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A Writer of History

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A Writer of History

Tag Archives: Edward Rutherfurd

Favourite historical fiction author – Edward Rutherfurd

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by awriterofhistory in Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Survey, Top Historical Fiction Authors, Writing Process

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Edward Rutherfurd, historical fiction, Paris: The Novel, top historical fiction authors, writing historical fiction

Edward RutherfurdA week ago, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Edward Rutherfurd about his latest novel, PARIS, an absorbing saga focused primarily on La Belle Epoque and the first half of the twentieth century.

Edward answered questions about PARIS as well as a few about historical fiction and his writing process. You can read the interview on the Historical Novel Society’s website.

In the reader survey I conducted last year, Edward Rutherfurd was selected by participants as one of the top historical fiction authors. Rutherfurd’s website includes all sorts of interesting information including one he calls Rules for Writing Historical Novels.

Paris: The NovelParis : City of love. City of revolution.  This thrilling and romantic story opens in La Belle Époque, the golden, hedonistic age of peace and joie de vivre. Moving back and forth in time across centuries, the story unfolds through intimate and vivid tales of self-discovery, divided loyalty, passion, and long-kept secrets both fictional and true, set against the backdrop of the city – from the summit of Montmartre to the gothic towers of Notre Dame to the grand boulevards of Saint-Germain, from the medieval world of saints and scholars to the modern French ideals of liberté, égalité, fraternité. 

Books, books, books

05 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by awriterofhistory in Historical Fiction, Top Historical Fiction Authors

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Anne Perry, Barbara Kyle, Bernard Cornwell, Colleen McCullough, CW Gortner, Deanna Raybourn, Diana Gabaldon, Edward Rutherfurd, Elizabeth Chadwick, Emma Darwin, favourite historical fiction authors, Geraldine Brooks, Harry Sidebottom, Helen Hollick, Hilary Mantel, historical fiction survey, Jacqueline Winspear, John Jakes, Ken Follett, Lindsey Davis, Margaret George, Michelle Moran, Sarah Dunant, Sarah Waters, Sharon Kay Penman, Susan Higginbotham

After conducting the historical fiction survey and discovering a bunch of favourite authors, I decided that I should read as many of them as possible – not all their work but at least one book each. In some cases – Philippa Gregory is an example – I had already experienced the author but others, like CW Gortner or Deanna Raybourn, were unknown to me. So here’s my progress on the top 40, by the way, I’m concentrating on living authors.

READ OR READING

  • Sharon Kay Penman – Time and Chance
  • Philippa Gregory – the latest was Fallen Skies (an early work set in post-WWI times)
  • Elizabeth Chadwick – The Running Vixen
  • Bernard Cornwell – Sword Song
  • Ken Follett – Fall of Giants
  • CW Gortner – The Last Queen and The Queen’s Vow
  • Michelle Moran – Cleopatra’s Daughter
  • Susan Higginbotham – Traitor’s Wife
  • Helen Hollick – Forever Queen
  • Anne Perry – The Sheen on the Silk
  • Geraldine Brooks – People of the Book
  • Jacqueline Winspear – Maisie Dobbs
  • Deanna Raybourn – Silent in the Sanctuary and Silent in the Grave

TO BE READ

  • Diana Gabaldon – one of her Lord John Grey series (since I’ve read almost all of Outlander)
  • Alison Weir – Mistress of the Monarchy (a new author for me)
  • Margaret George – Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles (such a tragic figure)
  • CJ Sansom – Heartstone (one of his Matthew Shardlake series)
  • Tracy Chevalier – The Virgin Blue (interweaving present and past)
  • Hilary Mantel – Bring up the Bodies (completing the Wolf Hall story)
  • Sarah Dunant – Sacred Hearts (set in a 16th Italian convent)
  • Colleen McCullough – The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet (haven’t read this Australian author since The Thorn Birds)
  • Lindsey Davis – The Course of Honour (another new author)
  • Edward Rutherfurd – Dublin (who can resist Dublin?)
  • Sarah Waters – The Night Watch (WWII is up my alley)
  • Jean Auel – I’ve read them all (no pun intended)
  • John Jakes – On Secret Service (because I enjoy spies)

I have my work cut out for me. I’ll be trying to figure out what makes them such favourites.

PS – I’ve also read The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin, Fire in the East by Harry Sidebottom and The King’s Daughter by Barbara Kyle.

Top Historical Fiction Authors – Further News

27 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by awriterofhistory in Historical Fiction Survey

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Edward Rutherfurd, Lisa See, reading the past, Sarah Dunant, top historical fiction authors, Tracy Chevalier

Did your mother ever tell you that haste makes waste?

Yesterday, after posting the top historical fiction authors, I checked the comments at Reading the Past where Sarah Johnson had also mentioned the top 20, and found a query about Tracy Chevalier. Interesting point, I thought. I certainly loved the two of her books that I read. Perhaps she missed the cutoff point. I decided to check.

I am embarrassed to say that the methodology I used for counting was not sufficiently thorough. As a result, I have now completely redone the count with the assistance of my Excel savvy, and very patient, husband.

Tracy Chevalier along with Sarah Dunant, Lisa See and Edward Rutherfurd should have been included.

Revised Top Authors Lists

Forty names in total. All but Alan Furst, Kate Quinn and Julia Quinn remain on the list in roughly the same order. Congratulations to those who have been added.

  • a few author counts have gone up or down
  • readers chose 29 female authors and 11 male authors
  • as an update to what I reported yesterday, 14 of 58 Cornwell mentions are men; 8 of 37 Follett mentions are men
  • overall, men offered fewer favourites than women (which made counting their entries easier)

Every author mentioned by every survey participant is now accurately reflected in a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet. That’s 2366 names that I can sort and count for future purposes.

I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused to Sarah Johnson who graciously hosted yesterday’s list.

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