Historical Fiction versus Creative Nonfiction versus Nonfiction

So which is the best type of book for learning what life was like during a specific time period?

This week has been full of ACCESS testing, database searches, and play adaptations. On top of that, three blocks of students have needed a book involving American history prior to 1900. When students have come to me asking for assistance in choosing a book, I began the conversation with "Fiction or Nonfiction?" (The teacher had already discussed this assignment with me, and either genre was allowable.)

Most students, after asking about the differences, have chosen historical fiction. There have been some who preferred nonfiction. So, which one is better?

According to Roy Peter Clark at www.creativenonfiction.org, "writers of fiction use fact to make their work believable. They do research to create authentic settings into which we enter." (Issue #16) Meanwhile, authors of creative nonfiction are busy putting their own "poetic license" into scenes to make them read more like a narrative. Nonfiction, of course, can sometimes "stick to the facts" to the point where it becomes dry and dusty reading. (Personally, I really enjoy a lot of nonfiction; most nonfiction writers do not present the information and research like a textbook.)

Let's look at the benefits of each of these three types of writing:

Historical Fiction: the food, clothing, actions, mannerisms, surrounding events, etc. all mirror the truth. Because the characters are living in that time period, it can be easy to grasp the everyday life and experiences of the typical person. Often these are set during monumental events in history, giving the reader a bird's eye view of the event. Because it is, first and foremost, a story, it is easy to be swept away by the imagination and caught up in the lives of characters who seem real. This is great for remembering what happens in the plot as well as all those historical facts entwined in the plot. A great example of this is Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, a novel describing the events of the Battle of Gettysburg from the point of view of officers and soldiers in both armies. The research is impeccable, and one would think it is nonfiction. Moreover, the conversations and descriptions of emotions are fiction based on what these men wrote in letters or journals about the battle. 

Creative Nonfiction: This genre involves writing factually about an event, but including writing skills often used by novelists: beautiful imagery, literary devices, and lots of details. A work of creative nonfiction is going to read like a novel. The story flows from the page. Once again, that flow is what allows you to remember details about the events. There are no "characters", and the plot is completely real. Sometimes, as in Erik Larson's book, The Devil in the White City, the reader may come away from the book with a sense of disbelief. Could this really have happened? Isn't it fiction? Good research and good writing, plus wanting to tell the real STORY, makes a great book in this genre.

Nonfiction: Nonfiction is factual, but it doesn't have to be boring or dry. Unfortunately sometimes it is both. Often it is neither. The main difference between nonfiction and creative nonfiction is going to be how the same facts are presented. This is a more analytic approach to the subject matter. Who, what, when, where, how, and why without the embellishments. Many students, especially those with data-driven minds, will enjoy learning through this type of book the most. One can almost hear someone whispering, "Just the facts, ma'am. Just the facts." 

Now down to the point of all this: which genre is best when learning about history? Which one do you think is best? If the object is to know a date, the names of people involved, and specifics about what occurred, nonfiction will suit just fine. If you want to feel as if you have been immersed in the time period? Creative nonfiction or historical fiction may fit what you are looking for. Look at the assignment, determine what you must learn from it, and choose the genre you will most enjoy! (And, as always, browse the shelves and read a page or two from a book that catches your eye if you don't have a specific book in mind. Just don't feed the bookshelf! M & Ms are great for librarians, but not for library books.)