I look forward to Jo’s Six in Six meme every July! I think it’s a great way to reflect on our reading over the first six months of the year. The idea is to choose six categories (either from the list Jo has provided or new categories of your own) and under each heading list six of the books or authors you’ve read so far this year.
I’ve had fun trying to fit my books into categories and this is what I’ve decided on:
Six books set in the 17th century
1. The White Witch by Elizabeth Goudge
2. Fire by CC Humphreys
3. Shadow on the Highway by Deborah Swift
4. God and the Wedding Dress by Marjorie Bowen
5. The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor
6. Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier by Charles Spencer (non-fiction)
***
Six Victorian classics
1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
2. Lorna Doone by RD Blackmore
3. Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
4. Phineas Redux by Anthony Trollope
5. The Time Machine by HG Wells
6. The Heir of Redclyffe by Charlotte M Yonge
***
Six books published between 1900 and 1950
1. Here Comes the King by Philip Lindsay (1933)
2. The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell (1937)
3. The Viper of Milan by Marjorie Bowen (1906)
4. The Nutmeg Tree by Margery Sharp (1937)
5. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927)
6. Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset (1920)
***
Six books about historical women
1. Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier (Mary Anne Clarke)
2. The People’s Queen by Vanora Bennett (Alice Perrers)
3. The Queen’s Choice by Anne O’Brien (Joanna of Navarre)
4. The Virgin Queen by Maureen Peters (Elizabeth I)
5. Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen by Alison Weir (Katherine of Aragon)
6. The Queenmaker by Maureen Peters (Bess of Hardwick)
***
Six books about historical men
1. Renegade by Robyn Young (Robert the Bruce)
2. Dictator by Robert Harris (Cicero)
3. The Lion and the Cross by Joan Lesley Hamilton (St Patrick)
4. Gilded Splendour by Rosalind Laker (Thomas Chippendale)
5. Arctic Summer by Damon Galgut (EM Forster)
6. The Confession of Richard Plantagenet by Dora Greenwell McChesney (Richard III)
***
Six books set in different countries
1. Mauprat by George Sand (France)
2. Sleeper’s Castle by Barbara Erskine (Wales)
3. Death in Berlin by MM Kaye (Germany)
4. The Red Lily Crown by Elizabeth Loupas (Italy)
5. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale (Canada)
6. Some Luck by Jane Smiley (USA)
***
Have you read any of these books? Have you posted or are you planning to post your own sixes this year?
She Reads Novels 
I too always look forward to Jo hosting this meme and I have already posted my sixes for this year 🙂 I simply love to see how much and varied historical fiction you read! I’ve read Shirley by Charlotte Bronte and I’m looking forward to reading The Queen’s Choice by Anne O’Brien.
I enjoyed reading your sixes too, Jessica. 🙂 I’ll be interested to hear what you think of The Queen’s Choice.
I’ve only read The Road to Wigan Pier and To the Lighthouse. I would like to read The Queenmaker as I’ve been to visit her home and I read a biography of her.
I knew nothing about Bess of Hardwick, so I found The Queenmaker quite interesting. I would like to visit Hardwick Hall too.
Love your categories. I’ll have to remember this comes up in July and join in next year.
Still time to join in this year. Do check out my blog.
Thanks, Lark. I hope you’re able to join in, either this year or next year. 🙂
Nice varied lists! I’ve only read Vanity Fair (love it) and The Time Machine (like it), but I hope to read Dictator soon, and also a Damon Galgut though I think the one sitting on my Kindle is The Good Doctor.
I’ll be interested to know what you think of The Good Doctor. I didn’t love Arctic Summer but haven’t ruled out trying more of Damon Galgut’s books.
How fun! It’s a good way to examine your reading without having to pick favorites. I might give it a go! I haven’t read any of the titles you’ve listed, but I have To the Lighthouse on my TBR for this year.
It is fun – and surprisingly difficult!
Thanks for joining in Helen. Great categories, more to consider for next year. I have not read much historical fiction this year so need to sort that out in the next 6 months.
Thanks for hosting this again, Jo. 🙂
Lovely categories – and what a great range of periods and settings.
Thank you. I had fun deciding on this year’s categories and fitting my books into them.
Interesting categories and book titles. I have The Ashes of London in my TBR pile and I’ve just finished Sleeper’s Castle. This meme looks like a bit of fun so I’m off to join in.
I enjoyed The Ashes of London, though not as much as some of Andrew Taylor’s other books. I’m glad you’re joining in with the meme too!
I also have The Silent Boy in my TBR pile. Have you read it?
Yes, I’ve read The Silent Boy and I enjoyed that one too. My favourite Andrew Taylor book, though, is The American Boy.
I’ll have to check that one out. Thanks, Helen.
Fun! I’m with Jessica on the you’ve-read-a-great-lot-of-historical-fiction front 🙂 You’ve reminded me I was supposed to be looking into reading Lorna Doone (a relative who rarely reads recommended it so I thought I’d give it a go.)
I loved Lorna Doone! It’s one of my favourite books of the year so far.
That sounds like fun. If I wasn’t all posted up for July, I’d try it. I might even think of it anyway. Let’s see what I’ve read. A shocking none in your first category. Vanity Fair, Lorna Doone, and Shirley in your second. I love Lorna Doone, too! Mary Anne in your third, and maybe Katherine of Aragon. I’ve read several books by Alison Weir. Arctic Summer, A Place Called Winter, and Some Luck!
Yes, it’s a fun way to look back on your first six months of the year. The best thing about it is that you can choose your own categories to suit your own reading tastes.
I might decide to do it before the end of the month.