William Ware
Aurelian: what to read next?
Books close in genre, era, author or reading level, to read in bilingual editions.
Charles DickensA Tale of Two CitiesCharles Darnay, a French aristocrat, renounces his origins to live a fairer life in England, while Sydney Carton, a disillusioned lawyer, struggles with his own inner emptiness. Their destinies intersect against the backdrop of the French Revolution, where social tensions erupt…Same genreSame era
G. P. R. JamesForest DaysAn English historical novel. In the mid-1260s, England is torn between King Henry III and the barons led by Simon de Montfort. Between Pontefract and Nottingham, Hugh de Monthermer, a young knight and nephew of an old earl who has sided with the barons, loves Lucy de Ashby,…Same genreSame era
Diogenes LaërtiusLives of Eminent PhilosophersDiogenes Laërtius traces the lives and ideas of the great philosophers of antiquity, from Thales to Epicurus. Through anecdotes, sayings and sometimes surprising stories, he reveals the personalities and doctrines of these major figures. Each portrait offers an accessible…Same genre
Lyndon OrrFamous AffinitiesSeveral historical and literary figures are brought together through their notable relationships, marked by attraction, conflict, and mutual influence. Each pair reveals a unique dynamic combining passion, ambition, and rivalry. The narrative explores these connections from a…Same countrySame genre
James GrantOne of the Six HundredAt the end of 1853, Newton Norcliff, a young lieutenant in a British lancer regiment, learns that his regiment will leave in the spring for war in the East. He spends his last leave in Scotland, at his uncle’s house, near Lady Louisa, whom he loves and who is also courted by…Same genre
G. A. HentyThe Dash for KhartoumAn English adventure novel from 1892. In India, two babies are mixed up: the son of a captain and the son of a sergeant. Unable to tell which one is his own, Captain Clinton raises both boys as twins, Rupert and Edgar. At sixteen, Edgar is told by a stranger that she is his…Same genre
John BurtonThe Book HunterA collection of essays published in 1862 by John Hill Burton, a Scottish historian. With humour, the author sketches the book hunters: the collector who buys his first duplicate copy, the browser of second-hand bookstalls, the regular at auction sales, the wandering reader who…Same genreSame era
Mark TwainLife on the MississippiMark Twain, a keen observer, recounts his experience as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi, blending personal memories with descriptions of the river. He traces the evolution of this vital route for commerce and American life. Through anecdotes and portraits, he brings a…Same countrySame genre
Victor HugoLes MisérablesFreed after nineteen years in the galleys for a stolen loaf, Jean Valjean finds neither work nor shelter, until a bishop takes him in. A different man under a false name, he takes in Cosette, daughter of a working woman dead in destitution, and raises her in hiding. Inspector…Same genreSame era
James GrantUnder the Red DragonA British novel of war and love, told by its hero. In 1854, Harry Hardinge, a young officer of the Welsh Fusiliers, waits in Winchester to leave for the war against Russia. Invited by Sir Madoc Lloyd, an old friend of his family, to a great estate in North Wales, he finds there…Same genre
Émile ZolaLourdesOne August morning, the national pilgrimage leaves Paris for Lourdes, with whole trains full of the sick and of pilgrims. On board are Marie de Guersaint, a young woman who can no longer walk, and Father Pierre Froment, her childhood friend, who became a priest but no longer…Same genre
Friedrich HuchPitt and FoxA German novel from 1909, subtitled “the love paths of the Sintrup brothers”. Philipp, nicknamed Pitt, is secretive and ironic, and nothing truly captures his interest; his younger brother Fox, a plump, vain boy, boasts constantly and believes a great future awaits him. Sons of…Same genre