Manistee County Library's reads highlight time travel in unexpected places

Ever wanted to time travel? Historical fiction allows readers to do just that. These titles will take readers to another place and time to visit days gone by. The Manistee County Library has historical fiction for all ages.

Adults

•  In “The Underground Railroad,” bestselling author Colson Whitehead reimagines the horrors escaped slaves faced as they fought their way north to freedom.

•  Becoming a maid in the Vermeer household brought Griet to the attention of the famous painter. A wealthy patron is also attracted to her. With the mistress of the house distrustful and needing help with all the children and the famous painter finding reasons for her to assist him, Griet must navigate a life for herself in the 1600s. “The Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier brings to life one of the most well-known Vermeer paintings. This title is available as an ebook on our digital platforms or by request from the Michigan Electronic Library.

•  In 1327, Benedictine monks were accused of heresy. A number of sudden deaths turn the inquest into a murder investigation. “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco follows Brother William as he uses logic, wit and wisdom to decode clues hidden in manuscripts and the ancient abbey itself. This title is also available as an ebook or from the Michigan Electronic Library.

•  “A Long Petal of the Sea” by Isabel Allende follows the turmoil of civil war in Spain in the 1930s. Two refugees marry in an attempt to survive. A boat takes them to Chile as World War I erupts. Awaiting the day they can return to Spain, Roser and Victor begin a life in a strange new country.

“A Long Petal of the Sea” by Isabel Allende follows the turmoil of civil war in Spain in the 1930s. 

“A Long Petal of the Sea” by Isabel Allende follows the turmoil of civil war in Spain in the 1930s. 

Submitted photo/Manistee County Library

•  Unaware that a spy is among his closest allies, a South Vietnamese general is making a list of who will escape to America on the last flights out of the country. “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen tells the story of the spy who reports back to the Viet Cong on the new lives of the general and his group.

•  Nine hundred Jews faced down the Roman army in 70 Common Era in ”The Dovekeepers” by Alice Hoffman. Ancient legends tell us that seven of them survived. This is the story of four intelligent, passionate women who took refuge in Masada during the siege.

•  The War of the Roses puts England’s throne at stake. Set in the 15th century, “The White Queen” by Philippa Gregory centers on the mystery of the lost princes in the Tower of London and the woman whose sons may have been responsible. “The Red Queen,”the next title in the series, introduces the woman whose cunning and guile allowed her access to Richard III to sabotage his efforts and make her son king.

 •  Join the Habsburg Court in 1853, where young Sisi unintentionally stole her sister’s future husband. “The Accidental Empress” by Allison Pataki is her journey to claim her future and save an empire.

Young adults

•  The final book in the Logan family saga that began with ”Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come'' by Mildred Taylor follows a young woman as she moves from place to place trying to find herself. Her travels take her back to Mississippi in the ‘60s to experience the civil rights movement.

•  Travel to Madrid, Spain in the 1950s. “The Fountains of Silence” by Ruta Sepetys reveals the lasting effects of the Spanish Civil War. When Daniel travels with his parents to explore sunny Spain, his camera allows him to see a different side of the city. Meeting Ana draws him into further intrigue, forcing him to make difficult decisions.

Travel to Madrid, Spain in the 1950s with “The Fountains of Silence” by Ruta Sepetys who reveals the lasting effects of the Spanish Civil War. 

Travel to Madrid, Spain in the 1950s with “The Fountains of Silence” by Ruta Sepetys who reveals the lasting effects of the Spanish Civil War. 

Submitted photo/Manistee County Library

Juveniles

•  Telling the story of the Danish Resistance after their country was invaded by Germany, “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry highlights the heroic efforts of the Danish people to smuggle nearly 7,000 Jews to Sweden.

•  Spending the summer with their estranged mother puts Delphine and her sisters in a new and very different world. Cecile, their mother, has no intention of wasting her time with children. Each morning, the girls go to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. “One Crazy Summer” by Rita Williams-Garcia offers a glimpse of the turmoil of 1968.

•  Another view of pioneer life is presented in Louise Erdrich’s “The Birchbark House.” Set in the same time period as the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, this story centers on Omakayas, a little Ojibwa girl who is adopted when her family succumbs to smallpox. She lives on an island in Lake Superior. As the seasons pass, Omakayas does her part in the community until the invisible enemy comes again.

Staff at Manistee County Library are happy to help choose titles for a variety of time periods. Hours of operation and the online catalog are available at manisteelibrary.org, as well as links to the Michigan Electronic Library, Up North Digital and Hoopla Digital.
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