10 great historical novels

The Observer’s William Skidelsky has taken it upon himself to list ‘The 10 best historical novels’. The usual suspects are present: War and Peace, The Leopard, I Claudius and The Blue Flower. There are a couple of surprising inclusions, too: Eliot’s Romola, for instance. And, of course, there are some glaring omissions — of which, more later.

Above all, though, Skidelsky’s subjective list suggests that historical writing is fashionable. He picks Wolf Hall at number 2 — a demanding book that may prove too demanding for future readers. And he also says a word for Andrew Miller’s Costa prize winning Pure — a slight book that may prove not demanding enough for future readers.

And so to the omissions. Here, for the little it’s worth, is a list of the 10 best historical novels I’ve read. It is Anglo-centric and predictable, but that’s because I’m a predictable Englishman.

1). The Empire Trilogy — J.G.