5 Historical Fiction Books About Real People

This week, I am sharing five titles that tell the story of real people through the lens of historical fiction, a growing subgenre called biographical fiction. Often these stories are highlighting women previously lost to history or are revealing details about the subject that are not commonly known.

I love learning about actual people and the impact that they made on our world and find that these books are frequently more engaging than nonfiction can be. Authors of biographical fiction almost always include an Author’s Note detailing their research, what time period of the individual’s life they chose to detail, and what if anything was altered for purposes of storytelling. 

American Daughters by Piper Huguley – Piper Huguley’s latest novel, American Daughters, charts the unlikely and secret friendship between Alice Roosevelt, President Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, and Portia Washington, daughter of educator Booker T. Washington. When the two men developed a friendship, their daughters were unexpectedly brought together in 1901 and began a lifelong relationship that triumphed over race and politics. This relationship was kept under wraps due to the time period and drama that result from President Roosevelt’s and Booker T. Washington’s interactions with each other, but Huguley relies on both research about the two women individually as well as the time period to develop a story of what it would have looked like and how it would have impacted their views of what was happening with respect to race relations in the early 20th century. I found it fascinating to evaluate how much has changed from this time period compared to our current one and to see what has not. American Daughters is a timely read that will have readers thinking about what we all have in common versus focusing on our differences. 

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray – Stephanie Dray brings to life Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve as a U.S. cabinet member. Appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt as Secretary of Labor, she is the mother of Social Security and helped create and launch FDR’s New Deal. Becoming Madam Secretary is an enthralling story about a woman who would not be cowed by the men around her and who paved the way for future women to serve in high-powered government positions. I loved learning so much about her and her role as Secretary of Labor, her professional relationship with FDR, and the time period following the Depression. Dray includes an Author’s Note detailing what small things changed for narrative flow purposes. I highly recommend this one.

Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aimie K. Runyan - Claire Eiffel loses her mother at a young age and is tasked with helping raise her younger siblings in addition to becoming her father's apprentice and helper. She dreams of becoming a painter but sets aside these dreams to help her family and the family business including the building of the Eiffel Tower. Runyan vividly describes the complex designing and creation of one of the most iconic structures in the world including all of the planning and work that went into its building, including the observation deck, laboratory, methods of reaching the top, and the restaurants. When Gustave Eiffel’s subsequent involvement in the building a canal in Panama lands him in jail, Claire is tasked with securing her father’s freedom as well as preserving her family’s legacy. A formidable yet diplomatic woman with practical ideas, Claire was born long before her time, and I enjoyed learning about this strong woman who was previously lost to history. 

The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate – The Queen of Sugar Hill opens with the night Hattie McDaniel becomes the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind and follows her life until her death from cancer at age 52. While Hattie believed that winning this historical Oscar would change her career for the better, both the role and the award created more problems for her instead. Many Blacks despised her for her depiction of a subservient Black slave to the point that the NAACP waged a full-blown war against Hattie and other actors they felt portrayed Blacks negatively, and whites disliked her for being too Black. In the midst of the attacks on her, Hattie continued to fight for more roles for Black actors while also tackling housing discrimination and navigating numerous fraught romantic relationships. Tate brings Hattie McDaniel to life in a sympathetic but honest manner that had me rooting for her even when I didn’t agree with her decisions. This is such a fascinating time period in Hollywood, and I headed down numerous rabbit holes researching the people and events contained in the book. Historical-fiction fans will love this one.

The Queen's Faithful Companion: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth II and Her Beloved Corgi, Susan by Eliza Knight – This endearing and unique novel is told in three perspectives: that of a young Queen Elizabeth; that of Hanna Penwyck, the fictionalized Keeper of the Queen’s dogs; and that of Susan, the Queen’s Corgi, who was Elizabeth’s beloved companion. Susan is the actual dog that originated the long line of the Queen's corgis and her exploits in the story are fictional but based on real events and history. Telling a portion of the story from Susan’s perspective worked surprisingly well, and Knight weaves in fascinating details about Elizabeth’s early years while showing a more human side of the Queen. The Queen's Faithful Companion will resonate with those who have beloved pets or who follow the British royals.

If you want more book recommendations like these, check out this Page Turners article.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her award-winning Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram.