Hello, Readers!
I am looking forward to the first Golden Pages Book Club on Thursday, November 6. There is one copy of Threadbare left in the library. The other two books in the “Gilded City” series are also available. All the books have recurring characters.
The following list is a group of books that you may enjoy if you like historical fiction, the same genre as Threadbare. Keep in mind that all these books are based on at least a kernel of history, and many are much closer to historical reality than we might believe.
This list only scratches the surface of historical fiction in the adult section of the library. In addition, there are crossover books in both the Young Adult and Juvenile sections.
Benedict, Marie. The Only Woman in the Room. Did you know that Hedy Lamarr was not only a beautiful movie star but also a scientist? This is her story filtered through the genre of historical fiction.
Blum, Jenna. Those Who Save Us. Set after World War II, this novel focuses on the main character’s inherited shame and guilt over her German heritage.
Cameron, Michelle. The Fruit of Her Hands. The story of Shira of Ashkenaz, the wife of famed Rabbi Mair of Rothenberg, is based on mere snippets of history, as are the lives of most medieval women. However, Jewish history comes alive as experienced by this extraordinary 13th-century woman.
Carner, Talia. The Third Daughter. Fourteen-year-old Batya and her family escape Russia’s pogroms, but instead of finding freedom in the United States, she is tricked into the promise of marriage and ends up being sold as a prostitute in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, this sex trafficking really happened.
Edwards, Shaunna. The Thread Collectors. Talented Black seamstress Stella and New York Jewess Lily find themselves drawn together by the fates of their husbands, soldiers in the Civil War, and their stitchery. There is, indeed, power in women’s work.
Hertmans, Stefan. The Convert. In 11th-century France, Christian Vigdis Adelais, daughter of a celebrated knight, falls in love with David Todros, a yeshiva scholar. Can anything good come from this romance? Great local color as the characters travel through Europe seeking a safe haven.
Kadish, Rachael. The Weight of Ink. This is a novel of history, women, and Jewish identity. Using a split-screen format, the author tells the story of London Jewish life in the 1660s and scholarship in the early 21st century. The story unites two remarkable women through some rediscovered 17th-century documents.
Picoult, Jodi. By Any Other Name. This is another split-screen plot, taking place in Shakespeare’s time and contemporary New York. Under consideration is who really wrote Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, as well as the value of women’s creative work. The title tells it all.
Zheutlin, Peter. Spin: a novel based on a mostly true story. In 1895, Bostonian (but Jewish immigrant) Annie Londonderry began an around-the-world bicycle trip. This jaunt was declared “ the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.” Whoever dreamed that Annie Cohen Kapchovsky could and would do such a thing? Zheutlin is a descendant of Annie.