There are some living novelists writing novels set in NYS. Peter Quinn's Banished Children of Eve (Penguin, 1994) set in Civil War NYC, Steven Milhauser's Martin Dressler (Vintage, 1996) set in late 19th century NYC, Lauren Belfer's City of Light (Bantam Dell, 1999) set in Buffalo in 1900.

For a wonderful debate on the historical novel see Vidal vs. Freeman on Burr (not one of our most favorite sons but a real character) in Mark C. Carnes, Novel History, which includes other murderous debates betwen novelists and the historians who study them, including (as I recall) Russell Banks, Cloudsplitter [aka John Brown], with some scenes in his home-a-way-from-meyhem in upstate NY.

Jack Vanderhoof has written a review essay with cites on historical novels set in late 18th century NYS in Stephen Schechter, The Reluctant Pillar (Madison House).

Stephen Schechter

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Original Email
From: Tom Baker <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Apr 03, 2002 10:22 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: NY STATE NOVELS



Folks--

I have been hired to teach a one-semester New York State history course at
the university level for this coming fall term.  In hopes of offering
students a variety of sources from which to work, I'm looking for teachable
novels about the state, but preferably ones that are not solely about New
York City.  Any suggestions?

Tom Baker
soon-to-be Assistant Professor of History, SUNY-Potsdam