# Identify and discuss heavily annotated works of historical fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [September 1, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576 "2024-09-01T19:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/1 "2024-09-01T19:35:24Z")
List and discuss works of historical fiction that are sufficiently annotated so that the reader can compare the fictional part to existing historical consensus. The only example of this approach that I know of is [Red Plenty](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/aug/08/red-plenty-francis-spufford), a set of short stories about the Soviet Union that ends with 53 pages of notes discussing historical accounts behind the author’s invention. I enjoyed it. Sometimes original source documents are available with copious footnotes. There are lots of annotated editions of Shakespeare. Oxford has published a number of annotated editions of the Bible. There are a number of collections of primary source documents from various periods of time. Do historians ever write scholarly articles discussing the veracity of various works of historical fiction in a non-superficial manner? Are there collected editions of such essays? I imagine that there is plenty of literary criticism directed at historical fiction written with a literary perspective, rather than that of a professional historian. Tangential 2009 thread: [What's the line between works of fiction and works of non-fiction?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-line-between-works-of-fiction-and-works-of-non-fiction/493041) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/2 "2024-09-01T20:34:27Z")
_The Last Days of New Paris_ by China Miéville has a reasonable-length appendix, iirc ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/3 "2024-09-01T21:31:42Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > _The Last Days of New Paris_ by China Miéville Thanks. I see that it received [mixed reviews](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41017647-the-last-days-of-new-paris). It’s an alternative-history fantasy where Paris is still occupied by Nazis in 1950 and surrealists join forces with French partisans. Blurb about author: > A British “fantastic fiction” writer. He is fond of describing his work as “weird fiction” (after early 20th century pulp and horror writers such as H. P. Lovecraft), and belongs to a loose group of writers sometimes called New Weird who consciously attempt to move fantasy away from commercial, genre clichés of Tolkien epigons. He is also active in left-wing politics as a member of the Socialist Workers Party. He has stood for the House of Commons for the Socialist Alliance, and published a book on Marxism and international law. Not quite what I had in mind, but I appreciate the mention. The world is vast. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/4 "2024-09-01T22:34:46Z")
I recently read Thomas More’s “Utopia.” That booklet was about half essay, and half footnotes and annotation. I’m about 1/4 of the way through “Moby Dick” and it too has plenty of annotation, mostly used to define archaic words or phrases. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecc23a/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/5 "2024-09-01T22:48:00Z")
I can recommend the _Flashman_ books by George Macdonald Frasier, starting with the eponymous volume. Flashman is a Victorian adventurer, a coward, a womanizer, a bully, and generally a dick to everyone around him, but who winds up with incredible honors from appearing taking creditable part in every ridiculous disaster that Victorian Britain could boast of. Any time a British army was wiped out to the last man, Flashman was that last man, sobbing and running for cover. The disasters Flashman participates in were real, and the books are carefully annotated to identify the real people that Flashman interacts with. The charm of the books is in the honesty of Flashman’s voice–the books purport to be his memoirs. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/6 "2024-09-02T00:41:18Z")
James Joyce’s books have inspired book-length annotations by other authors. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/7 "2024-09-02T01:44:54Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](#): > > George Macdonald Frasier That’s **Fraser** - no i. Agree on the recommendation, you can learn plenty from the Flashman books, and they’re great fun too. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/8 "2024-09-02T02:11:30Z")
_Hild_ by Nicola Griffith includes this note: > **[About the real Hild](https://nicolagriffith.com/2014/05/13/about-the-real-hild/)** > > In case you missed it, in the back of Hild I wrote a biographical note. It reads, essentially: Hild was real. She was born fourteen hundred years ago in Anglo-Saxon England. Everything we know abou… Griffith did a great deal of research into historical sources for _Hild,_ its sequel _Menewood,_ and novella _Spear._ Her blog on sources and culture is at > **[Gemæcce](https://gemaecce.com/)** > > The story of making the novels about Hild of Whitby See also > **[We Belong in History: Nicola Griffith on Menewood, Historical Fiction, and...](https://ancillaryreviewofbooks.org/2023/11/10/we-belong-in-history-nicola-griffith-on-menewood-historical-fiction-and-diversity/)** > > Misha Grifka Wander Nicola Griffith’s historical novel Hild came out in 2013 to critical acclaim. It told the story of St. Hilda of Whitby rising to power in seventh-century Britain, starting when … ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/9 "2024-09-02T02:18:55Z")
Bonus question: has an accredited historian ever provided a long treatment of works by E. L. Doctorow, James Albert Michener or other high-profile writers of historical fiction? It’s one thing for the author to provide (much appreciated) explanatory notes. It would be another for a professional historian to discuss the work’s veracity. It’s worth noting that veracity isn’t the only criteria or necessarily the best criteria for judging a work of historical fiction. It’s still interesting though. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/10 "2024-09-02T02:25:02Z")
Here’s something (though not by historians): > **[Do EL Doctorow's novels tinker too much with the truth?](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/22/el-doctorow-novels-the-book-of-daniel-reading-group)** > > The Book of Daniel has drawn criticism for playing fast and loose with history. But should fiction remain rule-free, or does its power entail a responsibility to be accurate? > **[Two Approaches To History: Michener’s Mexico and Philbrick's Bunker Hill](https://pioneerproductions.blogspot.com/2015/04/two-approaches-to-history-micheners.html)** > > This week I finished read Nathaniel Philbrick's Bunker Hill , a meticulously researched account of the events the preceded and to some ex... ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/11 "2024-09-02T04:11:17Z")
Next up: [Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln,_Vampire_Hunter_(novel)), the annotated version. 🙂 Honestly, annotation or an afterward written by a professional historian would probably fix all of EL Doctorow’s alleged problems. High resolution realism and entertainment will always be at loggerheads, IMHO. (Counter-examples welcome!) _Drama is life with the dull bits cut out._ - Hitchcock ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/12 "2024-09-02T05:41:59Z")
Simon Sebag Monefiore’s novel _Sashenka_ doesn’t come with footnotes nor an appendix, but I would recommend his earlier non-fiction books on Stalin before opening the cover. Approximately 70% a better read if undertaken after Court of the Red Tsar. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/13 "2024-09-02T23:17:52Z")
There exists [The Journal of Historical Fictions](http://historicalfictionsjournal.org/). It is open source; the last issue was published in 2022. Their Twitter-X account has 186 followers. It does not appear to be focused on historical veracity, quite the opposite: > Narrative constructions of the past constitute a powerful discursive system for the production of cognitive and ideological representations of identity, agency, and social function, and for the negotiation of conceptual relationships between societies in different times and lived experience. The licences of fiction, especially in mass culture, define a space in which the pursuit of narrative and meaning is permitted to slip the chains of sanctioned historical truths to explore the deep desires and dreams that lie beneath all constructions of the past. I accept their efforts, though I might point out that, “The chains of sanctioned historical truths”, have never been especially binding in Hollywood or on Publisher’s Row. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/14 "2024-09-03T03:20:49Z")
Possibly on the margins of the OP’s scope, the Aubrey-Maturin series of novels of Patrick O’Brian - set in the naval sphere of the Napoleonic Wars - has spawned a series of works by others discussing food, language, the actual Royal Navy at the time [the ones I know - there may be others]. O’Brian himself only had brief comments on the historicity of the novel, and mainly to highlight and excuse historical inaccuracies. In the same vein, there are societies dedicated to 19th-20th century authors like Twain, Dickens, Conan Doyle and Austen, whose journals and newsletters are full of discussion about the historical settings in the novels. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/15 "2024-09-03T09:37:54Z")
Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe novels all have end-notes explaining the historical context and how he’s weaved his fictional adventures into it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/16 "2024-09-03T15:41:16Z")
I really like the _The Annotated [Whatever]_ series of books, and own quite a few of them (_The Annotated Alice_, with annotations by Martin Gardner (and later, by others), _The Annotated Gulliver’s Travels_ (Isaac Asimov), _The Annotated Frankenstein_ (Leonard Wolf, Leslie Klinger), etc.) But, now that I think back on them, I don’t think any were historical fiction. A lot of such annotated works about long-ago historical periods were actually written in those periods. (_The Annotated Huckleberry Finn_, _The Annotated Uncle Tom’s Cabin_, etc.) Patrick O’Brien was mentioned above – in a similar vein, Cecil Scott Forester wrote _The Hornblower Companion_ that gives notes about his books, most notably in the form of maps, which I found very helpful. I prepared very full set of annotations for my YA time travel novel **The Traveler** , explaining obscure things, giving images, and substantiating the accuracy of the items referred to, in case anyone was curious. But no one ever was, so it remains undistributed. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/17 "2024-09-03T16:41:51Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe novels all have end-notes explaining the historical context and how he’s weaved his fictional adventures into it. Cornwell does the same for his Last Kingdom/Saxon Stories/Warrior Chronicles novels set in 9th-c. Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-and-discuss-heavily-annotated-works-of-historical-fiction/1006576/18 "2024-09-03T17:29:48Z")
Masters of Rome series by Collen McCullough is quite good IMHO.