How can the archives inspire historical fiction?

Holding History Podcast

Season 2: Episode 2

“There's so much that doesn't make it into the historical record. And that's really where the work of imagination comes into play. ”

--Jennifer Chiaverini

This episode features a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini. We spent time with Jennifer discussing her newly released novel, Canary Girls, her research process, and how historical fiction can fill in historical gaps.

This season, we’re talking with artists who use the archive in their creative process. Jennifer talked to us about the archives that were central to this latest project, and how the archive tends to change the direction of her writing.

Jennifer discusses the BBC archive on munitions workers, we touch on the Bodleian Libraries and Ashmolean Museum, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and the British Newspaper Archive.

Read more about women’s football in WWI, All is Calm, the Library of Alexandria, and the Imperial War Museum.

A transcript of this episode can be accessed here.

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