Unique among the "Art Of" series, engages with both fiction and narrative nonfiction to reveal varied strategies of incorporating and dramatizing historical detail. Bram challenges popular notions about historical narratives as he examines both successful and flawed passages to illustrate how authors from different genres treat subjects that loom large in American history, such as slavery and the Civil War. And he delves deep into the reasons why endures as a classic of historical fiction. Bram's keen insight and close reading of a wide array of authors make an essential volume for any lover of historical narrative.