Historical fiction book · Curated
Paradise Alley
Kevin Baker · historical fiction
The New York Draft Riots through intertwined immigrant lives (SAH Prize 2003).
About this historical novel
Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker is historical fiction set around 1863 in the Civil War period with key settings including New York City. The New York Draft Riots through intertwined immigrant lives (SAH Prize 2003).
On HisFic we tag it under 1. Literary historical fiction, 5. Military & war, and 7. Family saga so you can pair it with similar story types. Recurring themes include civil war, riot, and immigration. It also appears on our prize-winner shelf—useful if you like critically recognized historical novels.
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Plot summary
The New York Draft Riots through intertwined immigrant lives (SAH Prize 2003).
Awards
- ★ Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction · 2003 (winner)
Biennial US prize (formerly James Fenimore Cooper Prize) for historical fiction on an American subject.
Subgenres
Eras
Browse this mix
More like this on HisFic
Curated titles that share era, story type, or themes.
- Gone with the Wind · Margaret Mitchell
Scarlett O’Hara fights to survive the Civil War and Reconstruction in the American South.
- North and South · John Jakes
Two families—one Northern, one Southern—are torn by the approach of the Civil War.
- Days Without End · Sebastian Barry
An Irish immigrant and his partner fight in the Indian Wars and Civil War (Walter Scott Prize 2017).
- Conjure Women · Afia Atakora
A healer’s daughter navigates slavery’s end and dangerous secrets (SAH Prize 2021).
- The Women · Kristin Hannah
A young American nurse serves in Vietnam and struggles to be seen when she comes home.
- The Underground Railroad · Colson Whitehead
An enslaved woman’s escape reimagines the Underground Railroad as a literal train—and faces America’s brutal history.
Regions & places
North America
New York City
Themes
- civil war
- riot
- immigration
Tags
award-winner