Caryl Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 We'll be doing Omnibus for this period, but I'd like some good historical fiction to add in. The girls like the Henty books OK- but how about some female heroines, maybe a bit of romance....? Thank you oh wise ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 (edited) Even down to the part about "female heroines, maybe a bit of romance....". EK is definitely not interested in all the stuff about armor and battering rams and such. I've heard these are good young adult novels set in the medieval period: A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E. L. Konigsburg The Ramsay Scallop by Frances Temple I'm hoping more people will share their book lists with us. :bigear: :bigear: :bigear: ETA: I found this site and some of the books listed there look like good possibilities. Edited July 15, 2010 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 The Once and Future King by T. H. White. It's about the love triangle of Gueniviere, Lancelot and King Arthur. It also has excellent themes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Perilous Gard is good. Sword Song (Sutcliff) is good. Jackaroo is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 These are at a middle school level, but are well-written enough I think it's fine to use them for high school historical fiction ;). They are set between 500-1500A.D. We have NOT read all of them. just for fun: - Redwall series (Jacques) - The Reluctant Dragon (Graham) female protagonist - The Midwife's Apprentice (Cushman) -- she also wrote "Catherine Called Birdy, but I think Midwife is a stronger book - Anna of Byzantine (Barrett) -- not the most likeable of protagonists - The Beduion's Gazelle (Temple) -- Middle East medieval setting; definitely a teen romance novel - The Ramsey Scallop (Temple) - A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver (Konigsburg) - Enchantress from the Stars (Engdahl) -- a fantasy/sci-fi book, with the fantasy part firmly set in Medieval Europe - Earthsea trilogy, middle book: Tombs of Atuan (LeGuin) -- a fantasy series, with a very Medieval feel, but with magic male protagonist - The Great and Terrible Quest (Lovett) -- don't miss! fantastic! - Sign of the Chrysanthemum (Paterson) -- Japan medieval times; well-written - Adam of the Road (Grey) -- loved it - Otto of the Silver Hand (Pyle) - The Crispin: Cross of Lead (Avi) - The King's Shadow (Alder) - Beorn the Proud (Polland) - Fighting Prince of Donegal (Reilly) -- (original title: Red Hugh) fun swashbuckle, fast read - The Trumpeteer of Krakow (Kelly) -- we just couldn't get into this one for some reason neutral - Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (Schlitz) Classics - Otto of the Silver Hand (Pyle) - Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Pyle) - King Arthur - Tristan and Iselt (Sutcliff) - The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur (Sutcliff) - Ivanhoe (Scott) High School/Adult Level: - Brother Cadfael series (Peters) - Tales from the Arabian Nights (Lang) -- Middle East Medieval times - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I don't know how old your daughter is, and this is not fiction, but The Book of Margery Kempe is mind-blowing. A middle-aged woman with fourteen children (I think -- it's been a while since I read it) has a vision of Jesus and decides to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem -- this at a time when a woman travelling has to carry a letter of permission from her husband. She also decides that she needs to become celibate, which her husband reacts to in a manner you would expect, but then accepts what seems to him at first her totally bizarre ideas. She not only goes to Jerusalem but has outbreaks of speaking out in church, another no-no for women, and almost challenging the priests for power. After her return from Jerusalem she wrote the book with the assistance of a scribe; no one is quite sure how the composing process actually worked, how much of it is her original dictation and how much the scribe shaped. But it's a fascinating read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 11th grade, 10th grade and advanced 8th grade. All good readers. They like to read the same books and talk about them. They recently read the sutcliff arthur trio and liked it, although they were bummed about how "tragic" it was :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanaTron Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 I'm reading this right now. It's set in the late 800's, I think--my middle ages history isn't so great--and is about a woman who becomes Pope while disguised as a man. In the edition I have, the author makes a case for the real existance of this woman, which is an intersting thing to ponder. The story is a bit predictable at times, but the historical background is quite good, and is giving me a feel for what things were like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Beowulf? No one has mentioned it so far. I kind of thought of it as a "don't miss", even for girls. I loved it when I was a high schooler! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Beowulf? No one has mentioned it so far. I kind of thought of it as a "don't miss", even for girls. I loved it when I was a high schooler! Original poster was looking for historical fiction and "lite" works (even possibly romance) to go along with the "usual suspects" (lol) of classic Lit. and History in Omnibus. :) But you are right -- Beowulf is *certainly* a don't miss! We all loved it here! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 (edited) Oops! I guess I missed the "lite" part. BTW, do you (any of you, not just Lori D) have a favorite, student-friendly version/adaptation of Beowulf? Edited July 15, 2010 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 We read a nice, shortened retelling by Hamilton Mabie that was in an old OOP collection of abridged classics back when DSs were 5th/6th grade. In high school DSs very much enjoyed Seamus Heaney's very poetic/alliterative version mimicking the "bob and wheel" style of the original. Below are some past threads with some great recommendations. Speaking of recommendations -- any lighter medieval through enlightnement historical fiction from your family? We'll be covering that period next year. Warmest regards, Lori D. Beowulf (asking for versions for elementary/middle school) Which Beowulf? (asking for versions for elementary/middle school) Best version of Beowulf for a 2nd grader? Best version of Bewulf for a 7yo boy? Beowulf for the younger crowd? Any "starter" versions worth recommending? Is Beowulf too much for a 7th grader? (includes ideas for middle school level versions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 Thank you for all the suggestions. Anyone else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Speaking of recommendations -- any lighter medieval through enlightnement historical fiction from your family? EK will do Medieval History during the upcoming school year, and I'm still putting her reading list together. When ER studied the Medieval & Renaissance periods, he did Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings plus some readings from The Renaissance Reader , with a few other works sprinkled in. One book that he particularly enjoyed The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt by Day by Scott O'Dell (historical fiction about William Tyndale, 16th century). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emubird Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 We just watched Creature from the Black Lagoon (what can I say? it's a classic). For those interested in Beowulf, it had some obviously Beowulf-inspired moments. And yes, it was bad, although not as bad as we'd hoped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 We just watched Creature from the Black Lagoon (what can I say? it's a classic). For those interested in Beowulf, it had some obviously Beowulf-inspired moments. And yes, it was bad, although not as bad as we'd hoped. :lol::lol::lol: That is without a doubt THE most creative (not to mention funny!) film-to-literature connection I've ever heard! Thanks for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emubird Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Our favorite part of this movie was when the geologist finds a fossilized hand sticking out of rock. As he can't figure out what it is he just lops it off and hauls it back to his institute to find someone who can identify it. He didn't exactly nail it over the hall door to celebrate, but it was still good for a laugh from those of us who had just read Beowulf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.