John Owens
Sword and Pen: what to read next?
Books close in genre, era, author or reading level, to read in bilingual editions.
Henry WebsterThe Real AdventureAmerican novel from 1916, set in Chicago in the early twentieth century. Rose Stanton, a lively, independent student who intends to study law, marries within a few weeks Rodney Aldrich, a wealthy lawyer she met by chance. Settled in a fine house, surrounded by servants and soon…Same countrySame genreSame era
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 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 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 genreSame era
Holman DayBlow the Man DownOn the coast of Maine in the early twentieth century, young Captain Boyd Mayo commands the steam yacht of Julius Marston, a Wall Street financier, and falls in love with his daughter Alma. Humiliated by Marston in front of his guests, he decides to leave. That same night, in…Same countrySame 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 genreSame era
Daniel DefoeRobinson CrusoeRobinson Crusoe, an adventurous sailor, is shipwrecked on a deserted island after a tragic voyage. Isolated from the world, he must learn to survive using his resources and ingenuity. Over the years, he transforms his environment and builds a new existence. His encounter with…Same genre
Wilkie CollinsThe MoonstoneRachel, a young heiress, receives a precious diamond for her birthday, but it mysteriously disappears during the night. Franklin Blake, a close friend of the family, tries to solve the mystery within a circle of suspects with troubling behavior. Each testimony reveals a new…Same genreSame era
John BuchanMr StandfastRichard Hannay, an experienced British agent, is tasked with infiltrating an enemy network during World War I. Under a false identity, he enters a world of espionage where every mistake can be fatal. Between secret missions, pursuits, and manipulation, he must navigate constant…Same genre
Holman DayThe LandloperAn American novel from 1915. One June morning, a young man who calls himself Walker Farr walks the roads of New England. He looks like a tramp, but he speaks like an educated man and hides his past. He stops in Marion, a cotton-mill town where typhoid fever strikes poor…Same countrySame genreSame era
Tobias SmollettFerdinand Count FathomFerdinand, an ambitious and unscrupulous adventurer, moves across Europe manipulating and deceiving those he meets to climb the ranks. He adopts multiple identities and strategies to achieve his goals, indifferent to consequences. His schemes eventually expose him to…Same genre
Robert Louis StevensonCatrionaDavid Balfour, a young Scot seeking justice and stability, becomes entangled in political intrigues after events that have shaken his life. Alongside Catriona, a strong and determined woman, he navigates dangers, plots, and moral dilemmas. Their relationship evolves in an…Same genreSame era