I’ve been fascinated by historical fiction since I was a child when I read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and it absolutely captivated me. I appreciate how history cautions us to examine the present, so we don’t repeat the same injustices. After failing to get a literary agent for not one, but two contemporary novels, I decided to shift my focus to historical fiction. Inspired by dual-narrative structure, I wrote a novel set in both present-day San Francisco and 1876 San Francisco. That book, my debut, The Dressmaker’s Dowry, became a USA Today bestseller. I’ve since gone on to write two more novels, Boardwalk Summer and The Pilot’s Daughter.
This is a heartbreaking, yet uplifting novel of love and survival inspired by real resistance workers during World War II Austria, and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of Jewish families. It takes place in both 1989 Los Angeles and 1938 Austria. I love this book because of Jillian’s beautiful writing, and her strong sense of place. I felt transported to WWII Austria, where I became deeply invested in the love story between Kristoff and Elena. I also enjoyed that the modern-day story takes place pre-internet, where a newly divorced woman, Katie, does hands-on research to learn more about an unusual WWII-era stamp. Both narratives weave together seamlessly. I was lucky to read this book while visiting my family in Switzerland, surrounded by the beauty of the Alps.
“A gorgeous and thrilling novel… Perfect for book clubs and fans of The Nightingale.” –PopSugar
A historical novel of love and survival inspired by real resistance workers during World War II Austria, and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of Jewish families. A heart-breaking, heart-warming read for fans of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and Sarah's Key.
Austria, 1938. Kristoff is a young apprentice to a master Jewish stamp engraver. When his teacher disappears during Kristallnacht, Kristoff is forced to engrave stamps for the Germans, and simultaneously works alongside Elena, his beloved teacher's fiery daughter, and with the Austrian resistance…
This novel is based on a notorious real-life scandal: Georgia Tann, director of an adoption organization in Memphis, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country from 1924 until 1950. This heart-wrenching and affecting novel takes place in 1939 Memphis, Tennessee and present-day South Carolina. In the 1930s storyline, siblings who live on a shanty boat are taken to an orphanage, where they must survive cruel conditions. In the present day, a wealthy prosecutor digs through her family’s long-hidden history, leading her to a shocking truth. I love that this book deals with dark elements of American history, and at its heart is about the power of family ties. I’m close with my younger sister, and I love novels about sibling bonds.
THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT—Over two million copies sold! A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller
“Poignant, engrossing.”—People • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.”—Paula McLain
Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage,…
This compelling novel weaves the narratives of three female protagonists over two timelines in a tale of poison, revenge, and secrets. It takes place in modern-day London, where an aspiring historian, Caroline, spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from her husband’s infidelity. It’s also set in eighteenth-century London, where a secret apothecary shop caters to women who want revenge on the men who’ve wronged them. I loved this book because the grittiness of 1791 London truly comes to life on the page, and Penner has a great eye for historical detail. It was reminiscent of the Dickens stories I loved to read as a literature major in college. Also, Eliza Fanning, the young protégé of the apothecary, Nella, is a character to root for.
Named Most Anticipated of 2021 by Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Hello! magazine, Oprah.com, Bustle, Popsugar, Betches, Sweet July, and GoodReads!
March 2021 Indie Next Pick and #1 LibraryReads Pick
“A bold, edgy, accomplished debut!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network
A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised…
I love books that focus on little-known aspects of American history. Orphan Train highlights the “orphan trains” that ran from East Coast cities to the farmlands of the Midwest from 1854 to 1929, carrying thousands of abandoned children. Some were adopted by loving families while others faced a much crueler fate. This novel takes place in 2011 Maine, where Molly is close to aging out of the foster care system, and she must help an elderly woman, Vivian, as a form of community service. It’s also told from Vivian’s perspective as a young Irish immigrant in 1929, New York, sent by train to an uncertain future. I loved this story because it is powerful, compelling, and dramatic. Christina Baker Kline is meticulous in her research, she’s one of my favorite authors.
“A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer
Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship.
Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they…
This novel takes place in present-day Los Angeles and 1950s to 1980s Old Hollywood. The aging and reclusive movie star Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. A newly-divorced magazine reporter, Monique, listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. I loved this novel because of its unique structure, which includes fictional snippets of newspapers, magazines, and gossip columns. Also, Taylor Jenkins Reid writes complex characters with heart, and Evelyn Hugo feels so alive on the page, she could be real. The story of Evelyn’s seven husbands is both heartbreaking and beautiful, and it ties into Monique’s past and future in a clever twist. I couldn’t put this book down. Not only was it bold and exciting, it was a tearjerker.
"If you're looking for a book to take on holiday this summer, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has got all the glitz and glamour to make it a perfect beach read." -Bustle
From the New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six-an entrancing and "wildly addictive journey of a reclusive Hollywood starlet" (PopSugar) as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready…
In the final months of World War II, newspaper secretary Ellie Morgan dreams of having her own column, while also trying to uncover any scrap of evidence that her missing pilot father is still alive. But when she discovers a stack of love letters from a mysterious woman in his possessions, her world goes into a tailspin. Enlisting the help of her aunt Iris, Ellie travels with Iris to New York in search of the truth.
But Iris is hiding secrets of her own: in her past as a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl, her experiences with the glamour and danger of Jazz Age New York could reveal more than the origin of her brother-in-law’s alleged affair…she believes her actions in those days led to murder.
I’m an OB/GYN, passionate about adventuring beyond what’s expected. This has led me to pivot multiple times in my career, now focusing on writing. I’ve written a play, The Post-Roe Monologues, to elevate women’s stories. I cherish the curiosity that drives outer and inner exploration, and I love memoirs that skillfully weave the two. The books on this list feature extraordinary women who took risks, left comfort and safety, and battled vulnerability to step into the unknown. These authors moved beyond the stories they’d believed about themselves–or that others told about them. They invite you to think about living fuller and bigger lives.
Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.
The team attempts a new route up the East Face without the use of supplemental oxygen, Sherpa support, or chance for rescue. When three climbers disappear during their summit attempt, Zieman reaches the knife edge of her limits and digs deeply to fight for the climbers’ lives and to find her voice.
The plan was outrageous: A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, which had only been successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first large team, Mimi Zieman and her team would climb without using supplemental oxygen or porter support. While the unpredictable weather and high altitude of 29,035 feet make climbing Everest perilous in any condition, attempting a new route, with no idea of what obstacles lay ahead, was especially audacious. Team members were expected to push themselves to their…
