11 Books Like The Magnificent Mrs Tennant

I have always been fascinated by history. While growing up, I heard tales of my second great-grandfather’s life, but it was only after penning my own memoir that I dove deeper into this family history that spanned continents. For my book about this ancestor, Mission to China, I rigorously researched and personally travelled much of the same route across South East Asia he travelled more than a Century prior. I even discovered another extraordinary ancestor’s journey through my research. It was during this process that I realised just how important it is that we continue to bring the stories of little-known, yet hugely impactful, historical figures to the fore.

I have always been fascinated by history. While growing up, I heard tales of my second great-grandfather’s life, but it was only after penning my own memoir that I dove deeper into this family history that spanned continents. For my book about this ancestor, Mission to China, I rigorously researched and personally travelled much of the same route across South East Asia he travelled more than a Century prior. I even discovered another extraordinary ancestor’s journey through my research. It was during this process that I realised just how important it is that we continue to bring the stories of little-known, yet hugely impactful, historical figures to the fore.

I have always been fascinated by history. While growing up, I heard tales of my second great-grandfather’s life, but it was only after penning my own memoir that I dove deeper into this family history that spanned continents. For my book about this ancestor, Mission to China, I rigorously researched and personally travelled much of the same route across South East Asia he travelled more than a Century prior. I even discovered another extraordinary ancestor’s journey through my research. It was during this process that I realised just how important it is that we continue to bring the stories of little-known, yet hugely impactful, historical figures to the fore.

I have always been fascinated by history. While growing up, I heard tales of my second great-grandfather’s life, but it was only after penning my own memoir that I dove deeper into this family history that spanned continents. For my book about this ancestor, Mission to China, I rigorously researched and personally travelled much of the same route across South East Asia he travelled more than a Century prior. I even discovered another extraordinary ancestor’s journey through my research. It was during this process that I realised just how important it is that we continue to bring the stories of little-known, yet hugely impactful, historical figures to the fore.

My first love was architecture. But while I was working as an architectural drafter in my early twenties, I began taking college courses in philosophy and religious studies. During that time, I also acquired a set of the Great Books of the Western World by Encyclopædia Britannica. I was hooked. I quit my job and became a full-time student of philosophy, religion, and history. Since then, I have seen Pascal’s maxim demonstrated in all my research. Namely, that humanity is a living oxymoron: he is like a “reed,” easily blown over. Nevertheless, the human is also a “thinking reed,” concerned with meaning, purpose, and transcendence. 

As a novelist, I am endlessly curious about people and like hearing their stories. As an erstwhile computer programmer and farmer, I also have a lifelong interest in science and natural history. When I find those two divergent interests have cross-pollinated in a single gracefully-written book, I am a very happy reader. I love books that weave together an intriguing scientific question with the human story of the scientists pursuing an answer to that question.

I could not reconcile teachings about right and wrong given to me by my parents and their religion with the evidence-based science I learned in medical school. As an adult, I studied morals, ethics, and religions and saw humanity on a self-destructive path, marked by world wars, genocides, destruction of civilizations, pollution of outer space, and poisons filling our land and oceans full of trash. There had to be a better way.

I was raised in a rural Baptist parsonage. My family gathered daily for prayer and Bible reading. I learned the story of Adam & Eve before I could read. I encountered evolution in books by evangelical authors who attacked it, vilifying both Darwin and the scientific community. I attended an evangelical college, planning to join the anti-evolution crusade. As I studied science, I came to realize, much to my consternation, that I had been completely wrong about evolution, Darwin, cosmology, and a host of other things. My personal journey was a microcosm of the intellectual upheaval of the last two centuries—a transformation I find exciting.

I have been intrigued by science since childhood, especially astronomy, and I became a university academic, teaching physics to students and researching in experiments with elementary particles. I was raised in a Christian family and have maintained my faith. I don’t find any real issues with science–it shows how clever God was in creating the universe! At the same time, I know many people have difficulties in this area. My book was written to help them, and I think the recommended books will help them, too.

"My friends are my estate." This quote from Emily Dickinson (which I like so much, I’ve put in my novel!) gives a proper dignity to the concept of friendship. Friends can be overlooked in fiction, often just there to show that the main character isn’t a complete loner. Friendships are portrayed as less interesting and important than romances. Yet in real life, romantic relationships come and go, whilst friends are there for you, no matter what. Or at least, the best ones are. I’m a passionate believer in stories which reflect the importance, and complexity, of what, for many of us, are our longest-lasting relationships.