Dust and Light: On the Art of Fact in Fiction

The celebrated National Book Award-winning writer's intimate exploration of how fact is transformed into fiction.



In this thoughtful collection of essays, Andrea Barrett draws from her experiences writing some of the most acclaimed historical fiction of our time to explore the mysteries and delights of the genre. Inspiration found in the past, she argues, can illuminate fiction, just as dust scatters light and makes the unseen visible. Delving into some of the largest questions in the genre-...