Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: 2011 Wrap-up & 2012 Sign-up

In January 2011, I joined the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge for the first time.  I love many genres of fiction, but my ultimate favorite genre is historical fiction.  I joined this challenge with the goal of reading 20 historical fiction novels in 2011.  I reached my goal by reading a total of 24 historical fiction novels this past year.  The novels I read were as follows:

1.  Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
2.  Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
3.  I am the Chosen King by Helen Hollick
4.  Sins of the House of Borgia by Sarah Bower
5. To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick
6.  Legacy by Jeanette Baker
7.  A Race to Splendor by Ciji Ware
8.  A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer
9.  The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Conner McNees
10.  When We Danced on Water by Evan Fallenberg

11.  Mary of Carisbrooke by Margaret Campbell Barnes

12.  The King's Witch by Cecelia Holland
13.  Queen of the Summer Stars by Persia Woolley
14.  Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
15.  Sea Witch by Helen Hollick
16.  Before Versaille by Karleen Koen
17.  Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
18.  Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer
19.  Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick
20.  The Betsy-Tacy Treasury by Maud Hart Lovelace
21.  Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
22.  A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (audio)
23.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett (audio)
24.  My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas

I read many excellent historical fiction novels this year, there is not a bad one in this bunch!  Which ones were my favorite?  Stay tuned the next week or so for my top ten books from 2011.  More than one book from this list is on my top ten for the year!

Twenty-two of these books were old-fashioned paper novels, while two were audiobooks.  The two audiobooks were books I had read in the past that were chosen for one of my book clubs this year.  I chose to explore them in a new format this time around.  Five of the twenty-four books were re-reads for me including Water for Elephants, Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, A Reliable Wife, and The Help.  It's safe to say these are some of my favorite books of all time.

I read a few children's historical fiction novels this year including Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie to my children and The Betsy-Tacy Treasury for me. The Little House series is how I started my love for historical fiction.  I'm now hoping to foster the love in my children.

It's no secret that I love to read historical fiction novels related to kings and queens, but I also enjoy historical fiction novels set in America (Little House, Betsy-Tacy, My Love, My Enemy, A Fierce Radiance, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, The Help, A Reliable Wife, and Water for Elephants).  My Love, My Enemy was the most surprising book for me this year.  The cover screamed trashy romance, but the inside was a quite good historical fiction novel set during the American war of 1812.  I would love read more novels by Jan Cox Speas and I hope they find a more suitable cover.

I very much enjoyed this challenge and I'm signing up for the Historical Fiction Challenge 2012 also hosted by Historical Tapestry.  This year I'm aiming for  level 3, Struggling the Addiction: 10 books.  I'm going to focus on the Victorian Challenge this year so I'll hopefully be reading more classics and straight non-fiction history this year. 

I'm hoping that I'll be reading more of one of my favorite sub-genres, the historical fiction thriller this year.  It is a favorite of my Kewaunee Library Book Club.  Now that the club is back on track after a 1.5 year hiatus, I can hope that we get back to some great books!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I was evil this month for my FLICKS Book and Movie club and chose two books for my fellow members to read. In my defense, I don’t get to chose again until next fall and One for the Money and Water for Elephants were both books I wanted to chose and both the movie versions of them come out before my next turn. Since we like to go to movies together, I thought I’d pick these both to see if they would be movies that my club would like to see together.

Jacob Jankowski is a ninety-three year old retired veterinarian that lives in assisted living. A circus comes to town and sets up across the street from the assisted living. The excitement of the circus among the residents brings back memories to Jacob of the time that he worked for the circus in his youth.

Jacob’s parents were killed in a car accident a week before he was due to graduate from Cornell with his veterinary degree. The plan had been for Jacob to return home after graduation and join his father’s practice. After his parents’ death, Jacob learns they had mortgaged their home to the hilt in order to send him to school. It is the 1930’s and times were tough. Jacob is in turmoil and is not sure what to do with his life. On a whim, he jumps on a train only to discover it is a circus train.

The circus manager, Big Al, is happy to discover he is a Cornell trained vet and Jacob is on the show. Jacob learns the ropes of the circus and discovers that the people and animals are not treated well. He also meets the beautiful Marlena and her moody husband, August. Big Al buys an elephant for the circus named Rosie that is unable to perform. This puts the circus in financial difficulties. Will Rosie save the circus? Will Jacob and Marlena find a way to be together?

It has been a few years since I first read Water for Elephants. I remembered the basic story, but I really enjoyed reading it again for the second time and seeing all of the details I missed. Being a few years older, I also had a different prospective on the “old man” parts of the book. The first time around I was bored by them, but this time around, they were some of my favorite parts. I think having my Great-Grandma in assisted living and then passing away made me think more about what it would be like to be an old person at the end of your life living in assisted living.

My favorite quote in the book is, “When you’re five, you know your age down to the month. Even in your twenties you know how old you are. I’m twenty-three, you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties something strange starts to happen. It’s a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I’m – you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you’re not. You’re thirty-five. And then you’re bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it’s decades before you admit it.”

This happened to me. I made fun of my husband for not remembering how old he is (he’s two years older than me), but then once I hit thirty, the same thing started to happen to me. I have to think about how old I am when people ask me. I often think I’m my husband’s age and then am relieved to realize I’m two years younger!

I also enjoy the great historic detail on the workings of a traveling train circus in the 1930’s. I found them to be fascinating and something new that I had never read about before. I especially liked the historic pictures at the beginning of each chapter. My book club also enjoyed this aspect of the novel. I think we need to take a road trip to The Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI. I’ve never been there before (I grew up in Michigan).

One book club member did not like this book due to the animal cruelty. There are scenes of animal cruelty that were very disturbing. Luckily Jacob didn’t see them first hand, although he heard them and saw the after effects. Author Sara Gruen gives the historic basis of some of this cruelty in her author’s note in the back. Sadly the real story was worse than the fictional story.

I myself was disturbed by the cruelty to the circus workers. The practice of “redlighting” workers by throwing them off the train when the circus was in hard financial straits is more than a little disturbing. I actually had to do a quick research online to see if it was true that such things happened after I finished the book and unfortunately, it looks like it did.
I am looking forward to the movie. What do you think of the casting of Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon in these roles?

Overall, I enjoyed this book all over again for the second time. It is a great story love story, a great historical fiction story of circuses in the 1930’s, a great story of life in your 90’s, and a great mystery (whodunit from the prologue). Water for Elephants was first recommended to me by a member of my book club in Milwaukee and was now passed on by me to my current book club. It is my first book for the Historical Fiction Challenge 2011.

Book Source: My brother-in-law and sister-in-law gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago.

Lunch with Sara Gruen in Milwaukee on May 4th!

The Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library will host the 2007 Spring Literary Luncheon on May 4th at the beautiful Wisconsin Club. The Friends are pleased to have award-winning author Sara Gruen as the featured speaker. Gruen made her fiction debut in 2004 with Riding Lessons, followed by Flying Changes. Her third novel, Water for Elephants is a New York Times best seller. The ticket price for the luncheon includes an autographed soft cover copy of Water for Elephants (or a $15 Schwartz gift card). The author will be available for guests who wish to have their book personalized. Ticket prices are $50 for Friends members and $60 for individual. Patron seats and corporate tables are available. Please call 414-286-8720 for ticket information.