Books, Tea and Me

How to Write History That People Want to Read by Ann Curthoys


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have a penchant for writing books. This one appealed to me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was written by a pair of authors who are Australian. I was interested to get an Australian perspective to the ressearch and writing process. I also picked up this book because it deals specifically with history writing, which seems to differ to contemporary novel writing, especially for those of us who are pedantic about facts in historical novels.

This book seems primarily directed at nonfiction writers, students of history and textbook writers. There is, however, plenty of useful information and advice for fiction writers, especially in the chapters about research and character development. The book uses an easy to read, conversational tone, and covers the entire writing process, from idea to publication. Interspersed with anecdotes from the authors' own experiences as well as those of other writers, it is an engaging read. I'd recommend this book to all writers of history, from students writing a thesis right through to novelists.

View all my reviews >>