Allegro Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Hi everyone, I'm taking AP US History online with PA Homeschoolers, and we get extra credit for reading historical fiction. Do you have any recommendations for American historical fiction? I know that there are a lot of great historical fiction authors out there, but I'm not sure about their quality and content. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Hi everyone,I'm taking AP US History online with PA Homeschoolers, and we get extra credit for reading historical fiction. Do you have any recommendations for American historical fiction? I know that there are a lot of great historical fiction authors out there, but I'm not sure about their quality and content. Thanks! Does it have to be historical in the sense of the author writting about a time in the past? Or would a fictional novel set in the author's time (if that time were in the past) also count? I enjoyed Jeff Shaara's two books about the American Revolution (Rise to Rebellion, and The Glorious Cause). We are currently reading Nathanial Hawthorne's (eta oops this is Washington Irving) short stories including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Uncle Tom's Cabin will probably be one we tackle later in the year. I'm also hoping to hit To Kill a Mockingbird. I enjoy Edith Wharton. She lived around the end of the 19th and early 20th century and wrote about life in NY 1-2 generations earlier. I have really enjoyed her short stories (especially Xingu), but also liked The Age of Innocence and The Bucaneers (which was completed by someone else based on her manuscript and notes). One suggestion is to look at the suggested reading lists for AP English Literature and see which of them cover periods in US history. That will let you use your experience with the books for both purposes. Edited September 19, 2011 by Sebastian (a lady) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 The Williamsburg Novels by Elswyth Thane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegro Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Thanks for the suggestions! :) It could be either way, Sebastian - a historical novel or a novel set in the writer's own time. I am trying to coordinate some of the AP Lit books with APUSH - we are doing book clubs and a fellow APUSHer and I are going to read The Scarlet Letter together - that way we can get credit for both classes. American literature would be great, and so is historical fiction and any nonfiction on American history. I just finished reading The Greater Journey by David McCullough and greatly enjoyed it (even though it is set in Europe, it counted.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 While we were studying American History, we read: Uncle Tom’s Cabin Scarlett Letter Pocahontas Across Five Aprils Paul Revere and the Minutemen Fighting Ground Red Badge of Courage The Great Gatsby All My Sons I got many ideas from this thread. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Last of the Mohicans was a favorite of ours, and then you can watch the movie. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegro Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 Bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hello, I second Jeff Shaara books. He has some for the American Revolution, Mexican War, Civil War, WWI and WWII. The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller. I've used it both for the Salem Witch trial historical period AND for the McCarthyism of the 50's. Red Badge of Courage- Civil War All Quiet on the Western Front WWI Grapes of Wrath- the depression Hiding Place WWII Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1850ish To Kill a Mockingbird Roots by Alex Halley Hope that helps! Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hi everyone,I'm taking AP US History online with PA Homeschoolers, and we get extra credit for reading historical fiction. Do you have any recommendations for American historical fiction? I know that there are a lot of great historical fiction authors out there, but I'm not sure about their quality and content. Thanks! Do they have to be adult titles or would YA titles count? Carry On, Mr. Bowditch Johnny Tremain Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry And there are lots of titles that are now sort of considered children's lit, because they have a young protagonist. But I'm not sure that was their original audience. Little Women (yeah, you've probably read it or at least seen the movie. But what were the rolls for women expected in the late 19th century. How did the girls live up to those expectations or break molds? What issues of well being due to class and wealth are in the book?) Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (again, I think these are meatier books with young protagonists) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hello, I second Jeff Shaara books. He has some for the American Revolution, Mexican War, Civil War, WWI and WWII. The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller. I've used it both for the Salem Witch trial historical period AND for the McCarthyism of the 50's. Red Badge of Courage- Civil War All Quiet on the Western Front WWI Grapes of Wrath- the depression Hiding Place WWII Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1850ish To Kill a Mockingbird Roots by Alex Halley Hope that helps! Christine All Quiet on the Western Front is German The Hiding Place is set in The Netherlands The US eventually got into those wars, but I don't think those particular books fit an American history curriculum very well. There really isn't much American fiction set in WWI. John dos Passos is really long. There is Hemingway, though that is still more about Hemingway than about the American experience in WWI. IMHO-Not a huge Hemingway fan. But I can check our shelves for something else. WWII has lots. There is stuff like Mr. Roberts, The Caine Mutiny (far better than the book), and The Winds of War/War and Remembrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachnut Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 There's an extensive list of literature that corresponds to U.S. History here: http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm#UCOL. You'll have to sift thru the titles, since they cover K-12 reading. However, I believe all the titles marked "older" are at the middle/high school level, such as Red Badge of Courage, Last of the Mohicans, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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