M. G. Haynes

Gates of Fire* by Steven Pressfield

Hands-down my favorite work of historical fiction. This gripping tale of the Battle of Thermopylae—as told from the inside, so-to-speak—includes unique insights into the minds of ancient warriors, parents, and citizens. This is a must-read for anyone trying to understand how the Spartans approached life, death, and duty to their state. A wonderful work of fiction that nonetheless illuminates a world of which we can barely even conceive.

Shogun* by James Clavell

The first real work of historical fiction I remember encountering after viewing the mini-series derived from this novel in the 80s. Truly fascinating and provides a ton of insight into the world of pre-Tokugawa Japan, and the foundation of modern Japanese society. Having purchased a paperback copy of this book at the age of 16, I read and re-read this book so many time I literally read the cover off of it and needed to buy a new copy! Helps to explain, perhaps, my subsequent love of East Asian history and the cultures that frame it.

Aztec* by Gary Jennings

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of historical fiction written about the Aztecs, so I picked this up out of pure curiosity. But found myself instantly hooked, unable to put the book down for days on end, it seemed. The descriptions of life, the concerns of the people of the time, the vivid scenic backdrop all came into sharp relief in a way I found incredible. A truly great read, and something very, VERY different from other works in the often Euro-centric historical fiction genre.

Musashi* by Eiji Yoshikawa

My favorite book by a Japanese author, it’s a great work of historical fiction taking place at a pivotal time in Japan’s history. The rare descriptions of life in early Edo Period Japan offer incredible insights, and the story really brings out the uniqueness of the setting.

Samurai Invasion: Japan’s Korean War 1592-98* by Stephen Turnbull

Those of you who know me well, or have just paid attention to the blog posts, know I’m absolutely addicted to stories and the history surrounding Japan’s invasion of Korea at the end of the 16th Century AD. This book is the first of three that provide a top-down look at the war and is a phenomenal resource for beginners to the conflict. Being well-annotated, it offers a great jumping-off point for follow-on research and helped me to find multiple other books on the subject (including the following two entries). Covering the war more-or-less from the Japanese perspective, it nonetheless allows for a baseline understanding of the conflict, in turn providing great insight into continued tension between the Korea, Japan, and China, the war’s three antagonists.

The Imjin War* by Samuel Hawley

Found this after reading Turnbull’s account and was not in the least disappointed. Using more Korea sources, this work offers quite a bit more depth, evidenced by the size of this book. It is quite a tome, but highly recommended to understand the myriad details that made the conflict so fascinating. Hawley’s work dives deep and does a great job of bringing out all sides of the conflict in a comprehensive manner and added greatly to my own understanding of that pivotal East Asian conflict.

A Dragon’s Head and a Serpent’s Tail* by Kenneth Swope

The third major work on Japan’s invasion of Korea, this one provided a much-needed Chinese point-of-view. While the Korea episode was a fairly minor event for the Ming Dynasty, it ended up having rather profound effect, contributing to an already-shaky government and thus the eventual downfall of that dynasty. This work helps bring that out, as well as how the Chinese fighting in Korea viewed their enemy, their allies, and the world around them.

Attacks* by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

The record of Rommel’s exploits in the Italian theater during the First World War, this book captured my imagination early, highlighting the tactical genius that would later become the vaunted “Desert Fox”. Far from the stagnant butchery on the Western Front, Rommel’s operations in Italy were fluid and decisive, often achieving results far beyond stated objectives. A truly great read for the military enthusiast!

Shadows in the Desert* by Dr. Kaveh Farrokh

As much as Iran is vilified today, the Persian culture that underlies the thoughts, actions, and viewpoints of modern Iranians has a deep, rich history all its own. This work provides an incredible look into the width and breadth of successive Persian empires and how the unique experiences of each shaped that of the following regime. A tremendous resource, this book contains so much of what the average modern human should know about the Persian people and history.

Okinawa: The History of an Island People* by George Kerr

After visiting Okinawa for the first time, I resolved to find out more about what was clearly a distinct culture from the Japan in which I was stationed. This was the first book I found that laid out the rich history of Okinawa and the RyuKyu Kingdom(s) that preceded the invasion by Japan and eventual inclusion as a part of that nation’s polity. This work provides information to help make sense of the multiple layers of historical baggage that complicate all modern issues on the island, still Japan’s poorest prefecture. A must-read for anyone dealing with modern Japanese politics or with interest in the US-Japan Alliance.

A Storm of Spears* by Christopher Matthew

Bought this on a whim, mainly because I have an abiding interest in how the hoplites of classical Greece lived and fought. What I found as I devoured this modest work is a modern soldier with a similar fascination carrying out experiments to either verify or debunk long-standing depictions of this unique way of fighting. More to the point, the more I read, the more it made sense and has profoundly changed the way I now view battles like Thermopylae, Marathon, and Plataea. If you follow the ancient Greeks, you’ve got to check this out!

The Gates of Power* by Mikael Adolphson

A great work covering the rise of monks, and armed religious sects during Japan’s pivotal Warring States period. An eye-opening work on how the great temples of the Kansai region grew in power and began to exert influence over successive emperors and state bureaucracy. The work helps to explain military campaigns and virtual purges of many of these sects by Japan’s first two unifiers, Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The Ancient Celts* by Barry Cunliffe

I bought this to provide background research while working on my second novel Q.Fulvius: Debt of Dishonor. Turned out to be a fascinating look at the wide-range of Celtic history and culture from Ireland to Turkey. Intended only for research—and really only the parts most pertinent to the early Celtic experience with the Romans—I devoured the entire work. If the Celtic world interests you at all, you need to read this book Well-written and utterly fascinating.

General Patton’s Principles For Life & Leadership* by Porter Williamson

My parents gave me this thin book as a thirteenth birthday present and—without trying to be overly dramatic—it changed my life. Even at that age I understood the wisdom contained in the iconic general’s more colorful admonitions and worked to apply those principles to my life. To a certain degree, I’ve never stopped, and continue to follow the words imparted to me over three decades ago. Highly recommended!

Pashtun Tales from the Pakistan-Afghan Frontier* by Aisha Ahmad & Roger Boase

Before deploying to Afghanistan I wanted to learn as much as possible about the Pashtun people. Studying the stories that a culture tells its children always provides insight into what they deem important, what behavior seems admirable, and what represents despicable or amoral behavior. This book provided all that and more, a fascinating window to Pashtun culture and values embedded within a fun set of stories and legends.

Persian Fire* by Tom Holland

By now you probably get that I’m fascinated by the Achaemenid Persians and how they came to be the world’s first real superpower. Holland here offers a great read and a lot of insight into that period and that ancient people. Fascinating, with lots of new insights into what made the Persians tick, and ultimately what made them march west…and north, and east, and south.

We Were Soldiers Once…and Young* by Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway

Not much more I can say about this that hasn’t already been said. Phenomenal story of hubris, courage, adversity, compassion, and an unwillingness to give up in the face of insurmountable odds. If you like gritty accounts of combat as seen through the eyes of those who were there, you need to read this book.

Korean Folk & Fairy Tales* by Suzanne Crowder Han

Again, if you want to learn a culture, start with the stories they tell their children. This delightful collection of old Korean stories does a wonderful job not only of highlighting lessons to the young, but helping to explain other, more adult phenomenon as well. It also provides a ton of references that pop up in Korean slang that otherwise will pass by unnoticed and misunderstood. A great source for anyone studying the Korean language and culture. A wonderful set of stories for those of you who just like reading folk tales from different cultures.

The Ancient City* by Peter Connolly and Hazel Dodge

As an author—and one that tries to visualize and convey the sights, sounds, and smells of the ancient world—this book has been irreplaceable. Providing phenomenal artist’s renderings of ancient Athens and Rome, the more you read, the more you enjoy the visual feast, the more you swear you can smell the doormice roasting! If you’re addicted to ancient history and the ancient world, your library NEEDS this book.

Red Storm Rising* by Tom Clancy

I grew up reading Clancy and, while I could have picked any number of his works to highlight here, this was always my favorite. Reading this while our family was stationed in (then) West Germany, intimately associated with some of the units and places mentioned in the book, really brought it all home to a young teenager who, perhaps, spent too much time reading. Still, a phenomenal story covering a war that never happened, but could have, and back in the ‘80s, almost seemed more likely than not. Highly recommended!

The Illyrians* by John Wilkes

I tripped across this phenomenal work while conducting research for my second Fulvius novel. There aren’t a lot of books out there—at least in English—on the Illyrians, nearly an extinct people of whom only traces remain in places like coastal Croatia and Albania. But this one is really good, covering every possible aspect you could think of for this fascinating culture, drawing from ancient sources as well as more modern archaeological digs and studies.

Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World* by Philip Matyszak

This book delivers EXACTLY what it says! What a fun read, this one keeps you turning pages as you go from one obscure—though once important—civilization to another. Covers favorites like the Illyrians and Sarmations as well as lesser known peoples like the Chaldeans and the Sicels. Tons of fun to read, never dwelling too long on any one group, Matyszak keeps the reader guessing and enjoying the romp through fairly obscure history.