Sidebottom, Harry. Lion of the Sun.

(Warrior of Rome, Book 3) NY: Overlook Press, 2010.

I take my history seriously so it’s always nice to find a writer of historical novels who cares enough about his craft to include another thirty-odd pages of commentary, context, discussion of original sources, and glossary at the back.

Abercrombie, Joe. The Blade Itself.

(The First Law, Book 1) Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2007.

It used to be, and not all that long ago, that “fantasy” meant Tolkien. And maybe C. S. Lewis. And then, around the late 1970s, a whole slew of new varieties of fantasy rather suddenly began to appear — darker, sometimes in an urban setting, featuring protagonists who weren’t especially high and noble, nor clothed in glittering raiment and carrying shining swords.

Cornwell, Bernard. Death of Kings.

NY: HarperCollins, 2011.

This seventh volume in the highly-regarded “Saxon Tales” series is a turning point in the saga of the creation of “England,” which could so easily have become “Daneland” instead. Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born Saxon but raised Danish, has been King Alfred’s war-leader for a couple of decades now, the victor at Edington and Benfleet, the capturer of London, the killer of Ubba (greatest Danish warrior of his day), and all because he gave Alfred his oath.

Hutton, Paul Andrew (ed). Soldiers West: Biographies from the Military Frontier.

Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1987.

This volume is exactly what it says it is — a collection of brief biographies of fourteen key military leaders who were closely involved with the settling of the American West, each by a different author. They’re presented in chronological order, beginning with William Clark, who may seem an odd choice to some — the Lewis and Clark Expedition and all that. But it all depends on how you define “frontier.” (Speaking to students, I’ve always defined it as beginning one mile west of Jamestown.)

Bujold, Lois McMaster. Cordelia’s Honor.

NY: Baen, 1996.

When I tackle new series — new to me — I generally try to begin at the beginning. Why make things more difficult for myself in figuring out what came before? The first novel listed in the multiple-award-winning “Miles Vorkosigan” saga, The Warrior’s Apprentice, though the first published, and which I read a couple months ago, turns out not to have been the first written, nor the first by internal chronology.

Turtledove, Harry. The Guns of the South.

NY: Ballantine, 1992.

I read this above-average alternate history novel when it was first published and I was impressed. I knew who the author was via his several earlier Byzantine-themed stories, which I thought were pretty good (possibly because I had some background in the history of that period), but this was his first novel in a comparatively modern setting. It was also, I believe, his first real commercial success. Unfortunately, it kind of went to his head.

Virgoe, Roger (ed). Private Life in the Fifteenth Century: Illustrated Letters of the Paston Family.

NY: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989

Not many people ever have heard of the Paston family of Norfolk during the Wars of the Roses, not even most historians. They weren’t peers at that time, though they became connected to several titled families over the course of a century. They came from the northeast part of the county, along the coast, where there were few large estates and, like many families in the area, the Pastons had long been free yeoman farmers, not required to perform much in the way of service for local lords.

Iggulden, Conn. Emperor: The Gates of Rome.

NY: Delacorte, 2003.

Ever since I first became seriously interested in history (living overseas at the age of ten did that), I’ve also been an avid reader of historical fiction. A skillful author, one who understands both writing and history, can communicate a great deal about the past and can do it in an interesting and even absorbing way. Someone like Cecelia Holland can put solid meat on the bones. But there are a few basic rules which Iggulden, a first-time novelist, seems not to have grasped.

Wooster, Robert. The Civil War Bookshelf.

NY: Citadel Press/Kensington Publishing, 2001.

Anyone who proposes to recommend the fifty “must-read” or “core” books in any field is going to start arguments — but that’s probably a good thing. Wooster is a long-time professor of U.S. history with a string of publishing credits of his own having to do with the Civil War, and his opinions are certainly worth considering. The problem, of course, is that the War is undoubtedly the single most popular publishing topic in American history, more than 50,000 works having been written to date. A couple dozen of those have been big sellers and controversy-magnets among the general reading public, and have won Pulitzers and National Book Awards.

Garrison, Webb. B. Webb Garrison’s Civil War Dictionary: An Illustrated Guide to the Everyday Language of Soldiers and Civilians.

Nashville: Cumberland House, 2008, 2001.

Garrison was a prolific author with more than fifty popular works published on the Civil War. Rather than extended narratives, most of his books consisted of short essays and sketches and collections of anecdotes and miscellanea, nearly always useful and interesting. This volume contains more than 2,000 brief entries on technical jargon, nicknames of generals, military equipment and weapons, fortifications, soldiers’ camp slang, regimental names, battles, and anything else the author had in his files.