Summary: Some of the bestselling books in recent years have been historical fiction or nonfiction that examines events from the recent or distant past. The appeal of such books is, in part, the joy of immersing ourselves in these long-gone worlds. Yet anyone who tries to write such a story quickly realizes that research and worldbuilding can overwhelm the actual narrative. Novelists Jame L. Haley, Natalia Sylvester, and Sherry Thomas and nonfiction writer Dan Oppenheimer discuss the ways that writers can both bring a historical world to life and also tell a riveting story in this conversation moderated by WLT Program Director Michael Noll.
