The best books that make history come alive through storytelling

This 1964 novel aroused international reading interest in Africa, and it achieved this through the swashbuckling tale told by Rhodesian author Wilbur Smith. Awareness of the novel, set in the British colonial era, was no doubt aided by it being banned in my home country, South Africa. I was 14 at the time, and we teenagers had to anxiously await our turn to get hold of a battered (illegal) copy of the raunchy book from some of the more daring parents!

Regarded by many critics as being too “commercial,” this debut novel and the subsequent books dealing with the saga of the Courtney family led many, who were not great readers, to become rabid followers in countless languages. It is an excellent example of how authors make history come alive by placing interesting characters into those environments, then weaving intriguing stories that sweep the reader along through an age they might otherwise have had little or no interest in.

Because it is about my own, complex country, South Africa, The Covenant is of special interest to me. Michener uses an array of characters from the various population groups to carry the story forward from prehistoric times to the turbulent 1970s, illustrating via storytelling the interaction and conflicts between these groups.

The novel received some criticism for inaccuracies, but I felt it did a sterling job of giving non-South Africans a greater understanding of South Africa and its problems, which remain prevalent to this day. An array of characters ranging from scoundrels to adventurers made this possible, taking us on this journey through history, exposing the reader to an understanding of the daunting ruggedness, beauty, and physical challenges which shaped the formation of this country.

I have always been fascinated by the Far East, so when James Clavell published Shōgun, I was enthralled throughout all its many pages. It allowed me to delve into the mysteries of that island nation, so isolated by location and culture from the world I knew.

Years later that fascination was further enriched when I went to work for a Japanese motor vehicle company. My department shared a work area with the Japanese representatives stationed in South Africa for 2 to 3 years, so I was able to build some form of relationship with them. When I visited Japan on business I was privileged to enjoy that culture firsthand, albeit it much removed from the Japan of the Shōgun era. The bonus was to be exposed to slices of Japanese life not usually accessible to the average visitor.

If someone had suggested I find out more about medieval architecture and the religion and lifestyles of the people at the time, my response would have been that it is not really of interest to me.

Then along came Ken Follet with his Pillars of the Earth, and off we all went. He achieved this interest and involvement through his passion for the topic, outstanding research, and, most of all, by creating real characters and weaving them into that factual background so that it burst into life for the average reader. I think it’s safe to surmise that most of them held the same view as I did prior to this book’s publication.

As with the other novels in this selection, Robert Harris uses characters to make a significant historical event come alive. The central protagonist is especially relevant to the topic – an engineer responsible for the functioning of Rome’s aqueducts. It is through his actions and eyes – those of a common man – that we are drawn into this ancient way of life. 

The constant threat of a Mt. Vesuvius building up to erupt is interweaved into the storyline so deftly that it shifts from being a highly technical topic to an integral part of the plot. Harris excels at packaging so much into this history lesson – including the vital ingredients of mystery, suspense, greed, and even romance. This is a true historical thriller.