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Historical Fiction July 2023 |
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| The Postcard by Anne BerestWhat it's about: Over a decade after her mother received an anonymous postcard with only the names of her relatives who were killed at Auschwitz, a French woman named Anne decides to investigate where it came from, learn more about her forebears, and reclaim her identity as a Jew.
Read it for: the novel's compelling exploration of both modern and historical French antisemitism.
For fans of: The Ghetto Within by Santiago H. Amigorena; We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter. |
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| Clytemnestra by Costanza CasatiWhat it is: a suspenseful, descriptive retelling of Greek mythology, centered on the titular Spartan princess who later becomes the queen of Mycenae after being married to Agamemnon.
What she's remembered for: Killing Agamemnon in retribution for his decision to sacrifice their daughter Iphigenia to Artemis at the beginning of the Trojan War.
Reviewers say: Author Costanza Casati "makes this grim tale feel fresh through vivid imagery and nuanced characterization" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The East Indian by Brinda CharryWhat it's about: After 11-year-old Tony's courtesan mother dies in 1635, her English patron arranges to send the boy London from his native India. Along the way, he is kidnapped and transported to Jamestown, Virginia as an indentured servant, where he learns about the power of his own imagination to help him survive.
Read it for: the welcome moments of humor that Tony manages to find even in his dire circumstances.
For fans of: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan; Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. |
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| The Lioness of Boston by Emily FranklinBased on: the life of eccentric (and occasionally scandalous) Boston socialite, art collector, philanthropist, and museum founder Isabella Stewart Gardner.
Why you might like it: the vibrant, vivid world in which Gardner lived, traveled, and so shocked polite society is portrayed in all of its richly detailed, full-colorful glory.
Did you know? In 1990, the Gardner Museum was the site of an audacious heist in which priceless Vermeer and Rembrandt paintings were among the estimated $500 million worth of items stolen. The case remains unsolved to this day. |
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| The Friday Night Club by Sofia LundbergWhat it's about: the pioneering circle of Swedish women artists whose collaborations and shared passion for spiritualism helped kick off the abstract movement in Western art.
Starring: Hilma af Klint, Anna Cassel, Cornelia Cedeberg, Sigrid Hedman, and Mathilda Nilsson.
Why you should read it: Klint in particular left behind an enormous body of work that predates the male painters usually credited with the abstract movement (Kandinsky, Mondrian, Malevich) by decades. |
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| The Tiffany Girls by Shelley NobleWhat it is: the upbeat and engaging story of three women whose work at the Tiffany Glass Company will allow Louis Comfort Tiffany to make a splash at the upcoming Exposition Universelle in Paris.
You might also like: The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper; Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner.
Reviewers say: Author Shelley Noble "transforms the mundane lives of a group of working women into an engrossing and fascinating story that brings the magic of Tiffany Glass to life" (Booklist). |
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| Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renée RosenWhat it's about: the career of cosmetics magnate Estée Lauder and how a (fictional) close friend named Gloria Downing provided her with support, motivation, and crucially, entry to the world of high-end department stores that would cement her brand.
Read it for: the "us against the world" energy surrounding Gloria and Estée's bond, which persists even in the face of very real differences in their personalities and outlooks.
Try this next: The It Girls by Karen Harper. |
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| Glassworks by Olivia Wolfgang-SmithWhat it is: a compelling, sweeping family saga following over a century of the fortunes and misfortunes of the Novak family, beginning with the affair between an unhappy heiress and an artistic glassblower in 1910.
Don't miss: appearances by a charming handmade glass heirloom that unites members of the Novak family across the generations.
Reviewers say: "This is a radiant exploration of a complex legacy" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Partisan by Patrick WorrallWhat it's about: In 1961, two chess prodigies from both sides of the Iron Curtain meet in London to compete for supremacy. Behind the scenes much deadlier games are afoot involving resistance fighters, Nazi hunters, nuclear-minded apparatchiks, and a disillusioned KGB spymaster.
Read it for: the high-stakes, suspenseful and intricate plotting, and a risky forbidden romance.
For fans of: The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab; The Matchmaker by Paul Vidich. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Atlantic County Library System | 40 Farragut Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-2776 | www.atlanticlibrary.org
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|  | Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson
Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, Maureen Kern, Chairwoman |
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