Popular European Historical Fiction Books
Find historical fiction books written by authors from Europe for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (413)
11.
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute EN
Country: Europe / 
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Description:
'Probably more people have shed tears over the last page of A Town Like Alice than about any other novel in the English language... remarkable' Guardian Jean Paget is just twenty years old and working in Malaya when the Japanese invasion begins. When she is captured she joins a group of other European women and children whom the Japanese force to march for miles through the jungle - an experience that leads to the deaths of many. Due to her courageous spirit and ability to speak Malay, Jean takes on the role of leader of the sorry gaggle of prisoners and many end up owing their lives to her in... continue
12.
A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler EN
AustriaDescription:
Shortlisted for the Booker International Prize. Like John Williams' Stoner or Denis Johnson's Train Dreams, A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler is a tender book about finding dignity and beauty in solitude. An exquisite novel about a simple life, it has already demonstrated its power to move thousands of readers with a message of solace and truth. It looks at the moments, big and small, that make us what we are. Andreas lives his whole life in the Austrian Alps, where he arrives as a young boy taken in by a farming family. He is a man of very few words and so, when he falls in love with Marie, he... continue
13.
Abigail by Magda Szabó EN
HungaryDescription:
A teenage girl's difficult journey towards adulthood in a time of war. "Szabo is skilful at creating moments of heart-rending tension, often through exquisite, evocative prose . . . the novel has a devastating power" Spectator Of all her novels, Magda Szabó's Abigail is the most widely read in her native Hungary. Now, fifty years after it was written, it appears for the first time in English, joining Katalin Street and The Door in a loose trilogy about the impact of war on those who have to live with the consequences. It is late 1943 and Hitler, exasperated by the slowness of his Hungarian all... continue
14.
Abril despedaçado by Ismail Kadare PT
AlbaniaDescription:
O jovem montanhês Gjorg Berisha dá um tiro de fuzil e "toma o sangue" de Zef Kryeqyq. É A quadragésima quinta morte de uma vendeta iniciada setenta anos antes, quando um desconhecido foi vítima de um Kryeqyq depois de ser acolhido pelo clã dos Berisha. A Matança entre as duas famílias é uma imposição do Kanun, código moral que há séculos é transmitido de boca em boca nas montanhas albanesas (assim como na região de Kossovo).COm rigor de antropólogo, Ismail Kadaré vai ao fundo dessa fantástica codificação do assassinato como direito e dever e extrai de lá toda a fúria das tragédias. TÃo minucio... continue
15.
Accabadora by Michela Murgia EN
ItalyDescription:
The award winning Accabadora is an exceptional English–language debut, written with intriguing subtlety reflecting a sensual picture of local Italian life and death in villages during the 1950's. A time where family ties and obligations still decide much of life's ebb and flow. A must read for those who love a touch of the unusual. Formerly beautiful and at one time betrothed to a fallen soldier, Bonaria Urrai has a long held covenant with the dead. Midwife to the dying, easing their suffering and sometimes ending it, she is revered and feared in equal measure as the village's Accabadora. When... continue
16.
Adam y Evelyn by Ingo Schulze ES
GermanyDescription:
A las mujeres les gusta Adam porque él les corta vestidos que las hacen hermosas y deseables. A Adam le gustan las mujeres guapas. Cuando llevan sus creaciones, Adam las desea a todas y, a pesar de ello, ama a Evelyn. Un caluroso día de agosto de 1989, ésta lo pilla con una de sus clientas. En lugar de irse de viaje con Adam, tal como estaba previsto, Evelyn se marcha a Balatón, en Hungría, con una amiga y su primo del Oeste. Pero Adam decide seguirlos. Por Evelyn, Adam sería capaz de ir al fin del mundo; y tal vez tenga que hacerlo, pues Hungría quiere abrir las fronteras al Oeste. La huida p... continue
17.
Agamemnon's Daughter : A Novella and Stories by Ismail Kadare EN
Description:
In the title novella, a young man working for the state-controlled media agency experiences a vision of the ancient general Agamemnon, who warns him of the repercussions of his love affair with a high-ranking official's daughter, in a collection that also includes the short stories "The Blinding Order" and "The Great Wall."
18.
Airman by Eoin Colfer EN
IrelandDescription:
Conor Broekhart was born to fly. Or more accurately, he was born flying. Little wonder he became what he became. In an age of discovery and invention, many dreamed of flying, but for Conor flight was more than just a dream, it was his destiny. In one dark night on the island of Great Saltee, a cruel and cunning betrayal destroyed his life and stole his future. Now Conor must win the race for flight, to save his family and right a terrible wrong...
19.
Älä koskaan pyyhi kyyneleitä paljain käsin. 3. Kuolema by Jonas Gardell FI
SwedenDescription:
Katkerienkin kyynelten läpi voi hetkisen hymyillä. Ensin oli rakkaus, sitten tuli sairaus, lopuksi on vain kuolema. Jonas Gardellin ylistetyn romaanitrilogian päätösosa 1980-luvun aids-epidemiasta Tukholmassa. He olivat niin nuoria, heillä oli elämä edessään ja yhtäkkiä kaikki oli ohi. He istuivat kerta toisensa jälkeen hautajaisissa, ja aina heitä oli yksi vähemmän paikalla. Mutta kävi onneksi myös niin, että Paulin hautajaisissa kaikilla oli murheen keskellä kerrankin hauskaa. Paulin itse käsikirjoittamistaan hautajaisista sukeutuu karnevaali, joka saa lukijankin nauramaan kyyneleet silmissä... continue
20.
SloveniaDescription:
Alamut takes place in 11th Century Persia, in the fortress of Alamut, where self-proclaimed prophet Hasan ibn Sabbah is setting up his mad but brilliant plan to rule the region with a handful of elite fighters who are to become his "living daggers." By creating a virtual paradise at Alamut, filled with beautiful women, lush gardens, wine and hashish, Sabbah is able to convince his young fighters that they can reach paradise if they follow his commands. With parallels to Osama bin Laden, Alamut tells the story of how Sabbah was able to instill fear into the ruling class by creating a small army... continue