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20 Best Books Everyone Should Read in Their 20s

20s books

Turning twenty is one of the best things in the world. You just go out of your college, meet new people, and explore the World. But, while you are exploring other things, you somehow forget to read books as those fairy-tales and romantic novels starts making no sense and you want something different and extra. Now here I have a list of 20 books every 20 something must read.


The Alchemist – By Paolo Coelho

The Alchemist book cover
Amazon

This novel by Brazilian Author Paolo Coelho was first published in 1988 and since then till 2022 October, it has been translated to 80 languages. The story of the novel tells us about a shepherd’s journey to Egypt when he follows his recurring dream to find a treasure there. The main motive of the book is to tell you should follow your dream what so ever.

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The Myths of Happiness – By Sonja Lyubomirsky

The myths of happiness book cover
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This amazing book by Lyubomirsy shows us the deceiving ways where we think we might find happiness. Most of us think that we will be happy when we get the best job or get married to someone we love. But these are myths. Happiness lies within ourselves and we need to find that out. This is a must read book in our twenties as it shows us the real happiness in this anxiety-ridden world.

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His Dark Materials – By Phillip Pullman

Published from 1995-2000, His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novel by Philip Pullman. The fantasy elements include witches and polar bears but the interesting thing about the book is that it also deals with the ideas of physics, philosophy and theology.


Not That Kind of Girl – By Lena Dunham

Not That Kind of Girl – By Lena Dunham

This book is kind of a collection of autobiographical essays, lists and emails that Lena generated. These frighteningly honest tales about women’s lives will show you a whole different world. Garb this book to empower your insight knowledge.


Of Human Bondage – By W. Somerset Maugham

This autobiographical novel was first published in the year 1915. The story deals with deep issues like love, heartbreak and alienation. If you have fallen in love with someone too bad, you might find yourself in Philip, the protagonist of the novel.


The Defining Decade – By Meg Jay

We often neglect our days in our twenties, but it matters a lot. Meg Jay says if you are not feeling anxious in your twenties then you are probably an overconfident person who is likely to be unemployed in the near future. This book shows you scientific ways how to make the most out of your twenties.


The Year of Magical Thinking – By Joan Didion

The Year of Magical Thinking – By Joan Didion

Based on her Husband’s death, Joan Didion wrote this book and was first published in the year 2005. The book was nominated for Pulitzer Award and National Book Critics Circle Award. This one is known as the classic book about mourning. It is simply a reminder to appreciate your family, to travel and to grab opportunities whenever you can.


The Secret History – By Donna Tartt

The Secret History – By Donna Tartt

First published in 1992, The Secret History by Donna Tartt is a detective fiction novel. The story tells us about six students in a college named Vermont. The book tells you what happens when all the boundaries of life falls down and you realise what happens when your life changes.


The Handmaid’s Tale – By Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale – By Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of a struggling woman who tries to determine her own self against all odds. First published in 1985, this novel won the Booker Prize in 1986 and Prometheus Award in 1987.


Tuesdays With Morrie – By Mitch Albom

Tuesdays With Morrie – By Mitch Albom

In this biographical novel Mitch Albom recounts his time that he spent with his 78 year old sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz at Brandeis University. The book tells you what it is to be like to get advice from your elder one and listening to it. It might be boring at times, but it is teaches you life’s greatest lessons.

The opposite of Loneliness – By Marina Keegan

This autobiography by Marina Keegan went viral after Marina died in a car accident just five days after she graduated from college. The book was a collection of Marina’s both fiction and non-fiction works which was published posthumously by Scribner in the year 2012.

Beloved – By Tony Morrison

Inspired by the story of an African American slave Margaret Garner, during the American Civil War, Beloved was first published in the year 1987. The story of the novel tells us about an escaped slave’s life, her sacrifice and her journey through all the horror.

Yes Please – By Amy Poehler

Released in the year 2014, this autobiography by Amy Poehler is quite famous and favorite among the readers for its humor and honesty. The true stories and life lessons will make you fall in love with the book and Amy.

Exit Here – By Jason Myers

With not a pleasant happy go ending, “Exit Here” teaches you about how life turns out to pretty disturbing and unfair when you find out your dream can never come true. This is an honest story about what happens when life gives you lemons. Like real bad lemons.

Giovanni’s Room – By James Baldwin

Published in 1956, the novel is based on the life of an American man, who lives in Paris and his relationship with other men in his life. It is indeed a deep love story and a classic in LGBT Literature. The story deals with heartbreaks, alienation and separation.

The Answer to the Riddle is me: A Memoir of Amnesia – By David Stuart MacLean

The story deals with a man’s life who is trying to rebuild his life after suffering from amnesia. His struggle, depression and his state of mind through his journey is beautifully put in a form of memoir in this book.

My Year with Eleanor – By Noelle Hancock

Are you afraid of something? If you are, then start doing things that you are afraid of everyday, one by one. The whole idea was put on this memoir by Noelle Hancock. When she realized it’s time to live her life the fullest, Noelle Hancock took Eleanor Roosevelt’s idea to “do one thing a day that scares you”.

On the Road – By Jack Kerouac

When young people start crashing into their own world, they start becoming terrifyingly energetic. This novel by Jack Kerouac explains the embodiment of the incredible will power of the young generation.

The Art of Asking – By Amanda Palmer

It is okay to ask for help, as we are not super heroes to do everything on our own. Especially when you are in your twenties, you find it difficult to ask help from other. The book teaches you its okay to ask for something. Nobody has the power over you. In fact we all have power to help each other.

Wild – By Cheryl Strayed

Wild is memoir by Cheryl Strayed describing her 1100 mile hike on Pacific Crest Trail which she recalls as the” journey of self-discovery”. Published in 2012, the book tells us about loss, disillusionment and ultimately healing of oneself on this journey of self discover.

So here is my list of the best books to read for 20 something. We have not mentioned “Harry Potter” series above but it is also one of best books everyone should read in their 20s. If you are feeling low, depressed and unwanted then grab any of these books and cheer yourself up. You can thank us later!

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Books & Literature

7 Best Books for Introverts of all Time

Just a few days ago someone quoted on Facebook, “Life of an introvert revolves around books, coffee, rains, and a hoodie. Well, the post was supposed to be funny but honestly, I couldn’t agree more as this is what my life looks like. I myself am an introvert and I know that we are more likely to fall in love with books and coffee than with people.

As an introvert, I find the best way to recharge myself is to read books. So to my kind of fellows,

Here is a List of Books They Can Read to keep up the Spirit


Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Imagine your life inside a cabin that too in the forest. Sounds interesting? Well, in the book “Walden” Henry David Thoreau talks about his experience living in a cabin inside the woods and falling in love with a much simpler life, and being quite comfortable in the natural setting away from the society.


The Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson

A lot of Emily Dickinson’s poems reflect her own sentiments about people and her unwillingness to confront the outside world. “The Complete Poems” are a set of poems by Emily where she certainly could portray every introvert’s thoughts in her own way.


Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The sweet and simple Jane Eyre always used to get lost in her own thoughts and feelings since childhood. She is one of the most relatable introverts who often used to be contempt with her own little world and literature rather than being tempted with any complicated human drama.


The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

 The story of the novel actually explains the life of many other introverts. The story talks about characters who feel they should hide their true selves from the world and become someone else as they think that the real world will not accept who they really are. Well, this makes sense to a lot of people in the world now.


Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The story deals with two characters basically – an extrovert Ruth and Kathy, an introvert girl. Where the two of them contrast each other completely, the character Kathy will be highly appreciated by the introverts as an observant; you might also feel Kathy be a detached and passive narrator of the book.


The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

This novel deals with just another boy next door yet with a beautiful meaning. Oscar is an overweight Dominican boy who is hopelessly romantic and who believes in magical realism. He’s a quirky and unlikely protagonist who loves to read science fiction and fantasy books and is obsessed with what he believes to be a family curse.


Perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The story begins with a quiet, sensitive, 15-year-old boy named Charlie writing letters about his life to an unknown recipient. Charlie chooses that person because he said that he heard the person was nice and thought that this person would not be judgemental. Well, Charlie is brilliantly portrayed as an introverted, quiet, socially awkward, and brilliant character by Chbosky.


So here are the names of the books any introvert can treat themselves with. Buy these now and you can thank us later.

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Books & Literature

10 Scariest Books Ever Written

Source of image: www.barnesandnoble.com
Source of image: www.barnesandnoble.com

Horror, mystery, thriller, fantasy and psychological books have always been a favorite among us. And there is nothing better than a spooky, scary, spine chilling horror story. Now you may have watched quite a few scary movies but here’s a list of the scariest books ever written:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – By Stieg Larsson

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Originally published in Swedish Language, this psychological thriller by Swedish Author and Journalist Steig Larson became an international best-selling novel. Based on true events, the book deals with rape, sexual abuse, serial murder, incest, corruption and severe psychological disorder of the characters. Due to its posthumous publication, the book became a global sensation. The explanation of brutal murders of women and girls does make us feel the chill inside our bones.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – By Ransom Riggs

miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar-child-ransom-riggs

In 2011, American author Ransom Riggs published his debut novel “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”. The story starts with a little boy who suffers a horrible family tragedy and then follows clues which lead him to an abandoned orphanage. And then the story leads you to some spooky scary events with vintage photographs that guarantee to haunt you in your dreams.

Pet Sematary – By Stephen King

stephenkingpetsematary

Pet Sematary is a horror novel by Stephen King. Published in 1983, King himself declared this book as his scariest work. The book was nominated for a “World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1984. With death, insanity and bizarre burial rituals, this book is indeed one of the scariest books of all the time. if you have a heart of a rabbit, we advise you to think twice before you read the book.

The Replacement – By Brenna Yovanoff

brenna

How do you feel when something important to you is replaced or you have to replace it with other for some reasons. Don’t you get angry? Well in this book by Brenna Yovanoff you have no chance to get angry for the replacement caused, rather, be afraid, be very afraid! The story tells us about a small town where once in a while a baby is taken and it is replaced by another double with lots of trouble that dies soon after the switch.

The Shining – By Stephen King

shining

Another horror novel by Stephen King published in 1977 “The Shinning” is one of Kings’ remarkable novels. Published in January 28, 1977 this novel is based on true events experienced by King himself. “The Shining” makes you feel the horror going through your spine when you read the story of the young boy’s psychic ability to go see a hotel’s horrific past.

The Haunting of Hill House – By Shirley Jackson

the-haunting-of-hill-house-by-shirley-jackson

The most horrific thing about this horror classic by Shirley Jackson is that it leaves you unanswered with many questions at the end. Published in 1959, the novel basically relies on terror rather than horror. The story starts with Dr. Montage renting the eighty-year old Hill House hoping to find scientific evidence of the supernatural. However, Eleanor, the shy young woman who resides in the house is possessed by evil spirits. At the end, Eleanor dies but it is not explained properly in the book whether she was an emotionally disturbed young lady who committed suicide or any demonic or supernatural power caused her death.

The Amityville Horror – By Jay Anson

the-amityville-horror-by-jay-anson

If you are planning to move to new house, we suggest you to avoid reading this horror novel by Jay Anson before that. Published in 1977, the book is based on true paranormal events experienced by the “Lutz family”, but it has led to quite a bit controversy over its truthfulness. From Kathy feeling “being embraced in a loving way” by an unseen force to George finding bite marks on his ankles, the book tells you every worst thing that might happen to you in a haunted house.  True or not, this book definitely makes us want to hide inside the blanket after reading the book.

Frankenstein – By Mary Shelly

frankenstein-by-mary-shelly

Frankenstein or “The Modern Prometheus” is a science fiction by English writer Mary Shelly published in 1818. Based on a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein, Mary Shelly started writing this novel when she was just 18. However, though the book is a science fiction, it is indeed amazing to see Victor Frankenstein creating a monster and scaring the hell out of us still after almost 200 years from the date of publication.

Dracula – By Bram Stoker

dracula-by-bram-stoker

Imagine someone crawling through your walls and then entering your room to suck the blood out of you! Scary? Now imagine you becoming one of them. Even more scary isn’t it? This Gothic novel by Irish author Bram Stoker introduces us to the concept of vampires or the blood drinkers. Now it is obvious these days that we have seen vampires as a hot and happening character, but this novel doesn’t allow you to keep that image on your mind for long. Even after more than 100 years of publication, this novel is still one of the scariest and interesting novels of all the time.

The Exorcist – By William Peter Blatty

the-exorcist-by-william-peter-blatty

Regan MacNeil, a 12 year old girl was possessed by demons and it’s when her mother decided to call two priests who performed exorcism on her. Based on true story, this horror novel was published in 1971. The exorcism ritual, Regan’s unnatural behavior and the demon, we just cannot forget these three things even in the brightest day light when we complete reading the book.

People who love to read horror novels or want to test their bravery must read these novels. Now I may not have included all of them, but this one can be much of a help if you are a gothic fan.

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Books & Literature

10 Most Powerful Female Superhero Comic Book Characters

Being a superhero fan, I imagine sometimes what it would be like to have immense powers and then help people. We all have been fans of Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and the list goes on! But then there are a few female superheroes that are perfect combinations of power, humanity, beauty, and brain. Here is a list of 10 most  powerful female superheroes we cannot afford to miss:

She-Hulk

she-hulk

She-Hulk, who happens to be the cousin of Bruce Benner (The Hulk), is actually a timid, shy and low confident girl. Her real name is Jennifer Walters, a lawyer by profession. She was first infected with her powers when she was shot by enemies and Bruce had to give her his blood. Though Bruce tends to be a form of rage and destruction, Jennifer on the other hand was empowered both physically and emotionally. She became strong, confident, and rather independent post her transformation. However, she chose to stay in her transformed Hulk-form so that she could help those girls who could not help themselves physically. We love her for her this heroic move.

Captain Marvel

carol-danvers-captain

Carol Danvers or Captain Marvel has always been a deeply loved superhero from Marvel Universe. But, she rather had a pretty normal early life for a superhero. She grew up without any supernormal powers. But then growing up, she joined NASA, and eventually, in an Alien encounter, she got powers that included strength, stamina, and few others. She was previously known as Ms. Marvel for quite a few years but after a lot of struggles and hard times, she changed her name to Captain Marvel. She is indeed a superhero we can turn ourselves when it comes to motivation and encouragement.

Hippolyta

hippolyta

Hippolyta is a Greek God possessing a hell lot of powers. She was the Queen of the Amazons and was the first Wonder Woman before it was passed to her daughter. She defeated Heracles and created Themyscira with the help of her sister Antiope. However, Heracles tricked her by offering peace and then chained her up in his palace. Somehow she escaped from there. After that, she and her followers settled at Paradise Island, and there she fought against evil for 3000 years.

Black Canary

black-canary

This beautiful superhero vigilante chooses Martial Arts and a sonic scream attack to fight. Her real name is Dinah Lance. Born into a fighter family, her mother, Dinah Drake herself was a vigilante and her father was a cop. She is one of the most powerful and greatest female superheroes in the DC Universe. However, she fights alongside the Green Arrow and they are romantically involved. Who won’t fall in love with someone like Black Canary anyway? Isn’t it?

Storm

ororo-munroe

Ororo Munroe, AKA Storm is a mutant superhero who can manipulate the weather and flight. She was born in Harlem and raised in Egypt till her parents were alive, but was unable to have control over her mutant powers. And this is when she had to go to Professor X for help and she joined the X-Men. Thanks to her control over the weather and the flight, she is one of the most remarkable and powerful female superheroes of all time. Well, her powers and her abilities do make her intimidating and freaking cool!

Harbinger

harbinger

We loved Harbinger and yet we so much hate it that she has been missing from our comic book since she gave up her life to save someone else against Darkseid. With the ability to fly, manipulation of energy, and duplicating herself, Harbinger often gave the bad guys a tough time. Now we are glad that she is coming back in the New 52, but her superpowers will all be gone. Don’t worry; she will be able to control many technologies. With or without superpowers, we cannot stop loving this powerful female superhero. Can we?

Scarlet Witch

scarlet-witch

Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro (aka Quicksilver) had superhuman abilities. She could alter reality in a different way. However, she was not quite able to control her powers at the initial but later she managed to keep her powers in control. Wanda was initially anti-superhero along with her brother as a part of the Evil Mutants and fought with the X-Men quite a few times but they both abandoned their evil sides and joined the Avengers. However, with her ability to control reality, we surely think that she is one of the most powerful Female Superheroes of all time.

Black Widow

black-widow

Started off as an antagonist in Iron Man, Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow has a unique life journey. Even though there has not been a full-time movie based on her, she has got the most screen attention than any other female superheroes. During her childhood, she was trained specifically to be a spy for a Black Widow program and she was brainwashed. This is why she turned out to be a defective adult. In spite of being an antagonist at first, Natasha later changed her mind and became an active member of the Avengers. Now we love the way she kicks the butt of bad guys. Don’t we?

Wonder Woman

wonder-woman

The daughter of the Demi-God has got the power to put Batman and Superman down. This badass leader of the Amazon race has immense powers and has been a member of the Justice League since the day it was created. We cannot even complete counting the names of the villains she has put down over the years. She is an incredibly beautiful and yet invincible superhero of all the time. No wonder they call her Wonder Woman.

Super Girl

super-girl

Now how can we forget our Alien female superhero! She is a Kryptonian female Superhero who is extremely beautiful yet immensely powerful. She took down villains like Kryptonian Man, Silver Banshee, Metallo and the list goes on and on. Now that cannot be too difficult for a superhuman cousin of a superhuman superhero. Can it be? We all love Super Girl and we always root for something more from her each time.

 

Now here are these super girls who make us think twice about the myth that women cannot fight or women are weak. I mean look at them, are not they the strongest and most powerful? They are a blend of beauty, brain, and power. Here’s to Girl Power!

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10 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time to Read Before You Die

Now that it is a decade of all these technologies and stuff, there are a few things that haven’t changed yet. Reading books is one of them. Well, books have always been the key to one’s insight into knowledge and we all have read at least one book in our lifetime. Now here is a list of a few non-fiction books you might want to read before you kick the bucket:

A Feminine Mystique – By Betty Friedan

a-feminine-mystique-by-betty-friedan

In the era of the blooming feminism concept, The Feminine Mystique is quite an interesting book to start with. First published in 1963, this book by Betty Friedan deals with the amusing beginning of feminism in the United States. Friedan, a student of Smith College, was asked to interview her college mates for their 15th Anniversary Reunion, where she found out that almost every woman she talked with wasn’t quite happy about their lives despite having all the luxuries in their lives. This led Friedan to a deep digging into the matter and she started interviewing other suburban housewives. However, she found out that this was not only a problem of a small group of women but almost everyone was facing the same. Initially, she wanted to publish an article about this topic but no magazines wanted to publish the same. Eventually, Friedan published her own book. Well, we are glad that there is something we can look up to when we need some answers about Feminism.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – By Maya Angelou

i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou

Based on her early life, Maya Angelou penned-down this beautiful autobiography in 1969. This is the first volume of her seven-volume series where she tries to explore things like racism, identity, rape, and literacy. She called her younger self which is the main character in the book as the “symbolic character for every black girl growing up in America.” The story begins with a sweet three-year-old Maya and her brother being sent to live with their grandmother at Stamps Arkansas and ends with Maya becoming a mother at the age of 16. This beautiful book teaches you how to be strong and how your love for literature can bring a difference in your life and overcome trauma.

An Autobiography of Malcolm X – By Alex Haley/ Malcolm X

an-autobiography-of-malcolm-x

This biography based on the Human Rights activist Malcolm X was published in 1965, as a result of the collaboration of the activist himself and the Journalist Alex Haley. During the years from 1963 to 1965, Alex conducted a few series of interviews with Malcolm X and later he published these interviews in the form of a book. However, this book deals with Malcolm X’s philosophy towards black people and their pride, Black Nationalism, and Pan-Africanism.

The Second World War – Winston Churchill

the-second-world-war-by-winston-churchill

If you are an admirer of History, here is our Nobel Prize winner “The Second World War”. Published in 1953, Winston Churchill portrayed the period from the end of the First World War to July 1945 beautifully in the book. However, he used his own notes and scribbles along with some official documents but as he penned-down the book from his point of view, it misses quite a few details about the World War. But the book was a major commercial success in Great Britain and later was awarded The Nobel Prize for literature in 1953.

The Civil War: A Narrative – By Shelby Foote

Shelby Foote, formerly a novelist penned-down this non-fictional narrative history based on the American Civil War. It deals with the military history of America although it touches the sides of political and social themes at times. There are three volumes of this particular book- Fort Summer to Perryville, Fredericksburg to Meridian, and Red River to Appomattox. You definitely want to go for it if you want some insight knowledge about the American Civil War.

A Brief History of Time – By Stephen Hawking

a-brief-history-of-time-by-stephen-hawking

In an attempt to explain the range of subjects in Cosmology, the British Physicist Stephen Hawking wrote the book “A Brief History of Time.” There have been four revised editions of the book till now where he tries to explain the chances of time travel, wormholes, and also the possibility of a universe without a quantum singularity at the beginning of time. It has been a best-seller over time and sold more than a million copies in the last 20 years and it has been translated to more than 35 languages Worldwide.

In Cold Blood – By Truman Capote

in-cold-blood-by-truman-capote

Based on true events, “In Cold Blood” is a novel written by American author Truman Capote. It deals with the murders of four members of a family living in Holcomb, Kansas. In 1959, all the family members of Herbert Clutter were murdered in their own house and when Capote learned about it, he flew to Kansas along with his friend and fellow author Harper Lee. There they investigated the case, talked to neighbors and other people, and gathered details. After six years of hard work on the book, Capote published the book in 1966 and it was a massive success. If you are a fan of crime and true events, you mustn’t miss it at any cost.

Black Boy – By Richard Wright

black-boy-by-richard-wright“Black Boy” by Richard Wright was first published in 1945 which is basically an autobiography based on Wright’s childhood and young adulthood. The book deals with his encounters with extreme racism and brutal violence, which stays with him for the entire life. The book starts with a mysterious, rebellious boy burning down his grandmother’s house and ends with he trying to start a revolution through his writing.

The Diary of a Young Girl – By Anne Frank

the-diary-of-a-young-girl-by-anne-frank

It has been ages and we still cannot miss out on this one. The Diary of a Young Girl is actually based on true events that took place during the occupation of the Netherlands by the Nazis. Anne Frank, a 14-year-old girl, liked to note down her day to day life in a diary. During her days of hiding with her family, she maintained a diary where she put every little detail about her and her family’s life. In 1944, the family was apprehended but she died of typhus in the camp. It was her father who later found the diary and published it as a book in 1959.

The Interpretation of Dreams – By Sigmund Freud

the-interpretation-of-dreams-by-sigmund-freud

Psychology is one thing that makes us curious. We all want to go deep through it. So here is a book by Sigmund Freud explaining your dreams. This book was first published on November 4, 1899. Freud here introduces the theory of the unconscious human mind and tells us about how dreams work. According to Freud, dreams are our very own unfulfilled desires that we attempt to fulfill it on our unconscious mind. What’s more? Well, you need to go through the book by yourself to get more insight.

Bottom Line

book readingSo I have provided you some best possible options of books that you might want to go for. Read as much as books as you can and gain knowledge. As they say—“Knowledge is power.”

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Books & Literature

10 Best Historical Fiction Book of All Time

History is an interesting subject and we all want to know so many things that happened in the past.  Most of us find history boring but a good historical novel will always make you feel good when you are bored by those romantic ones. If you are a history fan, then we are providing you a list of the best historian books you must read in your lifetime.

The Twentieth Wife – By Indu Sundaresan

Sundaresan

This historical fiction by Indu Sundaresan is one of the most remarkable books in historical fiction. First published on January 29, 2002, this book won the “2003 Washington State Book Award”. The story tells about one of the most powerful Queens of the Mughal Dynasty, Nurjahan. Sundaresan describes Nurjahan’s (formerly known as Meherunnisa) early life, her love for Emperor Jahangir, and how she became Jahangir’s twentieth and last wife. Their love story is no less than Mumtaz and Shah-Jahan’s.

Regeneration – By Pat Barker

This historical and anti-war novel by Pat Barker was released in 1991. This epic work by Barker was nominated for the Booker Prize and it is regarded as one of the best four novels of the year published by New York Times Book Review. Based on the First World War concept, Barker took us into a life that was set in the year 1917, and yet we could no more feel any distance from the soldiers and their lives. It’s truly subtle and touching historical fiction.

Gone with the Wind – By Margaret Mitchell

gone-with-the-wind-by-margaret-mitchell

First published in 1936, Gone with the Wind is based on American Civil War and Reconstruction. Margaret Mitchell won the Pulitzer Award in 1937 for this historical fiction. The story tells us about young Scarlett’s struggles in her life to come out of poverty, who happened to be a rich spoiled child of a well-to-do plantation owner once.

War and Peace – By Leo Tolstoy

This historical novel by Leo Tolstoy was first published in the Russian Language in the year 1969 and then translated into the English version naming “War and Peace” by Nathan Haskell Dole in the year 1899. The story is based upon the French invasion of Russia and the effect of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society. This novel is known as the finest work literary work of Leo Tolstoy.

Romola – By George Elliot

romola-by-george-elliot

With her pseudonym George Elliot, Mary Ann Evans penned-down this beautiful historical novel. The novel was published during 1862-63 in two parts. The story of Romola takes place during the historical events of the Italian Renaissance. However, the history of Florence society is beautifully explained in the novel. It is basically a “deep study of life in the city of Florence from an intellectual, artistic, religious and social point of view”.

Affinity – By Sarah Waters

affinity-by-sarah-waters

Sarah Waters published her historical fiction “Affinity” in the year 1999. This novel is set in the year 1874. The story tells us about Margaret Prior, an unmarried woman from an aristocratic society who is an unhappy person. Her father’s death and other issues lead her to unsuccessful suicide attempts. Hoping to get over from her grieves; she decides to visit the female prisoners in “Milbank Prison” in the Victorian Era. There she meets Selina Dawes, a medium of spirits. The spiritual element in this historical fiction makes it more interesting.

Wolf Hall – By Hilary Mantel

wolf-hall-by-hilary-mantel

Wolf Hall is a historical novel published in 2009 by English Author Hilary Mantel. This is actually a fictionalized biography about Thomas Cromwell in the court of Henry VIII. IN 2012, the book won the Booker Prize and The National Book Critics Circle Award. There are two more sequels for this book. The first one is “Bring up the Bodies’ published in 2012 and the second one “The Mirror and the Light” will be published soon.

The Name of the Rose – By Umberto Eco

the-name-of-the-rose-by-umberto-eco

This historical mystery novel was set in the year 1327. Italian author Umberto Eco made his debut as a novelist through this novel. Published in 1980 the book deals with a historical murder mystery set in an Italian monastery. The book combines fiction, medieval studies, biblical analysis, and literary theory. The novel was first published in the Italian Language and was later translated to English by William Weaver in 1983.

A place of Greater safety – By Hilary Mantel

A place of Greater safety – By Hilary MantelAgain another masterpiece by Hilary Mantel. Published in the year 1992, this historical novel is based on the French Revolution. The story is based on the lives of four people from their childhood. They are basically doomed from the beginning but it’s the end that makes us cry.

A Tale of Two Cities – By Charles Dickens

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A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel by Charles Dickens published in 1859. The novel is based on the time during and after the French Revolution. “The two Cities” as mentioned in the title depicts London and Paris. The story tells us about the negligence of the French aristocrats towards the peasants. It beautifully illustrates the lives of two different cities’ people but also shows us the brutality of the aristocracy.

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