Boundaries of History Panel

Peter Ho Davies, Megan Marshall, Sena Jeter Naslund, Patricia O’Toole, and Barry Unsworth participated in a panel discussion entitled “The Boundaries of History, Historical Fiction and the Limits of Invention” on what the genres of fiction and non-fiction teach each other Topics included the constraints of history, what can be learned from historical fiction, and whether historical inquiry can be scientific. Michael Meeropol moderated.

Peter Ho Davies is the author of the novel, The Welsh Girl and the story collections, Equal Love and The Ugliest House in the World. He is currently a faculty member of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Michigan.

Megan Marshall is the author of The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and was recipient of the Frances Parkman Prize, awarded by the Society of American Historians. Ms. Marshall is currently teaching writing and the art of archival research at Emerson College.

Sena Jeter Naslund is the author of numerous books, including the novels Ahab’s Wife and Abundance. She is currently Writer in Residence at the University of Louisville and Kentucky Poet Laureate.

Patricia O’Toole is the author of several books, including The Five of Hearts: An Intimate Portrait of Henry Adams and His Friends that was the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Ms. O’Toole is currently teaching literary nonfiction at Columbia University.

Barry Unsworth is the author of several books, including Pascali’s Island and Sacred Hunger that was joint winner of the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1992.

Michael Meeropol is the author of several books, including Surrender, How the Clinton Administration Completed the Reagan Revolution. Mr. Meeropol has been a regular commentator on politics and economy for the Albany NPR station, WAMC-FM and is currently Chair of the Department of Economics at Western New England College. close