If you are interested in reading a historical family saga set in another country, try Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo trilogy set in Egypt just after World War I. The first in the series is Palace Walk. A series set in England is Catherine Cookson's Tynside series, which begins with A Grand Man. Another historical saga is The Whiteoak Chronicles set in Ontario, Canada. The first in Mazo de la Roche's series is The Building of Jalna.

The family saga often has a strong theme of romance as well as ties with historical fiction. If you would like a family saga that has romance as a strong thread, try The Rich are Different by Susan Howatch. This story takes place both in England and the United States and is set during the 1920s following the stock market crash and depression. Another romantic family saga favorite is John Galsworthy's three-volume The Forsyte Saga about an upper-middle class British family and their position in society and fortune. The changing position of women is a strong element. Barbara Taylor Bradford's Woman of Substance series features a strong female character who rises from being a maid to owner of a large business empire. The stories of the men in her life are intertwined throughout the series. Another romantic series to try is Marilyn Harris's seven-book Eden family series. The first book, The Other Eden, starts in England during the French Revolution; the series eventually follows the family to the American South.

There are many family sagas in the library's collection. If you'd like help finding books by the authors above or additional suggestions, stop by the Readers' Advisory Desk.