Wordful Wednesday - Favorite Genre

Cocoa over at Chocolate on my Cranium gave us the topic of books again for this weeks Wordful Wednesday. This time however we are supposed to discuss our favorite genre. This was actually harder for me then I thought it would be. If you look at the list of books I have read recently you would come to the conclusion that I don't read anything that couldn't be found in the children's section of the library. My mental state at the moment is only able to take in simple reading I guess. Teen fiction or young adult novels have been the bulk of my reading the last few months. I can honestly say Fiction is by far the majority of the books I read. I read non fiction too but usually have a novel going at the same time. I usually stick to classics because they have stood the test of time and I don't have to worry to much about some of the content slipped into more modern novels.

I think by far I do enjoy Historical fiction the most. If well researched and written it also teaches me a bit about the time period that the story takes place in. In the past I have enjoyed Sharon Kay Penman's Medieval novels such as the Here Be Dragons series, which is all about Wales, or Time and Chance which is about William II and Eleanor of Aquatine.

Another great author in this genre is Anna Seton. She has written Katherine which is also Medieval, ( I must really like this time period.) and tells the story of the Katherine who's children take over the royal line in England. I have read several of her other books as well but Katherine is my favorite.
Just to throw in one more medieval book. I finally read Ivanhoe last fall and really enjoyed it. It is interesting to see how our modern ideas of Robin hood were influenced by Sir Walter Scott's depiction.

Just to change time periods. I have recently enjoyed a few western stories as well. But that may be considered a different genre but to me they were historical. My favorite that I read was The Virginian. I read it two years or so ago and liked it so much I had our book club read it and they all loved it as well. I am going to encourage my boys to read this one some day. You can learn a lot about being a man from the Virginian.

Of course I always go for book from the Regency or Victorian times. Anything by Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, or Charles Dickens is always a good read (and clean! Thank Goodness). I am such an Austen fan that I also read a lot of the sequels and fan fiction that are inspired by her stories. The best of these has been Jane Fairfax. I enjoyed reading Emma but this one gives us the Emma story but from Jane Fairfax's point of view. I loved it and even bought a copy so I could read it again whenever I wanted.

I actually don't read many novels that take place in modern times. (Unless you consider James Herriot or P.G Wodehouse are modern) I guess I like being transported to another time and place when I read. I haven't ventured too much into fantasy (Children's fantasy yes) or Science Fiction. But I am sure when and if I do I will enjoy the trip.