Historical Fiction Bridges the Gap
A Summer Reading List for the Soul
Eye Candy
It is a great compliment to have my novel, Ona’s Tears, compared to Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale. Her book is almost twice as long as mine, plus she took twice as long to do the research and write it—her acknowledgements were at least two pages long! One distinct advantage she had was the ability to interview people who were personally familiar with World War II.
By contrast, Ona’s Tears is set prior to the Great War, covering a pocket of Lithuanian history you will not find in many novels written in English.
“Historical fiction bridges the gap between abstract historical knowledge and lived human experience. By bringing readers into the emotional, social, and moral worlds of people from the past, historical fiction allows history to be felt, not just understood. Such feelings and understanding for people from long-ago worlds create empathy.”
History was never my educational strong suit. Do you actually know when or where the War of 1812 happened? That was always a trick question that many of us get wrong. Like me, a lot of us truly learned our history through sweeping novels like Gone with the Wind or Roots.
The Escape vs. The Reality
According to the charts, the most popular book genres right now include:
Romantasy & Romance
Psychological & Techno-Thrillers
Genre-Bending Fiction
Cozy Fantasy & Science Fiction
Feminist Horror & “Dark Academia”
Do you see a theme? There is a writing course circulating right now that promises to help you write a complete manuscript in eight weeks for $200. None of the trending genres above strictly require rigorous historical research or deep cultural perspectives. Instead, they provide a means of escape—and there is nothing wrong with that. It can be incredibly healthy.
But escape alone doesn’t bridge the gaps in our current world.
Bridging the Gap
“Our culture tells us to be unafraid of our differences and shows us how extremely practiced we already are at integrating the influences we all bring to the table. That should bring us hope.” — Anthony Foxx
Prejudice and class divisions will always exist among us. Is it possible for humans to live in harmony, or are we trapped in a cycle of the “survival of the fittest”? Miriam has given us some interesting examples of what we are up against:
The natural process by which organisms best adjusted to their environment are most successful in surviving and reproducing - We see this cold, evolutionary doctrine everywhere. Writers point to it in nature, where the snapping turtles and snakes in the woods punctuate daily life.
Often used figuratively to describe a situation, attitude, etc., of fierce or ruthless competition - We use it to describe our human systems—warning that Fashion Week is “survival of the fittest,” or arguing that competitive, “fit” companies are the ones that create jobs.
Left unchecked, it is a ruthless way to view humanity. But historical fiction reminds us that we are capable of more than just fierce competition; we are capable of empathy and cooperation.
One American Identity, Two Distinct Meanings
Right now, partisans from different political realities routinely misunderstand their fellow citizens on a basic level. It feels as though we are no longer operating from a position where, despite our differences, we share a common identity. The very definition of what it means to be an “American” has diverged.
Finding common ground means looking past the polarization to recognize where we actually align. Studies consistently show that the vast majority of U.S. adults broadly agree on practical, day-to-day priorities: the need for good jobs, affordable healthcare, a lower cost of living, and shared passions for culture, sports, and food.
How do we begin living in harmony? It starts with us as individuals.
In a spiritual context, harmony is a state of equilibrium—an alignment of mind, body, and spirit operating without internal conflict to allow for authentic peace. In a broader context, that individual peace ripples outward into world harmony: a global state of mutual understanding and equitable cooperation among cultures.
A Summer Reading List for the Soul
If you are looking for pure beach reads to help you escape this season, Oprah has plenty of recommendations on her 35 Best Beach Reads list.
But if you want to learn more about what we as humans—and Americans—have in common, I recommend diving into the Best American Historical Fiction list.
As for me? I am currently working on part two of the sequel to Ona’s Tears. I am specifically diving into two books to find inspiration for my Russian governess character, Stanislova. I’m hoping they will help me master the art of creating narrative tension (as suggested by that 8-week course syllabus!).
The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
A beautifully imagined novel told through the perspective of a personal bodyguard to the Tsarevich, moving seamlessly between the twilight of the Romanov court and modern-day London.The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry
A fast-paced modern thriller that weaves a mystery around a cryptic message left by Rasputin and the lingering possibility of an imperial survivor.
Summer is traditionally a time to “lighten up,” but my suitcase tells a different story. Alongside my summer clothes for an upcoming visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I’ve packed Ariel Lawhorn’s I Was Anastasia. It follows a woman pulled from a canal “with countless horrific scars” and is absolutely loaded with heavy historical detail.
It is definitely not a light beach read. But it is exactly the kind of book that makes history feel alive.
What about you? Do you have a summer reading list packed yet? Are you escaping, or are you bridging the gap? Let me know in the comments below!