a new life in a most unusual way. She and her infant son survive the sinking of the Titanic, and taking on new identities, start over in New York. Quinn's third novel, the first to be published in the United States, skillfully contrasts the claustrophobic world of Britain's upper classes with the bustle of New York City in the early 20th century. Despite its crowds, hubbub and packed tenements, the city proves a place where secrets and lies all too easily come bubbling to the surface as Elinor tries to build her new existence. Elinor Coombes, an unhappily married British aristocrat, finds a new life in a most unusual way. She and her infant son survive the sinking of the Titanic, and taking on new identities, start over in New York. Quinn's third novel, the first to be published in the United States, skillfully contrasts the claustrophobic world of Britain's upper classes with the bustle of New York City in the early 20th century. Despite its crowds, hubbub and packed tenements, the city proves a place where secrets and lies all too easily come bubbling to the surface as Elinor tries to build her new existence. In mid-1950s California, actress Melanie Cole finds herself in exile in Malibu, her reputation tarnished by recent association with a blacklisted Hollywood star. Hiding out in her rented mansion, Melanie's only company is her reticent Eastern European housekeeper Eva, her agoraphobia screenwriter neighbor Elwood and his sister-in-law June. But Eva and June harbor secrets of their own, the truth of which could shatter the lives of all three women. Set over the course of three sultry December weeks, Meissner's fast-paced story deftly captures how the Red Scare unsettled Hollywood and beyond. In mid-1950s California, actress Melanie Cole finds herself in exile in Malibu, her reputation tarnished by recent association with a blacklisted Hollywood star. Hiding out in her rented mansion, Melanie's only company is her reticent Eastern European housekeeper Eva, her agoraphobia screenwriter neighbor Elwood and his sister-in-law June. But Eva and June harbor secrets of their own, the truth of which could shatter the lives of all three women. Set over the course of three sultry December weeks, Meissner's fast-paced story deftly captures how the Red Scare unsettled Hollywood and beyond. Fact and memory are woven with imagination in this work of memoir-come-fiction. Peggy, a woman in her 60s, lies in her bedroom, cancer ravaging her body but not her mind. Summoning up her memories of the final tragic year of World War I, Peggy longs to share with her granddaughter what she remembers from the cataclysmal year of 1918, when the boy she loved was sent to fight in Europe and her city succumbed to savagery, followed shortly by sickness. Kephart approaches her grandmother's story with compassion, patching over the gaps in the history with her own interpretations to create a tender story of one woman's life. Fact and memory are woven with imagination in this work of memoir-come-fiction. Peggy, a woman in her 60s, lies in her bedroom, cancer ravaging her body but not her mind. Summoning up her memories of the final tragic year of World War I, Peggy longs to share with her granddaughter what she remembers from the cataclysmal year of 1918, when the boy she loved was sent to fight in Europe and her city succumbed to savagery, followed shortly by sickness. Kephart approaches her grandmother's story with compassion, patching over the gaps in the history with her own interpretations to create a tender story of one woman's life. It may seem hard to believe, but Oxford University only began awarding women degrees in 1920. Miller's debut novel, set in this pivotal year, follows four young women housed on Corridor Eight of the university's St. Hugh's College as they navigate life away from home. Despite their enthusiasm for their studies, they encounter an Oxford that isn't always welcoming and where they must learn to navigate the university's sometimes archaic rules and misogynistic encounters with male students. Miller, an Oxford graduate, takes a sympathetic hand in crafting these four equally compelling women. Marianne, Otto, Dora and Beatrice are each hampered by pasts that loom over their present — and threaten to overshadow their futures. Kat Trigarszky writes historical fiction under the pen name of Katharine Rogers. It may seem hard to believe, but Oxford University only began awarding women degrees in 1920. Miller's debut novel, set in this pivotal year, follows four young women housed on Corridor Eight of the university's St. Hugh's College as they navigate life away from home. Despite their enthusiasm for their studies, they encounter an Oxford that isn't always welcoming and where they must learn to navigate the university's sometimes archaic rules and misogynistic encounters with male students. Miller, an Oxford graduate, takes a sympathetic hand in crafting these four equally compelling women. Marianne, Otto, Dora and Beatrice are each hampered by pasts that loom over their present — and threaten to overshadow their futures. Kat Trigarszky writes historical fiction under the pen name of Katharine Rogers.
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
5 books about forgotten female heroes to celebrate Women's History Month
5 books about forgotten female heroes to celebrate Women's History Month Women's History Month is almost at a close, but there is still time to add empowering reads to your TBR before March is over. Stories of unsung female heroes are having a moment, like Kristin Hannah's 'The Women,' which spotlights the 'forgotten' female veterans of World War II. Kristina McMorris, the author of the bestselling historical fiction novel 'Sold on a Monday' and the upcoming 'Girls of Good Fortune,' told USA TODAY that women's historical fiction is an uplifting space for readers and writers. 'There is something that is very special about having female bonds and friendships (where) we really understand each other and are there to support each other,' McMorris says. 'We are so passionate about shining a light on these stories from the past that it never feels competitive. We are all just there to help lift each other up and spread word about each other's stories and about each other's talents as much as possible. It is an amazing community.' Here are five books we recommend checking out and the real-life history behind them. 'Harlem Rhapsody' by Victoria Christopher Murray What's it's about: This novel follows Jessie Redmon Fauset, a high school teacher from Washington D.C. who arrives in Harlem as she becomes the first Black woman named literary editor of The Crisis magazine. But her secret affair with her older boss, W. E. B. Du Bois, threatens her position. Determined to prove herself, Jessie throws herself into helping The Crisis thrive by scouting writers who would someday become literary icons, including Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen. The real history: Fauset became the literary editor of The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, at Du Bois' persuasion. She edited and published the work of notable Harlem Renaissance writers but was rarely given credit for her role in the artistic movement. Like many others, Fauset's writing was often dismissed because it dealt with 'women's issues' and because she was a woman herself, The New Yorker reported. But scholars and writers alike acknowledge that the movement would not have been possible without her. 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah What it's about: 'The Women' is the story of the women serving in the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. It follows 20-year-old sheltered nursing student Frances 'Frankie' McGrath, who, while in Vietnam, makes friends and learns that every day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal. When she comes home to a changed America, she has to face a country that wants to forget Vietnam and ignore the women who served in it. The real history: About 10,000 women served in-country in Vietnam, and 265,000 served in the war efforts overall. Many were nurses, averaging just 23 years old, according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. These Vietnam veterans are sometimes called the 'forgotten veterans' because of the hostility and ignorance they faced from Americans who did not believe women served in the war. 'The Rose Code' by Kate Quinn What it's about: This World War II novel follows three female code breakers at Bletchley Park, working against the clock to solve the puzzle and crack German military codes. If that isn't pressure enough, the women are faced with a mysterious traitor who emerges, years later, as the three friends are torn apart. The real history: Most think of Alan Turing cracking the Enigma Code when it comes to World War II code breakers, but more than 10,000 women also served for the U.S. Army and Navy in that capacity. At a time when employment opportunities for women were a rarity, code breaking offered jobs to the math- and puzzle-minded. Female code breakers were crucial to the U.S. winning the war. 'The Queen of Sugar Hill' by Reshonda Tate What it's about: 'The Queen of Sugar Hill' is a fictional portrait of Hattie McDaniel, the Hollywood actress who would become the first Black person to win an Oscar. The story picks up after she receives her award for best supporting actress, only to face unemployment, discrimination and disdain from both white and Black communities. The real history: The 'Gone with the Wind' actress is far from unknown, but her accolades are wholly underappreciated and overlooked. McDaniel's career was hindered by racism and sexism, especially after 'Gone With the Wind.' Many Black audience members saw her role as 'Mammy' as furthering racist stereotypes. In her later years, McDaniel successfully lobbied against racially restrictive deeds that were pushing Black residents out of neighborhoods. 'Forbidden City' by Vanessa Hua What it's about: Beginning on the eve of China's Cultural Revolution, 'Forbidden City' follows a teenage girl named Mei who becomes the Communist Party Chairman's muse, lover and confidante. Within the capital, Mei becomes disillusioned with the Chairman and his politics, eventually publicly betraying him and running away. Here, she learns just how much female revolutionaries have been erased and rewritten. The real history: 'Forbidden City' tells the stories of women who fought and endured during the Cultural Revolution, only to be left in the heavily edited footnotes of history. Mei is a reimagining of the underage girls Mao Zedong slept with during this time. Here, Hua shines a light on the lesser known role of young women in the Cultural Revolution and disillusionment in abusive political figures. Looking for your next great read? USA TODAY has you covered. Taste is subjective, and USA TODAY Books has plenty of genres to recommend. Check out the 15 new releases we're most excited about in 2025. Is dystopian your thing? Check out these books that are similar to 'The Hunger Games' and '1984.' Or if you want something with lower stakes and loveable characters, see if a "cozy mystery" or "cozy fantasy" book is for you. If you want the most popular titles, check out USA TODAY's Best-selling Booklist. Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
