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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Popular Novels of Colonial Times


Have you ever wondered what people read in the Colonial era besides newspapers, pamphlets, the Holy Bible, and their church prayer books? Some people were avid readers, so much so they would surpass the most passionate readers of our times in the number of books read in a year.

Here is a list of popular novels of the 18th century. You may recognize some of the authors and titles. Of course you can still acquire copies of these novels in e-book and paperback. If you'd like to listen to them in audio format for free, go to http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/genre/Historical_Fiction

The Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan, 1678

Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel DeFoe, 1719

Memoirs of a Cavalier, by Daniel DeFoe, 1720

Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe, 1722

Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, 1726

Pamela, or A Virtue Rewarded, by Samuel Richardson, 1740

The History of Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding, 1749

The Castle of Ortranto, by Horace Walpole, 1764

The Vicar of Wakefield, by Oliver Goldsmith, 1766

Evelina, by Fanny Burney, 1778

Camilla, by Fanny Burney, 1796



Rita Gerlach lives with her husband and two sons in a historical town nestled along the Catoctin Mountains, amid Civil War battlefields and Revolutionary War outposts in central Maryland. 

She is the author of seven novels set in the Colonial Era, among them her popular historical drama series, 'The Daughters of the Potomac', and five-star romance 'The Rebel's Pledge'.


6 comments:

  1. Wow--I love this list, Rita! And thank you for the link. I'm definitely going to explore. It'll be fun to read some of the books my characters would have read!

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  2. Thanks for this list, Rita, and for the link! I have longed to read more of these books! Great to think about what is in our characters' bookshelves!

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  3. What a great post!!! I've read some of these but not all. Will have to get on the ball and read them. Thanks so much.

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  4. Thanks, Ladies. I recently began listening to the audio book for The Vicar of Wakefield. It was so interesting.

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  5. Rita, this is great! I was just thinking how I'd like to immerse myself with books of that era.

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  6. I always seem to create at least one character who reads in my 18th century novels. Thanks for this list. Always looking for new titles to mention (and become better familiar with myself).

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