Books like

Books like King Richard II

12 books with a reading profile close to King Richard II by William Shakespeare. Balanced in tone; a moderate read.

  1. 1 Richard III

    Richard III

    by William Shakespeare

    history, literary

    William Shakespeare’s history play chronicles the bloody ascent of the Duke of Gloucester during the final stages of the Wars of the Roses.

  2. 2 Thais

    Thais

    by Anatole France

    history, literary

    Set in fourth-century Roman Egypt, this novel follows the ascetic monk Paphnuce as he travels from the desert to Alexandria to convert the famous courtesan Thais.

  3. 3 King Henry IV, Part 1

    King Henry IV, Part 1

    by William Shakespeare

    history, literary

    Set in early fifteenth-century England, the narrative follows King Henry IV as he faces an armed rebellion led by the Percy family and the Scottish warrior Archibald Douglas.

  4. 4 The Fortunes Of Perkin Warbeck A Romance

    The Fortunes Of Perkin Warbeck A Romance

    by Mary Shelley

    history, literary

    Mary Shelley’s historical novel reimagines the life of the fifteenth-century pretender to the English throne.

  5. 5 A Passage to India

    A Passage to India

    by E.M. Forster

    history, literary

    Set in the British Raj during the 1920s, the narrative centers on the relationship between Dr.

  6. 6 Our Old Home

    Our Old Home

    by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    history, literary

    Based on his tenure as the American consul in Liverpool, Nathaniel Hawthorne records his observations of mid-nineteenth-century England through a series of biographical sketches and travel essays.

  7. 7 Ragtime

    Ragtime

    by E.L. Doctorow

    history, literary

    Set in the decade preceding World War I, the narrative weaves together the lives of three distinct families: a wealthy suburban household in New Rochelle, a Jewish immigrant father and daughter in the Lower East Side, a…

  8. 8 Valperga

    Valperga

    by Mary Shelley

    history, literary

    Set in fourteenth-century Italy, the narrative follows Castruccio Castracani, a historical Ghibelline tyrant who prioritizes military conquest and political dominance over human connection.

  9. 9 All the King's Men

    All the King's Men

    by Robert Penn Warren

    history, literary

    The novel traces the political trajectory of Willie Stark, a cynical Southern lawyer who transforms into a populist governor by exploiting the grievances of the working class.

  10. 10 Notes of a Native Son

    Notes of a Native Son

    by James Baldwin

    history, literary

    James Baldwin’s collection of ten essays analyzes the intersection of racial identity and social structures in mid-century America and Europe.

  11. 11 Death Comes for the Archbishop

    Death Comes for the Archbishop

    by Willa Cather

    history, literary

    Father Jean Marie Latour, a French cleric, travels to the newly acquired New Mexico Territory in 1851 to serve as Apostolic Vicar.

  12. 12 The Crucible

    The Crucible

    by Arthur Miller

    history, literary

    Set in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, the play follows John Proctor as he navigates a community consumed by religious extremism and legal manipulation.

Get picks matched to your own reading on papr.

Get papr

Your library, beautifully understood.

papr turns your books into a reading persona, chapter insights you can listen to, and a quiet way to find people who think like you. Free to join.

Get papr — it's free
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play