Historical Novels/ Movies - 21 recommendations throughout history
List created by Van Sloan of vansloan@yahoo.com
This list coordinates with Sloan's leading civilizations list at http://sq.4mg.com/AppA.htm
Good Historical Fiction (as in the books/ movies below) connects with you:
“You can't miss the drama because 'you are there.' You feel the pain. You grieve the losses. . . . And you understand and remember. Maybe not the exact dates.” ( quote from http://www.sonlight.com/textbooks-vs-historical-fiction.html )
Items below are listed
in historical
period order, showing Civilization and Author in first box. Date shown is publication date of the novel.
|
Ancient Egypt: Mika Waltari |
The Egyptian 1949..... also a movie |
|
Babylon: Brad Geagley |
Day of the False King 2006....no movie |
|
Ancient Persia fights Greece: Mary Renault (for middle school) |
The Lion in the Gateway 1964..... 2 Spartans movies |
|
Rome and Alexandria: William Shakespeare |
Julius Caesar play 1599...... Cleopatra movie |
|
later Alexandria: Michael Deakin |
Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr (2007)...... 2009 movie Agora where Hypatia is seen investigating the heliocentric model of the solar system proposed c. 280 BC by Aristarchus of Samos |
|
Early Christianity: Lloyd C. Douglas |
The Robe 1942..... also a movie |
|
India's golden age: Kalidasa (great poet) |
The Recognition of Shakuntala (play) c400 AD.....TV episodes..see http://apni.tv/serials/shakuntala.html |
|
Byzantine Empire 700AD: H.N. Turteltaub |
Justinian 1998 (the 2nd, less famous Justinian).. DVD “Byzantium: The Lost Empire” 1st part |
|
Tang Dynasty: Robert van Gulik |
Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (translation of 18th century novel based on Tang person ) 1949...Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders (1974) TV Movie - 100 min |
|
Islamic Caliphate: Penguin Classics books |
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights c800 ... DVD Arabian Nights |
|
Byzantine Empire and Vikings 1040's: Michael Ennis |
Byzantium 1990..... DVD “Byzantium: The Lost Empire” 2nd part |
|
Asia of Kublai Khan: Marco Polo |
The Travels of Marco Polo 1300..... TV mini-series |
|
Michelangelo and Renaissance: Irving Stone |
The Agony and the Ecstasy 1961..... also a movie |
|
Mexico/ Spain: Gary Jennings |
Aztec 1980 .....Spanish DVD "The Other Conquest" English subtitles |
|
Tudor England and Reformation: Robert Bolt |
A Man for All Seasons (1960 play)..... movie won Best Picture |
|
Japan and Dutch traders: James Clavell |
Shogun 1975..... also a movie |
|
French Revolution: Charles Dickens |
A Tale of Two Cities 1859..... 1935 movie |
|
Napoleon in Russia: Leo Tolstoy |
War and Peace 1872..... also a movie |
|
Austrian Empire: Peter Shaffer |
Amadeus (1979 play about Mozart)..... movie won Best Picture |
|
British founding Hong Kong: James Clavell |
Tai-Pan 1966..... also a movie |
|
British in India: Rudyard Kipling |
The Man Who Would Be King 1885..... 1975 movie |
|
USA Civil War: Margaret Mitchell |
Gone with the Wind 1936..... movie won Best Picture |
|
World War II: Herman Wouk |
The Winds of War 1971..... TV mini-series 1983 |
For Van Sloan's ideas on how the above novels and movies could help in high school education, see http://sq.4mg.com/dropouts.htm - as in the sample below:
A core high school curriculum for all
All students in a democracy can benefit from the critical thinking skills that are emphasized in pre-college courses. Unfortunately, many students are discouraged from taking such classes. Their counselors consider the work in them too difficult. But suppose teachers found ways to make their pre-college courses accessible to all students.
For example, those who can't deal with the language in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet might discuss a simplified version in class. Every student at the same grade level could watch a movie of Romeo and Juliet. Afterwards, students across campus would likely discuss the social pressures in medieval Italy, just as they now discuss current movie releases. The important concept is that all students at the high school would have a Romeo and Juliet experience. The opinions of every student would be focused on the same social issues, and each should be given equal consideration, as in elections.