Historical non-fiction: Meet your new best friend for history

Now we all love a bit of historical fiction; it’s fun, helps us to escape and just makes you feel a bit jealous of the people who lived in that time period. But historical non-fiction? I feel like it’s had a bit of bad press for a while. For most fiction lovers, the transition is a little too much, as the non-fiction versions can seem incredibly boring, detailed and nowhere near as exciting.

The reality is that non-fiction gives us the truth. No bodice-ripping Tudors (although I’m sure there was plenty of it), no squeaky-clean Roman streets and no marriages-that-turn-into-love-stories plot lines. Non-fiction is a person’s interpretation of the actual EVIDENCE in front of them. Most of the time, this actually churns out a far more exciting version of the events we’re used to than historical fiction does.

So I’m here to fly the flag for non-fiction, and challenge the historical fiction interpretations that are sometimes very wrong!

I did originally write a rant about what was right and wrong in some particular books, but that’s not helpful. So instead, here are some wonderful non-fiction books that are just as hard to put down as historical fiction. Don’t be afraid to try something new!

A Very British Murder by Lucy Worsley:

A fascinating book that deals with the grisly murders of the Victorian age and how they gave birth to the detective fiction genre, the police force and public fascination. Lucy Worsley is someone I rant about a lot, but she is a gifted writer and really revels in the excitement surrounding the murders.

Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir

Anything by this woman is a revelation. She isn’t an academic historian, but has been making waves with her books and Elizabeth of York is one of the newest. Alison Weir is always clear in what she thinks, and this book examines Elizabeth of York’s relationship with her uncle Richard III and her eventual husband, Henry VII. Worth a try!

The Mystery of Princess Louise: Queen Victoria's Rebellious Daughter by Lucinda Hawksley:

Another amazing non-fiction read (with some pictures!) about Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter. Princess Louise was a talented sculptress whose feisty personality caused her to rebel against her suffocating mother. This book explores her personality but I was most interested in her childhood; it was horrifying to see how Queen Victoria behaved!

Four Sisters:The Lost Lives of the Romanov Grand Duchesses by Helen Rappaport:

 Those of you who follow me on Twitter would have seen me rant about these two books, as I have a real love of Romanov history. I can’t begin to explain how wonderfully written Four Sisters is. It examines the upbringing and characters of each of the four Romanov princesses. The final days of the whole family is examined in detail in her second book Ekaterinburg, where I ended up crying at the description of how the family were shot. Incredibly moving, but one of the most perfect examples of why non-fiction should be considered worth it.

Marie Antoinette by Antonia Fraser:

If you have a kindle, use it for this one. It’s like a brick and is the perfect tool for wacking wayward siblings who disturb your reading time. But it is also the most detailed account of Marie Antoinette’s life you will ever find! I loved the descriptions of her expenses, as well as her upbringing in Austria and how she adjusted to the stuffy French court.

Boy Soldiers of the Great War by Richard van Emden:

Last one! There were many underage boys who joined the army during World War One, and often the officials encouraged them. This book is a heartbreaking but brilliant account of these men, the atmosphere they grew up in and what they faced when they arrived in the trenches.

So history lovers, let me know! Have you been convinced of the merits of non-fiction?

Top Historical series (that you can find on YouTube)

So history lover, you’re bored on the weekend and have nothing to watch. Fancy some history? Then read on….

I’m a bit of a YouTube connoisseur, and it’s where you can sample the best historical series to watch in your spare time; I would recommend buying the DVDs though, so you can watch them all the time! I actually gave up YouTube for Lent, but on this Easter Sunday I couldn’t wait any longer:

Fit to Rule: How royal illness changed history by Lucy Worsley:

I LOVE this woman. She is so full of personality, and you can’t help but find her enthusiasm contagious.

This series looks at the illnesses that plagued our nation’s kings and queens, and takes a long hard look at whether this impacted their reign. Henry VIII’s jousting accident for example, did that alter his personality?

The series has a total of 3 episodes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuOCNpyMKJM&list=PLFB7rjiWdJs5KKg-xWdYLbvteSlvIPbiV

The Worst jobs in History by Tony Robinson:

This 7-part series is a hilarious look at the worst jobs throughout history, with each episode dedicated to an ‘Age’ e.g. the Georgians, the Tudors etc. The second series looks more widely at ‘Rural’ and ‘Maritime’ jobs. There is some seriously disgusting stuff in these, so it’s not for the faint-hearted, as Tony Robinson throws himself into demonstrating every job thoroughly….

My highlight had to be Tony Robinson dressed as a fish-wife being jostled through the streets and having an iron bridle put over his head. The funny thing was, he actually looked like one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4tTUXdK7-0

A History of Scotland by Neil Oliver:

Scotland has a more violent (and in some cases more interesting) history than England’s, and Neil Oliver is great in presenting it. There’s less demonstration than in the above videos, but I think Neil is such a great presenter that it doesn’t matter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTcJo4UHMw

Please note that at the time of posting all of these videos were available on YouTube!