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Historical Fiction June 2017
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The Hollywood Daughter: A Novel
by Kate Alcott
Jessica "Jesse" Malloy's father is a PR executive for Selznick International Pictures; her mother is a devout Catholic homemaker who disapproves of the film industry. These worldviews clash when Jesse's idol, glamorous starlet Ingrid Bergman, begins an affair with married Italian director Roberto Rossellini -- a scandal that places her father's career, her parents' marriage, and the family's livelihood in jeopardy. Although it's set in the 1950s instead of the 1930s, this coming-of-age story by the author of A Touch of Stardust may appeal to fans of Adriana Trigiani's All the Stars in the Heavens, which also features a young Catholic woman who observes a Hollywood scandal and the moral hypocrisy that accompanies it.
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| The Night She Won Miss America: A Novel by Michael CallahanA modern-day reporter investigates the scandal that engulfed the 1950 Miss America Pageant in this novel by the author of Searching for Grace Kelly. When studious Betty Jane Welch enters the pageant circuit at the behest of her domineering mother, she doesn't expect to win. And no one expects her to disappear. The Night She Won Miss America may appeal to fans of Fiona Davis' The Dollhouse, which also shifts between mid-century and present-day perspectives to reveal the truth behind a decades-old mystery. |
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Feast of Sorrow: A Novel of Ancient Rome
by Crystal King
Most Roman slaves are bought for a pittance; talented chef Thrasius has just been purchased for the unbelievable sum of 20,000 denarii by renowned gourmand Marcus Gavius Apicius. As Apicius' coquus (cook), Thrasius must create sumptuous spreads for his master's wealthy and influential guests. Such feasts are a key component of Apicius' strategy to achieve his cherished ambition of becoming Augustus Caesar's gastronomic advisor. But Apicius has as many rivals and enemies as he does supporters. Will his lust for fame and glory lead to his (and Thrasius') downfall? In addition to domestic and political drama, this debut also contains well-researched details of ancient Roman culinary traditions.
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| The Witchfinder's Sister: A Novel by Beth UnderdownWith the English Civil War raging and the country "falling apart at the seams," pregnant widow Alice returns to Manningtree, Essex, to live with her brother, the self-proclaimed "Witchfinder General" Matthew Hopkins. Unfortunately, in her absence Matthew has changed from a sensitive man young man set on joining the clergy to one whose mission in life is to put vulnerable women to death. Inspired by historical events, this compelling novel's leisurely pace builds to a dramatic climax as Alice gradually perceives the danger of the situation. |
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| The Movement of Stars by Amy BrillAn oddity in her 19th-century Quaker community, 24-year-old amateur astronomer Hannah Price searches the skies above Nantucket with her telescope each night in the hope of discovering a new comet. Her father expects her to marry (and soon!), but Hannah only cares about astronomy -- until she meets Isaac Martin, a black sailor from the Azores who asks Hannah to teach him the science of navigation. Loosely based on the life of Maria Mitchell, the first American woman to become a professional astronomer, The Movement of Stars is a thought-provoking and dramatic story. |
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| The Stargazer's Sister: A Novel by Carrie Brown"Save me," Caroline Herschel begs elder brother William, who rescues her from their family's home in Hanover, Germany and brings her to England to serve as his housekeeper and assistant. Together, they build an observatory with a 40-foot telescope and set to work cataloging the stars. But when William weds a wealthy widow, Caroline -- unmarried, penniless, and now homeless -- must make her own way in the world after a lifetime of serving others. Based on the life of groundbreaking 18th-century scientist Caroline Herschel, The Stargazer's Sister is a richly detailed novel about Europe's first female professional astronomer. |
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The Last Pilot
by Benjamin Johncock
A tale set against a backdrop of the international space competition of the mid-20th century follows the inner life of Air Force test pilot Jim Harrison, who in the wake of a devastating tragedy secretly accepts a high-risk offer from NASA.
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The Blind Astronomer's Daughter: A Novel
by John Pipkin
After astronomer Arthur Ainsworth plummets from his rooftop observatory, his daughter Caroline learns that she's adopted, a discovery that forever alters the course of her life. Unfolding alongside Caroline's story is the parallel narrative of the elder Ainsworth's rival, musician-turned-astronomer William Herschel, and his sister and assistant, also named Caroline. At once a compelling family drama and an examination of Enlightenment-era scientific inquiry, The Blind Astronomer's Daughter may appeal to readers who enjoyed Carrie Brown's The Stargazer's Sister, which focuses on the Herschels.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Michigan City Public Library 100 E. 4th Street Michigan City, Indiana 46360 219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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