Jodi Picoult Recommends 5 Historical Fiction Books, Including ‘The Book That Made Me Want to Be a Writer’
From a Civil War classic to a buzzy Reese's pick, see what's on her list
Key Takeaways
- Jodi Picoult shares 5 historical fiction favorites, from classic novels to modern bestsellers.
- Her recommendations include ‘Gone With the Wind, ‘Isola’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice.’
- These 5 bestselling books explore love, family, revenge and resilience.
When people think of Jodi Picoult books, they usually picture contemporary fiction—but over the years, the bestselling author has made several forays into the past, including in her latest 9/11 novel, Hollow Bones, and the WWII novel, The Storyteller. And Picoult’s love of history doesn’t stop with her own writing—it shows up on her bookshelf, too. Over the years, she has shared her love of several historical fiction novels. To learn her favorites, keep scrolling!
‘Gone With The Wind’ by Margaret Mitchell
First published in 1936, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is one of the best-selling books of all time, with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide—and it remains a cornerstone of American literature nearly a century later. The story, later adapted into a 1939 film starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, follows Scarlett O’Hara, a stubborn young woman determined to save her family’s Georgia plantation, Tara, as the Civil War upends her world. Scarlett loves two very different men—the honorable Ashley Wilkes and the roguish Rhett Butler—and spends years torn between them while fighting to rebuild everything she’s lost. Equal parts epic romance and survival story, it’s a sweeping tale of love and loss.
What Jodi says: “The book that made me want to be a writer was Gone With The Wind. And I stand by that. It’s what made me want to create worlds out of words. But when I have gone back and reread it as an adult, I’m very conscious of a lot of the racial flaws in that book, right? But you know what? What I love about books is that books stay the same, and because of that, you get to see how far you’ve come since you first read them, and how much you’ve grown as a person.”
What other readers are saying: “Gone with the Wind is a masterwork of historical fiction. Margaret Mitchell re-creates the Old South with all its slow charm overlain on a substrate of violence and injustice. Her characters come to life on the page. The tempestuous love story of Rhett and Scarlett traces out the vagaries of war and reconstruction in ways touching, tragic, and hilarious as Mitchell’s discerning eye captures the telling details of two unforgettable literary figures.”
‘Queen Bee’ by Amalie Howard
If you love Bridgerton, don’t miss this swoon-worthy story. Set in Regency-era London, the story follows Lady Ela Dalvi, who fled her hometown after her best friend Poppy destroyed her reputation. Three years later, Ela returns to London in disguise, determined to get revenge on Poppy. But when one of the only boys she’s ever loved appears, Ela is forced to decide if she will follow her heart or get the justice she thinks she’s owed.
What Jodi says: “A divine dip into Regency waters! What happens when you have to choose between revenge and love? Set within a multicultural, LGBTQ-positive society, Queen Bee takes flight.”
What other readers are saying: “Queen Bee is a historical fiction novel that was so engaging and full of scandal and intrigue! I read it in one night and could not put it down. Amalie Howard always does a magnificent job with her attention to detail in historical romances. I highly recommend it and gave it five.”
‘Isola’ by Allegra Goodman
Inspired by a real sixteenth-century figure, Isola, which was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club pick in February 2025, follows Marguerite, a girl who is orphaned at a young age and sent to live with a guardian who cares only about claiming her inheritance. When he brings her to New France, he abandons her on a remote island after falsely accusing her of betrayal. As winter begins, Marguerite must face nature alone. In her isolation, she discovers reserves of faith and strength she never knew existed—and it might just be the thing that keeps her alive.
What Jodi says: “A shocking story, made all the more stunning by the fact that it has its roots in true history.”
What other readers are saying: “This book, in my opinion, was a shining example of how we can grow into something greater than what we started as. That growth happens in the calm before the storm and in the storm itself. It was a journey through this experience that really made this book stand out.”
‘Kin’ by Tayari Jones
Set in 1950s and 1960s Louisiana during the Jim Crow era, this powerful story tells the tale of Vernice and Annie, two motherless girls who grow up as neighbors in Honeysuckle. Raised by her aunt, Vernice escapes to Spelman College, where she discovers a world of knowledge and possibility. Meanwhile, Annie embarks on a different path, one filled with adventure and danger. As their lives go on, both women are forced to realize that sometimes growing up means growing apart and maybe even losing people that you were once close with.
What Jodi says: “I’ve been waiting for Jones’ new novel… and it exceeded even my high expectations. This exploration of a found family between two Black girls in the Deep South in the 50s and 60s who both lose their moms in very different ways is beautifully written and emotionally gutting. How lucky are we to live in a time when Tayari Jones is writing—and choosing a story about sisterhood persisting in spite of racism, classism and wildly divergent lives.”
What other readers are saying: “Kin is beautifully written, emotionally layered and deeply reflective. It explores how friendships can become family—and how, sometimes, they also change in ways we don’t expect or know how to hold onto.”
‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen
This Read With Jenna pick, set in Regency-era England, remains a masterclass in wit and social commentary nearly two centuries after its publication. When the quick-tempered Elizabeth Bennet crosses paths with the wealthy, aloof Fitzwilliam Darcy, the two can’t stand each other. But as Elizabeth comes to terms with her family’s insistence that she needs to marry well to secure her future, her feelings start to shift. Soon she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about Darcy, wondering if what looked like loathing was actually something closer to love.
What Jodi says: “I think it came from an aunt or my grandmother and it’s a book that I’ve read multiple times. Jane Austen is such a careful observer of society. Of course, when I first read it I’m looking at this swoony love story. And now you look at it and you’re like, okay, so headstrong girl and guy who’s probably on the autism spectrum! You’re looking at how they are negotiating the terms of that relationship and how they have to learn how to communicate with each other. But you’re also looking at the mores and the strictures that kept people apart at the time. So it’s one of those books that to me reads differently every time I look at it.”
What other readers are saying: “Pride and Prejudice is brilliant. Once you pick it up, you won’t put it down until you’re done. After you’re done you’ll pick it up again and start over. Just like your favorite movie, no matter how many times you read it, you can always read it just one more time.”
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