My last Library Lines article was about a website for mystery readers called Stop, You’re Killing Me! (Pocahontas Times, September 6 edition.) What I forgot to tell you is that, if you go to our newly designed webpage at www.pocahontaslibrary.org, you can find a handy link to SYKM and several other interesting websites by clicking on the tab at the top of the page that says “Links” and then, in the drop down menu, by clicking “Books.”
I thought it might be fun over the next few weeks to highlight a different web page that we’ve linked to from our page. So, since I’ve already talked about the mystery site, I think it’s only fair to give historical fiction readers some equal time, and recommend the site Historical Novels Info.
I love historical fiction—the farther back in time, the better! This web page lists more than 5,000 novels from prehistoric times through the 20th century. If you can’t find something great to read from this selection, then I can’t help you!
In addition to being able to search by time period, you can also search for novels set in different parts of the world. The best feature for me is that this site is very easy to browse.
Interested in Medieval Europe? Click the link on the left side of the page, and you will bring up a new page with various subdivisions for you to explore: Medieval Celts, Anglo-Saxon England, Norman England, the Crusades, the Byzantine Empire, and Scandinavia and the Vikings.
Clicking on any one of those topics will give you a nice bit of history about the time period, and then a good annotated list of novels set in that time frame. Many of the books also have reviews for you to read, as well.
Another useful page is the Author page. You can click a letter of the alphabet, and find your favorite author. If possible, they will provide a link to the author’s own web page, which is a handy place to get a complete list of that author’s works, and a heads-up for any new books that might be on the horizon.
If you click on “Articles” you will see quite an impressive list of links to articles about historic figures, such as Boudicca and Sacagawea. They also have links to author interviews, which is an excellent way to pass a rainy Sunday afternoon. Author interviews are a great way to get to know these writers who bring so much enjoyment into one’s reading life. I highly recommend taking some time and browsing through the list.
So, the next time you’re in the mood to read a novel set in 1066 or a novel about ranchers in the Old West, you will know exactly where to go! And please, any feedback about our new web page is welcome.