Whether fiction or true, I believe that we should read more historical fiction stories. You can sit through all of the history courses at Smithtown High School East and have a scholarly view of the world, but to have a deeper understanding you need to be willing to read these books on your own accord. 

Hidden within books of this genre is the theme of humility: a humble worldview. When reading you open up a perspective that you likely hadn’t dwelled on before. It helps to foster empathy to some degree. The lessons of humility reside with you as you go about your life. While taking in the story, you recognize the differences between your world and the one you’re reading. It’s so important because seeing the world through a lens that isn’t your own will help you understand why conflicts and developments of the present happen. They also help explain how the resonance of past events still cast themselves over the modern world. 

My favorite example of a historic book is Grenade By Alan Gratz. It is a story about the Battle of Okinawa, Japan in WW2 told through the perspective of an American soldier. He was a 13-year-old Okinawan boy forced to fight against the US forces. Another example of a historic book is The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad is a collection of honest accounts of the lives of members of the Khan family from Kabul Afghanistan a few weeks following 911. A final example is Suspect Red by L.M Elliot takes place during the McCarthy era of the US and revolves around Richard Bradley’s new friendship with his Neighbor Vlad Zalenko and the pressure from his family due to the ideals and values that he holds.

Many would ask why they should even leave their bubble of information and read these outlets of information. The truth is that the news, while informing, typically shows what’s at a surface level. That’s why the finer detail and value of immersing yourself in these works is so important.