These two books exist somewhere in the fuzzy hinterland between straight-out fiction and creative non-fiction. I have a soft spot for fictionalized accounts of people's real lives. One of my favorites is a book called Saints and Villains about my historical crush Dietrich Bonhoeffer. These two books follow the same simple pattern: real lives, real events with all the other details skillfully painted in by the author.
My favorite of the two was Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan. Pick it up if you like great description and characterization. The novel follows the lives of Robert Louis Stevenson and his lover/wife Fanny Osbourne through their battles with illness, society, and betrayal. The two clearly lived a tumultuous life. This book will take you around the world and into the fierce landscape of human emotion. I'm afraid if I write anything else, I'll spoil it for you. I think this would be a great beach book for those of you who aren't into trashy romances but still want something relaxing and engaging to keep your attention out there by the waves.
A Good Hard Look imagines what might have happened in the small town of Milledgeville, GA, home to Flannery O'Connor. Though this book featured Flannery O'Connor, it was simultaneously like reading one of Flannery's short stories. The book swallowed me up right away; I was fascinated. I also must say this novel was not a happy one. It managed to show an imagined version of Flannery's life that might offer some insight into the inspiration behind her "fictioneering." Reading this novel made me feel like a rubbernecker out on I-40. The wreck was so fascinating; I just couldn't look away.
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