Guilty Pleasures: Historical Fiction and Travel Writing

[Not Afraid]

Every once in a while, I get into the mood to read Historical Fiction. It has to be well-written and have enoough historical facts to be plausable, but I like an entertaining read as well.

I've read all of Sharon Kay Penman's Welsh series in the past and I'm halfway through her latest book, Time and Chance. I don't know why it seems like such a guilty pleasure for me, but it is - and it's one I love.

The unfortunante by-product of these reads is that it excites the travel bug that lives within me. I have found myself scouring Welsh and English travel sites for key historical sites to visit. Ultimatly, this will lead to reading more travel writing - my other guilty pleasure.

I both love and hate this cycle. I get behind on reading the contemporary fiction I love so much and I find myself day dreaming about travels to far off lands. I don't get much practical work done in the meantime.

A few of my favorite writers for historical fiction are: Sharon Kay Penman and Margaret George. Travel writer favs are Bill Bryson and Paul Theroux. I've read much more travel writing than historical fiction, but that is because I never know how to weed out the schlocky stuff with the historical fiction - and it seems there is a LOT of it.

If anyone wants to make a recommendation or share your own guilty pleasure, please do so! (i'm going to hear about ham, spincters and porn now, aren't I?)