The relationship between history and fiction has always been contentious and sometimes turbulent, not least because the two have been seen as mutually exclusive opposites. In this thought-provoking and original study, Beverly Southgate investigates the truth behind fiction and the fact behind history and shows that the culmination of 20 years of historical theorising may well be that history meets fiction at a point where the two become indistinguishable.

History Meets Fiction provides a fascinating account of the relationship between history and fiction, a debate fast becoming central to the study of historical theory. It uses extracts and examples from well-known works of fiction to illustrate and reinforce points within the text, and Southgate is an engaging and accessible writer who has the rare ability to present this complex material with clarity.