Exclusive Books’ recommended reads for February

05 February 2024 - 13:15
By Helen Holyoake
From historical fiction to a photographic homage to Johannesburg to titles for teens and tots, Exclusive Books' recommended February reads caters for all.
Image: Supplied From historical fiction to a photographic homage to Johannesburg to titles for teens and tots, Exclusive Books' recommended February reads caters for all.

“Historical fiction is imagination inspired by the past”, said the historian Robert Lacey, who consults for the Netflix period drama The Crown.

Every book genre brings something unique to the literary world, yet historical fiction stands out for its unwavering popularity. Serving as a magical time machine, historical fiction allows readers to journey to different eras, giving us an intimate glimpse into bygone cultures, practices and significant events.

It goes beyond offering a rehash of the past. It offers a reinterpretation of historical events through a fresh lens, gifting readers insights that may not be attainable through academic history textbooks. Historical fiction often helps readers relate the past to the present, giving us clues about how to best navigate our current reality.

Given the genre’s appeal, Exclusive Books Recommends always features one or more historical fiction title. For February it leads with an epic historical fiction title from master storyteller Kristin Hannah. Set during and after the Vietnam War, The Women is that rarest of novels ― at once an intimate portrait of a woman coming of age in a dangerous time and a sweeping tale of a nation divided by war and broken by politics.

Hannah is a maven of the historical fiction genre. Her #1 New York Times best-selling titles The Four Winds and The Nightingale are but two of the most memorable in this category, both of which are on an exclusive price promotion of R230 during February.

Historical fiction is like a cocktail of emotion and fact, a heady refreshment for body and soul. But if cocktails of a different flavour are your tipple of choice, Exclusive Books has a full range of February hits:

Fiction: 

Non-fiction: 

Children:

Article provided by Helen Holyoake on behalf of Exclusive Books