The Literature of Fact: Writing about History

The great challenge to writing about history is recreating what cannot be witnessed in real time. As time passes, societies question their accepted narratives. Time makes it easier to see what is missing from the stories we tell ourselves. This seminar will teach students how to look back--to find stories in our past, and get them down on paper. Emphasis will be placed on structure, research, interviewing and writing. Students will read masterpieces of historical nonfiction, and work on a long-form project that reexamines a narrative of their choosing.