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Book cover of Meet Me in Atlantis: My Obsessive Quest to Find the Sunken City

Jennifer McKeithen Author Of Atlantis On the Shores of Forever

From my list on Atlantis if you love adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a novelis who's had a lifelong fascination with travel, lost civilizations, aquariums, swashbuckling stories (both true and fictional), dancing, dusty old bookstores and libraries, sangria, and sunny beaches. I grew up in beautiful south Louisiana and my earliest memories were in New Orleans. Living in “America's first melting pot” taught me to appreciate cultures, languages, cuisine, and music from a young age. Ancient and Medieval history and folklore remain major influences on my writing.

Jennifer's book list on Atlantis if you love adventure

Jennifer McKeithen Why Jennifer loves this book

Mark Adams is simply a delightful writer. In this book, he dares to ask the age-old question: did Atlantis actually exist? He sifts through the facts and the fiction, taking the reader with him in his traipse across the globe to find answers. Like his other books, Meet Me in Atlantis is a fun read, where you’ll learn a lot and have some laughs along way.

By Mark Adams ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meet Me in Atlantis as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times Bestselling Travel Memoir! 

The author of Turn Right at Machu Picchu travels the globe in search of the world’s most famous lost city. 

“Adventurous, inquisitive and mirthful, Mark Adams gamely sifts through the eons of rumor, science, and lore to find a place that, in the end, seems startlingly real indeed.”—Hampton Sides

A few years ago, Mark Adams made a strange discovery: Far from alien conspiracy theories and other pop culture myths, everything we know about the legendary lost city of Atlantis comes from the work of one man, the Greek philosopher Plato. Stranger still: Adams…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

Jennifer McKeithen Author Of Atlantis On the Shores of Forever

From my list on Atlantis if you love adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a novelis who's had a lifelong fascination with travel, lost civilizations, aquariums, swashbuckling stories (both true and fictional), dancing, dusty old bookstores and libraries, sangria, and sunny beaches. I grew up in beautiful south Louisiana and my earliest memories were in New Orleans. Living in “America's first melting pot” taught me to appreciate cultures, languages, cuisine, and music from a young age. Ancient and Medieval history and folklore remain major influences on my writing.

Jennifer's book list on Atlantis if you love adventure

Jennifer McKeithen Why Jennifer loves this book

Though this is a pseudo archaeological work, Donnelly's theories remain the source of many of our modern-day ideas about Atlantis. Written in 1882, at a time when much of the world was still mysterious to Westerners, Donnelly proposed an argument that all cultures and peoples originated from Atlantis, which he claimed was destroyed during the Great Deluge described in the Book of Genesis. Today, in the 21st century, experts have debunked most of his theories. However, many of the questions he raised remain unanswered. Despite its many flaws, it’s an interesting glimpse into Western thought during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

By Ignatius Donnelly ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Atlantis as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This edition of Atlantis: The Antediluvian World contains every vital illustration and table from the original, 1882 edition.

This text represents the sum of Senator Ignatius Donnelly's attempts to prove, through numerous sources, the existence of the lost city of Atlantis beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Numerous pieces of evidence are cited, with Donnelly's central thesis being that there was certain cross-migration between the Europe, North Africa and the American continent via the city whilst it was afloat in ancient times.

To this end, Donnelly demonstrates similarities in the architectural styles, writing, art and cultures of civilisations either side of the…


Book cover of Ascension

Jennifer McKeithen Author Of Atlantis On the Shores of Forever

From my list on Atlantis if you love adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a novelis who's had a lifelong fascination with travel, lost civilizations, aquariums, swashbuckling stories (both true and fictional), dancing, dusty old bookstores and libraries, sangria, and sunny beaches. I grew up in beautiful south Louisiana and my earliest memories were in New Orleans. Living in “America's first melting pot” taught me to appreciate cultures, languages, cuisine, and music from a young age. Ancient and Medieval history and folklore remain major influences on my writing.

Jennifer's book list on Atlantis if you love adventure

Jennifer McKeithen Why Jennifer loves this book

Nia's lifelong dream is to become an avatar, one of the ruling mermaids of Atlantis. But when she is passed over for the opportunity, she must embark on a quest to prove herself. This journey takes her far beyond the sea and everything she knows to the world of dry land. Arthurian legends, mermaids, magic, Atlantis, a heroine’s journey – how can you go wrong?

By Kara Dalkey ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ascension as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

The sea is the birthplace of legends.

Nia, a young mermyd of the Bluefin clan, has had one wish all her life - to be an Avatar in her beloved home of Atlantis.

The ten Avatars rule the beautiful and peaceful undersea city alongside the ancient Farworlders, whose magic keeps their world alive. To be an Avatar is an honour and a great responsibility, and Nia dreams of taking her place among the noble ten.

Now, at sixteen, Nia has a chance to see her dream come true. Atlantis is choosing its next Avatar, and Nia knows she is supremely…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Patrick G. Cox Author Of Captain James Heron First Into the Fray: Prequel to Harry Heron Into the Unknown of the Harry Heron Series

From my list on combining fantasy and social commentary.

Why am I passionate about this?

My great interests have been ships and space travel, and if one takes time to consider the similarities the parallels stand out. Ships, especially submarines, travel in a medium and through an environment that is hostile to human life. In space travel, the ‘ship’ becomes the only habitat in which we can survive for any extended period, leaving it without a space suit is a fatal move. I cannot claim to be an expert in closed environments, but it's a subject that has fascinated me throughout my life. Every ‘biosphere’ is unique and incredibly complex and depends on the symbiosis of an enormous number of living creatures right down to bacteria and even viruses. 

Patrick's book list on combining fantasy and social commentary

Patrick G. Cox Why Patrick loves this book

This is the story that first got me interested in science fiction. Of course, we now recognise some of the flaws in the science, but consider that at the time of its writing steam propulsion was still in its infancy, most ships were still built of timber, and Verne envisaged a ship capable of indefinite travel beneath the ocean surface – something not even possible until the advent of nuclear power almost a century later. Even today Verne’s vision and the story he wove around it can inspire.

By Jules Verne ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

First serialized in a French magazine from 1869-1870, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is an incredible adventure story that popularized science fiction throughout the world.

Professor Aronnax, a marine biologist, joins harpoonist Ned Land in search of a mysterious sea creature in the open ocean, only to discover that the beast is actually a submarine piloted by the enigmatic Captain Nemo. They are taken captive, thus beginning a strange undersea voyage from Antarctic ice shelves to the subterranean city of Atlantis, hunting sharks along the way.

With its sprawling, exotic plot and vivid descriptions, Jules Verne's epic underwater adventure…


Book cover of The Revenant of Thraxton Hall

Sean Gibson Author Of The Camelot Shadow: A Novel

From my list on mix magic and mystery with history.

Why am I passionate about this?

I made the mistake of reading Dracula as an eight-year-old (thanks, Mom and Dad, for paying attention to what I brought home from school book fairs). Beyond disrupting my sleep pattern, there were two significant consequences to this decision: 1) I became enthralled with the intersection of historical detail, mystery, and magic, an enchantment that continues to this day; and 2) I ultimately majored in English literature, with a concentration in Victorian literature. To my professors’ chagrin, I put that education to use in concocting my own historically-based magical mysteries (sorry, Dr. Steinitz). But hey—I’ve always got good recommendations in this milieu.

Sean's book list on mix magic and mystery with history

Sean Gibson Why Sean loves this book

While Sherlock Holmes famously debunked anything that had even a vague whiff of the supernatural (looking at you, Hound of the Baskervilles), the same can’t be said for his creator. Entwistle offers a brilliantly imaginative take on what might have happened if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde teamed up to solve mysteries in a world where the supernatural was very, very real. Atmospheric touches ranging from fog-shrouded, gaslit streets to mysterious moors are the perfect complement to witty dialogue, and Entwistle manages to weave in a fair bit of historical detail despite the rip-roaring pace of the story. 

By Vaughn Entwistle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Revenant of Thraxton Hall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle read like a volatile cocktail of Sherlock Holmes-meets-the-X-Files with a dash of steam punk and a whiff of London fog. Conan Doyle assumes the mantle of his fictional consulting detective and recruits a redoubtable Watson in the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde, who brings to the sleuthing duo a razor-keen mind, an effervescent wit, and an outrageous sense of fashion. Together, two of the greatest minds in Victorian England solve bizarre murders, unravel diabolical plots and unearth long-buried mysteries—each with a paranormal twist.“My murder will take place in a darkened séance room—shot twice…


Book cover of On Conan Doyle: Or, The Whole Art of Storytelling

Andrew Lycett Author Of The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes: The Inspiration Behind the World's Greatest Detective

From my list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have written a well-received biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. So, I am ideally placed to turn my attention from the real-life author to his gloriously rich fictional subject and blend their experiences of the late nineteenth-century world they both inhabited. This beautifully illustrated book brings Conan Doyle’s life and times into focus and shows how they influenced every aspect of his marvelous creation.

Andrew's book list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes

Andrew Lycett Why Andrew loves this book

This is simply the finest short introduction to the life and works of Conan Doyle that you could hope for–written by a doyen of critics who once ran the Books pages of the Washington Post.

Dirda’s erudition and lightness of touch combine to make this a book that is succinct, illuminating, and always entertaining.

By Michael Dirda ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked On Conan Doyle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A passionate lifelong fan of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Michael Dirda is a member of The Baker Street Irregulars--the most famous and romantic of all Sherlockian groups. Combining memoir and appreciation, On Conan Doyle is a highly engaging personal introduction to Holmes's creator, as well as a rare insider's account of the curiously delightful activities and playful scholarship of The Baker Street Irregulars. On Conan Doyle is a much-needed celebration of Arthur Conan Doyle's genius for every kind of storytelling.


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Conan Doyle: Writing, Profession, and Practice

Andrew Lycett Author Of The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes: The Inspiration Behind the World's Greatest Detective

From my list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have written a well-received biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. So, I am ideally placed to turn my attention from the real-life author to his gloriously rich fictional subject and blend their experiences of the late nineteenth-century world they both inhabited. This beautifully illustrated book brings Conan Doyle’s life and times into focus and shows how they influenced every aspect of his marvelous creation.

Andrew's book list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes

Andrew Lycett Why Andrew loves this book

This is a riveting overview of Conan Doyle's life and times. Strongly grounded in the man himself's writings, it deals comprehensively with various topics that occupied him throughout his life, including sport, medicine, science, law and order, army and empire, and spirit. It is full of scholarship and endless fascination.

By Douglas Kerr ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Conan Doyle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the early stories, to the great popular triumphs of the Sherlock Holmes tales and the Professor Challenger adventures, the ambitious historical fiction, the campaigns against injustice, and the Spiritualist writings of his later years, Conan Doyle produced a wealth of narratives. He had a worldwide reputation and was one of the most popular authors of the age.

A critical study of the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle and a cultural biography, this is a book for students of literary and cultural history, and Conan Doyle enthusiasts. It is a full account of all of his writing, and an investigation…


Book cover of Out Of The Shadows: The Untold Story Of Arthur Conan Doyle's First Family

Andrew Lycett Author Of The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes: The Inspiration Behind the World's Greatest Detective

From my list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have written a well-received biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. So, I am ideally placed to turn my attention from the real-life author to his gloriously rich fictional subject and blend their experiences of the late nineteenth-century world they both inhabited. This beautifully illustrated book brings Conan Doyle’s life and times into focus and shows how they influenced every aspect of his marvelous creation.

Andrew's book list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes

Andrew Lycett Why Andrew loves this book

Insights into Conan Doyle's personal life were somewhat stalled in the early 21st century—until the publication of this illuminating biography, which incorporated new material relating to the short, sad life of the author’s first wife, Louise, and their two children.

Louise died of tuberculosis in 1906, allowing Doyle to marry the much younger Jean, who bore him three further children. This is a surprisingly moving tale.

Book cover of Sherlock Holmes Complete Works - Volume 1/2: A Study In Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Aer-ki Jyr Author Of Star Force: Origin Series (1-4)

From my list on that defined great storytelling for me as a kid.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Aer-ki Jyr and I’m the creator of the Star Force Universe. I started writing because most of the new books coming out just plain sucked, so I figured if I could do better, then I should…and I did. What people only partially realize is that Star Force is filled with references and homages to the past great works. There’s far more in there than they realize, but those who have also read them will know when they see them. This list gives you the biggest influences that shaped my childhood mind, and why there are literally statues in the Star Force Universe to a lot of this stuff. 

Aer-ki's book list on that defined great storytelling for me as a kid

Aer-ki Jyr Why Aer-ki loves this book

This was one giant book I got as a gift and thought I’d never read, but when I started I couldn’t stop. These are old stories, and arguably the oldest I have ever read that ring true today. Holmes is like Thrawn, a mastermind, but he doesn’t rule Empires or command armies. Holmes works in isolation with only his trusted assistant Watson. He follows mysteries wherever they present themselves and is bored by anything else.

It’s the keen intellect that draws me to this book. The kind of stuff most people wouldn’t waste their time on because it goes over their heads. This is not the new Hollywood version of Holmes, this is much more potent. Older movies of Holmes do much better, but none match the caliber that is in these original stories. 

I can’t fully explain, but there is a magic to them that rejects the ‘mundane’ world…

By Arthur Conan Doyle , Arthur Conan Doyle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sherlock Holmes Complete Works - Volume 1/2 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Happily find the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend Doctor Watson. This edition (volume 1 & 2) includes all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work: four novels and 56 short stories!
In this volume 2 novels (A Study In Scarlet, The Sign of the Four) and 29 short stories (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes - first part). More than 800 pages of reading !


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of The Narrative of John Smith

Andrew Lycett Author Of The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes: The Inspiration Behind the World's Greatest Detective

From my list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have written a well-received biography of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes stories. So, I am ideally placed to turn my attention from the real-life author to his gloriously rich fictional subject and blend their experiences of the late nineteenth-century world they both inhabited. This beautifully illustrated book brings Conan Doyle’s life and times into focus and shows how they influenced every aspect of his marvelous creation.

Andrew's book list on Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes

Andrew Lycett Why Andrew loves this book

Most readers will be familiar with the basic Sherlock Holmes stories. But they may not know Conan Doyle’s ‘non-canonical’ work. This is a strange didactic novel that the author wrote at the start of his career–before Holmes was even conceived.

It addresses some of his wider concerns–relating in particular to religion, medicine, empire and the workings of society. The novel had an interesting gestation as it was lost after Conan Doyle sent it to his publisher. He then tried to recreate it from his recollections of what he had originally written but did nothing with the revised manuscript until it was put up for auction 120 years later and subsequently published by the British Library in 2011.

The result is a revealing piece of Conan Doyle juvenilia.  

By Arthur Conan Doyle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Narrative of John Smith as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his first novel The Narrative of John Smith in 1883 when he was just 23, living in Portsmouth and struggling to establish himself as a doctor and a writer. Never published before, it has exceptional value as a window into the mind of the creator of Sherlock Holmes, and many of the themes and tropes of Conan Doyle's later writing can clearly be seen. Via the protagonist, John Smith, a 50-year-old man confined to his room by an attack of gout, Conan Doyle sets down his thoughts and opinions on a range of subjects – literature,…


Book cover of Meet Me in Atlantis: My Obsessive Quest to Find the Sunken City
Book cover of Atlantis: The Antediluvian World
Book cover of Ascension

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Interested in Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, and Atlantis?

Sherlock Holmes 116 books
Atlantis 20 books