FAVORITE CLASSIC BOOK LIST

Here is a collection of the most beloved classic novels as reccomended by His Writers, a group of historical writers who are also avid classic book readers. I combined their reccomendations with Amazon's rankings and this is the list I got.

Happy Reading!

FAVORITE CLASSIC BOOKS compiled by Therese Stenzel

Top Ten in order of recommendation

1.   Jane Eyre

2.   Gone With The Wind

3.    Pride & Prejudice

4.   To Kill a Mocking Bird

5.   Wuthering Heights

6.   Black Beauty

7.   The Count of Monte Cristo

8.    The Secret Garden

9.   Sense and Sensibility

10.                1984

 

Other Top Favorites-Amazon  4 ½ stars and up

Rebecca

Little Women

Crime and Punishment

Anna Karenina

The Phantom of the Opera

Anya Seton

Katherine

Anne of Green Gables

Les Miserables

The Great Gatsby

The Blue Castles

The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Woman In White

The Brothers Karamazov

The Three Musketeers

War and Peace

Don Quixote

The Importance of Being Ernest

Wives and Daughters

Emma 

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FICTION

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS FICTION

Compiled by Therese Stenzel

www.theresestenzel.com 

Top Book Recommendations

The Christkindls Gift by Kathleen Morgan

Forever Christmas by Chris Lynxwiler

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens  

Authors Most Mentioned

Angels Everywhere by Debbie Macomber

The Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber

Those Christmas Angels by Debbie Macomber

Where Angels Go by Debbie Macomber

Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury

Maggie's Miracle by Karen Kingsbury

Sarah's Song by Karen Kingsbury

Hannah’s Hope by Karen Kingsbury

The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado

The Christmas Child by Max Lucado 

Christmas Novellas 4 1/2 stars and up

A Bride by Christmas

Montana Mistletoe

Prairie Christmas

Victorian Christmas Quilt  

General Fiction 4 1/2 stars and up

A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher

A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

A Texas Christmas Legacy by DiAnn Mills

A Wish For Wings That Work by Berkeley Breathed

Boo Humbug by Rene Gutteridge

Home Another Way by Christa Parrish

Miracle On 34th Street by Valentine Davies

Old Christmas by Washington Irving

One Perfect Gift by Kathleen Morgan

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

The Angel Doll by Jerry Bledsoe

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere

The Shepherd, The Angel, and Walter The Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry

Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes

ANGLOPHILE MUSINGS

BRITISH POEM

When I come home

Dear folk o’ mine

We’ll drink a cup

Of olden wine;

And yet however

Rich it be

No wine will taste so go to me

As English air

-Leslie Coulson

 

BRITISH BOOK-Fiction

HEARTS IN THE HIGHLANDS by Ruth Axtell Morren is a delightful read. Set in England and Scotland, the story weaves in an interesting backdrop of archeology and society in the late Victorian era. The romance is refreshingly written in a slow tantalizing manner that will keep you avidly reading to the very end. Warning—don’t start this book late at night, otherwise you might never sleep!

BRITISH BOOK-Non-Fiction

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ENGLAND by Susan Allen Toth is a must read for any self-respecting Anglophile. This true story chronicles a woman’s passion for all things English. Not just another travel memoir, Ms. Toth brings England vividly to life in description and settings but also in that singular passion that all British lovers understand. Come stand in the rain soaked streets of London, walk the paths of the Lake District, and take a trip to the seaside village of Exmoor and fall in love all over again.

BRITISH MOVIE

Elizabeth Gaskell’s WIVES AND DAUGHTERS is a deliciously engaging costume drama in the tradition of Jane Austen. Set in a richly portrayed society, well stocked with eccentric nobles and marriage minded mothers, the story centers around 17 year sold Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a respected country doctor. The well-ordered world of her childhood is complicated by her father’s decision to remarry. Molly’s faltering efforts to cope with an impossible stepmother, a charming stepsister, and a promising romance makes for an absorbing movie.

 

NEW SCOTTISH HISTORICAL

My new Scottish historical e-book, Bride of Thistleloch Castle is out on Amazon! 

Link: http://amzn.to/QOCwsK

 

A young English woman is thrust into the barbaric Highlands of Scotland—to a country that she has been taught to despise. But to stay alive, she must overcome prejudices that have festered for generations. She must accept that the God of heaven loves her. She must wed a Scottish savage.

 

English woman, Laren Stewart travels with her family to visit their relations in Scotland only to be forced into a terrifying situation. She finds herself bartered, wed, and widowed all within forty-eight hours. Now kidnapped by a rival clan, the barbaric MacLennens, and believed to be the wife of another laird, she is dragged further north to be held for ransom. Laren, a despised Outlander desperately clings to the hope that no one will discover her secret—that she was not wed to the clan chief. All she wants is to go home to civilized England and to save her sister from her same fate—but when the truth is revealed about who she is, all that will keep her alive is to agree to a handfasting to yet another Scottish savage.

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Therese Stenzel-British Historical author

Blue Africa

Forever and a Day

Bride of Thistleloch Castle-available on Amazon

Blog-British Missives at www.theresestenzel.com

 

 

CLASSIC BOOK CHALLENGE

I remember one summer ten years ago when my boys were little and life was all about sippy cups and diapers, challenging myself to read Jane Austen--I needed something to feed my brain and Dora the Explorer wasn't doing it.

 

I started with Pride and Prejudice and struggled to get through it, until I watched the movie, and then I could keep all the characters straight and loved the book. That summer I read three of Jane's books.

Lately, I've been missing that classic literature. I have piles of really good English historicals written by contemporary authors, but I miss the classics written by British writers whose mastery of the English language proved that they are indeed from the same island as Shakespeare.

I want to reread Elizabeth Bennett’s first refusal of Mr. Darcy, all the naval banter in a Horatio Hornblower book, follow the heart ache of Jane Eyre.

So here's my challenge--finish up the novel you're reading, then blow off the dust of a classic you've been meaning to get to, or have already read. Return to old England. Escape to a time when manners and exquisite speech meant everything.

I've just finished watching the BBC version of Emma--it absolutely transported me in time for several delightful hours.  Now I plan on settling down to read Emma again. With a cup of tea. And a biscuit. Or two.

With much felicity

Therese

FREE BRITISH HISTORICAL

 

 

 

FOREVER AND A DAY is an e-book that normally sells for $5.97 is a FREE download Oct 1-5. Here is the link,  http://amzn.com/B009467Z0O

 

FOREVER AND A DAY: In a world where position and rank are everything, can two souls stand firm in their desires and their faith?

In the courts of King Louis XVIth and Marie Antoinette, a storm is brewing that will overthrow a monarchy. Caught up in the maelstrom is a young girl, who becomes a pawn in a hopeless attempt to quell the peasant rebellion. But the cost to her is greater than she could ever imagine.

FOREVER AND A DAY is a tale of an impoverished girl who is forced to leave her family to live as a pretend princess in the French royal court to appease the growing unrest among the peasants. Unfortunately, pretending to be royal requires that she accept a betrothal to an English duke. Now living in the Queen’s House (Buckingham Palace) and awaiting her marriage, she clashes with the duke’s secretary, the man who could reveal her true identity. But when his life is at stake, can she learn to wait the Lord to give her the desires of her heart?

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British Author Birthdays

Elizabeth Gaskell

 

What famous British author do you share a birthday with?

Jan- E. M. Forester

Feb-Charles Dickens

March-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

April-Charlotte Bronte

May-Robert Browning

June-Thomas Hardy

July-Emily Bronte

Aug-Georgette Heyer

Sept-Elizabeth Gaskell

Oct-John Keats

Nov-George Eliot

 

Dec-Jane Austen

FAVORITE HEROS

FAVORITE HERO LIST

Complied by Therese Stenzel www.theresestenzel.com

Thanks to all the readers who responded to my question--who is the one hero who stayed with you long after you finished a book? I have read some of these books and the heroes will not disappoint you.

I have listed the top five, and then to make it easier for you to find a hero you like, I broke it down by genre. Enjoy!

Top Five Heroes in order of popularity:

1.      Rhett Butler, from Gone With The Wind

2.      Jamie Fraser, from Outlander

3.      Fitzwilliam Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice

4.      John Knightly, from Emma

5.      John Thornton, from North and South

BY GENRE:

Young Adult

Pony Boy, from The Outsiders

Historical Fiction (American)

Atticus Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird

Harold de Vries, from She Walks In Beauty

John Murphy, from Vienna Prelude

Michael Hosea, from Redeeming Love

“Nevada", from Forlorn River

Rhett Butler, from Gone with the Wind

Historical Fiction (English)

Captain Alex Randall, from Shadow of the Moon

Collin McGuire, from A Passion Most Pure

Fitzwilliam Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice

Jamie Fraser, from Outlander

John Knightly, from Emma

John Thornton, from North and South

Lord Damerel, from Venetia

Ruark Beauchamp, from Shanna

Historical Fiction (Biblical)

Ari Ben Canaan, from Exodus

Judah Ben Hur, from Ben Hur

The apostle John, from John, Son of Thunder

Suspense

Ty Buchanan, from the Ty Buchanan Series.

Fantasy

Roland Deschain, (aka Roland of Gilead), from the Dark Tower series

Thomas Covenant, from the Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series.

Wedge Antilles, from Starfighters of Adumar

 

New British Historical

The second book in my British Missive series, FOREVER AND A  DAY is available on Amazon for $3.97

In a world where position and rank are everything, can two souls stand firm in their desires and their faith?

In the courts of King Louis XVIth and Marie Antoinette, a storm is brewing that will overthrow a monarchy. Caught up in the maelstrom is a young girl, who becomes a pawn in a hopeless attempt to quell the peasant rebellion. But the cost to her is greater than she could ever imagine.

FOREVER AND A DAY is a tale of a impoverished girl who is forced to leave her family to live as a pretend princess in the French royal court to appease the growing unrest among the peasants. Unfortunately pretending to be royal requires that she accept a betrothal to an English duke. Now living in the Queen’s House (Buckingham Palace) and awaiting her marriage, she clashes with the duke’s secretary, the man who could reveal her true identity. But when his life is at stake, can she learn to wait the Lord to give her the desires of her heart.

 

Here is the link if you want to take a peek:  http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Day-British-Missives-ebook/dp/B009467Z0O/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346882837&sr=1-3&keywords=therese+stenzel 

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DEAR JANE

Just by accident I caught the second half of a documentary on Jane Austen. The show centered around how she is celebrated in England today. There is one day (her birthday?) where lots of people, men and women, dress up in Georgian costume and parade around. It was lovely to see the cotumes and to know that I am not alone in my love for her writing. 

That show started a craving in me to reread Mansfield Park. So I started last night. It is always an adjustment to read something written over 100 years ago, but once I get into the rhythm of it, I find I can read pretty fast. Mansfield Park is not my favorite of Jane's novels, Pride and Prejudice will steadfastly remain my all time beloved book, but I thought instead of reading that one for the tenth time, I should try again to get through MP.

Sigh, the manner of speech, the profuse politleness, interesting pursuits of country life absolulty capture me. And of course, Jane always weaves in one or two ridiculous characters to make the stories real.

So entranced by Jane's writing, once I even wrote out the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice with pen and ink on parchment, just to have a feel of what it might have been like to be like her. To walk in her "slippers." 

I guess you could say I am an obsessed Anglophile with Jane Austen overtones :)

TOP TEN BRITISH MOVIE LIST

Top Ten British Movie List

1. Pride and Prejudice (BBC version)

2. North and South

3. Wives and Daughters

4. Pirates of the Caribbean series

5. King Arthur

6. Persuasion (BBC version)

7. Gosford Park

8. Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson version)

9. Howard's End

10. Under the Greenwood Tree

FREE HISTORICAL BOOK

Blue Africa is a free download today on Amazon and for the next four days. Click here to get your free copy!

http://www.amazon.com/British-Missives--adventure-romance-ebook/dp/B008BMELJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1343514784&sr=1-1&keywords=blue+africa

Therese Stenzel

FREE BOOK!

Dear British Missives reader, you are getting the first peek at my new book cover for the second book in the British Missive series called, Forever and a Day...

This book comes out Sept 1. and I am so excited that,
 I am giving away for free the first book in the series, Blue Africa...
So for the next 5 days,
BLUE AFRICA WILL BE A FREE DOWNLOAD, STARTING JULY 28TH

Go to

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=1286228011

and type in Blue Africa and enjoy a book on me!

Therese Stenzel

To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, --safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable . . . . The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers. . . .of love. . .is Hell.

-C. S. Lewis 1898-1963

A Message From Jane

A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.
Jane Austen

Top 100 Romance Novels of the 20th Century

Top 100 Romance Novels of The 20th Century

by the readers of The Romance Reader. Here are the first 20:

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

2. Dream Man by Linda Howard

3. It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

4. McKenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard

5. Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Devereaux

6. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

7. The Bride by Julie Garwood

8. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

9. Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

10. Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer

11. Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught

12. Naked in Death by J. D. Robb

13. Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

14. Honor’s Splendor by Julie Garwood

15. Paradise by Judith McNaught

16. Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

17. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

18. The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss

19. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

20. Born in Fire by Nora Roberts