Okay, Good Historical Fiction

I got a comment from Beth, who is a history teacher, about my liking what she calls "hysterical" fiction. By the way, she means that most so called "historical fiction"  is so bad as is not to be believed. She is not, I repeat, NOT mispelling, "historical"--though she certainly used to be capable of things like that, but I assume that nowadays she is very careful about such things so as not to be caught by her students.

I might also add here that Beth is one of my housemates from college and one of the people I love best in the world-- despite the fact that the Man adores her and would elope with her in a minute. Unfortunately for him, her husband is one of the most wonderful men in the world, and the Man doesn't stand a chance-- he'll have to settle for me.

Anyway, I have to disagree. Yes, there is plenty of terrible, trashy historical fiction of the "bodice ripper" genre.  But there is also a ton of badly written "history" out there done by scholars who are so anxious to show off their research that they fail to understand PEOPLE are reading what they write!

The best historical fiction is well researched and can bring a period of history and the people who lived it alive for a reader. And it does exist indeed.

There is a lot of good historical fiction for children, and starting next week, I will be spotlighting some of my favorites. But I want to start today with my favorite adult historical fiction writer, Lindsey Davis. Her books are categorized as mysteries, but the mystery is only just part of what make her books so worth reading.

Lindsey Davis's hero is Marcus Didius Falco, a Roman plebian living in the first century A.D.  He is a private investigator (term of the period: informer) whose work has him dealing  with everyone from the Emperor Vespasian to an exotic dancer who is uncomfortably fond of large snakes. His travels take him throughout the Roman Empire, from Britain (Falco's least favorite spot) to the Near East.

More importantly, Falco's work tangles him (literally and figuratively) with Helena Justina, a Senator's daughter who is his match in every way. Their relationship develops through the books and the interplay between the two is a delight.

But these are not the Romans of the paintings and statues found in your history books. These Romans are wonderful living characters. Falco deals with his nagging mother, his quarrelsome sisters, his useless brother-in-laws and his exasperating, always conniving father the auctioneer. And though his work may take him into contact with  Vespasian, he lives in plebian squalor in a crumbling sixth floor apartment, drinking bad wine, writing poetry and dreaming of a better life. Falco himself narrates the books, and his sardonically humorous style is a far cry from the pompous tones of most fiction set in this period.

Davis has done her research--if you read up on the period( and her books inspired me to do so) you will find that her Romans live as Romans did in the first century. But her books make you experience what is was to be in Rome in 75 AD. You can almost taste the greasy stew in Flora's Caupona, see the crowded, narrow streets near Fountain Court and smell Helena Justina's exotic perfume--not to mention a lot of other smells far less delightful!

If you have not read any of the Falco books, start at the beginning with Silver Pigs.  Unfortunately it is out of print in the U.S. (hiss, hiss) but hopefully, your local library should have it. If not, it is still in print in Canada and the UK.

The B.B.C. is also currently broadcasting a radio dramatization of the second book Shadows In Bronze (Silver Pigs was dramatized last year) that you can hear at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml    It is not as good as the book, of course, but it will give you a taste of the series.

If you want more information on the series and on Lindsey Davis herself, her website is www.lindseydavis.co.uk

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