5 Perfect Pairings of History and Historical Fiction

The Aubrey-Maturin Series, by Patrick O’Brian
Patrick O’Brian was famed for the incredible research and detail he put into his adventure novels set during the Napoleonic Wars. In fact, the books are so detailed first-time readers typically spend early chapters somewhat alarmed, while long-time fans tend to have a surprising grasp of the customs of the British Navy and life in general during the early 19th century. For those who want to gain a comfort level with the books while also building on the seafaring expertise they offer, A History of the Royal Navy: The Napoleonic Wars, by Martin Robson is an excellent choice to learn more about how the British Navy came to be, for a time, the most powerful military force in the world. Another essential reference would be Dean King’s A Sea of Words, which collects all the terms O’Brian flings about with wild abandon and defines them for you.

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Recently making waves as a TV miniseries, Hilary Mantel’s award-winning historical novel focuses on a man who often gets overlooked: Thomas Cromwell, who became one of King Henry VIII’s closest advisors and one of the chief architects of the early Church of England. He was also a man executed by his king in 1540 for treason—an execution Henry, perhaps the moodiest autocratic ruler in history, later regretted. If you’re not up on your Tudor-era history, or if you’ve always been distracted by Henry VIII’s oversized personality (and marriages) when reading other history books, try Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman. This book brings Cromwell and his scheming to life while making the historical era accessible and relatable to a modern audience.

I, Claudius, by Robert Graves
I, Claudius remains one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever produced, creating a character out of one of Rome’s earliest (and least noticed) emperors: the feeble, stuttering Claudius. While the book is impeccably researched and offers a truly remarkable amount of information about the times and the way the Roman Empire was stiffening into the Principate, one of the best ways to augment your enjoyment of this amazing book is to go back to the source: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, by C. Suetonius Tranquillus. Filled with gossip, personal opinion, and firsthand knowledge (it was written in 121 AD, just a century and a half or so from the death of Julius Caesar), it’s regarded as largely reliable and provides an incredible amount of detail about Caesar and the first 11 emperors who followed him, including Claudius.

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
Another historical fiction currently enjoying success on TV, Outlander kicked off a series that spans several genres and centuries and mines incredible drama and surprise from an often-overlooked area of history, namely 18th-century Scotland, not long after the Acts of Union formed the United Kingdom. For those thrilled by the romance, adventure, and tinge of science fiction found in these great books, the complexity of Scottish society and politics at the time might be a bit overwhelming. To cure that, Scotland: A Concise History, by Fitzroy Maclean, is an ideal resource. While it covers a much wider field of history than that seen in Outlander, it offers a solid grounding for understanding the opinions, actions, and prejudices of the characters.

The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton
This immense and immensely entertaining novel by Catton has gotten as much publicity for its unexpected setting (mid-1860s gold rush New Zealand) as for its unique structure and approach. For most non–New Zealanders, the gold rush in Otago is likely a complete unknown, and while Catton does an amazing job of filling us in on the makeup of society and the motivations of the people involved, a good bit of backstory on New Zealand is in orde. You can find it in A History of Australia and New Zealand, by Alexander Sutherland. A great book providing a more in-depth look at the gold rush itself is Diggers, Hatters, and Whores, by Stevan Eldred-Grigg.