Great Historical Fiction about the World Wars

Posted 1 March 2016

What first drew me to historical fiction was an urge to try to make sense out of the two world wars. I now understand them much more, but I wouldn’t say I can make sense out of them… So much of our modern world has been shaped by these wars, from redrawing the map of the middle east to the decline of the British Empire and the rise of the United States.

It is challenging to understand not only the worldwide complexity of the wars, but also what it was like for the people involved. By wrapping the history in engaging stories, I’ve found that historical novels are one of the best ways to broaden my understanding of how the world got to its current state.

The following are my favorite historical novels about the first the world wars — in effect, the first half of the 20th century. I’ve written brief personal notes on each book.