Chapter 41 - Fault Lines

It is the time of year that people start to think about holidays and families. Good or bad, near or far we all have families of some sort and often that includes family drama, frustrations, and secrets. We often get asked at Bookends about family saga books. Thankfully there are a number of them we recommend and usually have in stock.

There are some authors whose books are mostly about families. Here are some authors and books we would definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre.

Jeffrey Archer

While Archer has written many books, the Clifton Chronicles series is my favorite. It starts out in 1920 and follows Harry Clifton and his family through war and peace and everything in between.

Leila Meacham

Meacham has written so many books which focus on families - Somerset and Roses to name two. She writes primarily about Texas and her books always include secrets and surprises.

John Jakes

Jakes has any number of family saga books but his North and South series is probably the most famous and certainly my favorite. The series starts with North and South, continues in Love and War and ends with Heaven and Hell. The stories chronicles the lives of two families, the Hazards and the Mains and their interrelations during a time of great upheaval in American history.

Andrew Greeley

If you grew up Catholic, this series is for you. Andrew Greeley was a priest who was noted for both his theological works and his novels. My favorite of his novels is the O'Malley series which starts with Summer at the Lake and continues for six more books. It follows the O'Malley family from the late 1940's through the 1970's and hits many of the turbulent events during those years.

Alex Haley

Alex Haley's classic Roots is a book every American should read. It is a powerful story of a family of slaves and their family progression through the years. It is stunning, poignant, and thought provoking. It is said to be based on his own family's history.

Ken Follett

Another one of my favorite authors, Follett has created a brilliant trilogy in The Century Trilogy which consists of Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, and Edge of Eternity. Each book packs over 800 pages and follows five families through seven decades.

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Often considered a "woman's writer" Bradford has some wonderful stories, some along the lines of Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey. I recommend the Emma Harte series which starts with A Woman of Substance and has seven books in the series.

Have you read any family sagas you recommend? Please share!