The Folio Academy Sessions, Not Even Past: Historical Narratives

Tracy Chevalier, Jane Harris and Tom Holland

‘The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past.’ William Faulkner understood why so many of the stories we tell are rooted in history. Whether creating fiction or interpreting fact, is 'writing history' more about defining where we came from or understanding who we are now? Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring, and Jane Harris, author of The Observations, are both acclaimed, best-selling writers of historical fiction. Tom Holland is an award-winning historian of works including Rubicon and, most recently, Dynasty. Together they investigate the challenges and rewards of looking forwards by looking back.