07 Dec Katherine Howe—The Value of the Small Life
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This last episode of the season features New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe and her latest release, A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself. Katherine and I talked about the Golden Age of Piracy, how fiction tends to romanticize and sanitize piracy, and how we curate our own image in all kinds of ways.
Here’s a description of A True Account:
In Boston, as the Golden Age of Piracy comes to a bloody close, Hannah Masury – bound out to service at a waterfront inn since childhood – is ready to take her life into her own hands. When a man is hanged for piracy in the town square and whispers of a treasure in the Caribbean spread, Hannah is forced to flee for her life, disguising herself as a cabin boy in the pitiless crew of the notorious pirate Edward “Ned” Low. To earn the freedom to choose a path for herself, Hannah must hunt down the treasure and change the tides.
Meanwhile, professor Marian Beresford pieces Hannah’s story together in 1930, seeing her own lack of freedom reflected back at her as she watches Hannah’s transformation. At the center of Hannah Masury’s account, however, lies a centuries-old mystery that Marian is determined to solve, just as Hannah may have been determined to take it to her grave.
A True Account tells the unforgettable story of two women in different worlds, both shattering the rules of their own society and daring to risk everything to go out on their own account.
Purchase A True Account: Hannah Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself on Amazon (affiliate).
Purchase Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty on Amazon (affiliate).
Purchase Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune on Amazon (affiliate).
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Brock Meier
Posted at 16:44h, 12 DecemberAlison, I so appreciated your interview with Katherine Howe, concerning the Value of the Small Life—a subject dear to my own heart. So much of historical fiction dwells upon the “major players” and big names of history, but it is often the barely mentioned individuals who have led the most interesting (and relatable) lives. I am a historical fiction author as well, and I find great joy in exploring the lives of those who are no more than footnotes in records of the past. My recent debut novel, The Stone Cutter, takes a detailed look at the life of a man who is unnamed in the Synoptic Gospels, but is usually referred to as “Legion” or the “Gadarene Demoniac.” The gospel narrative probably takes place over no more than an hour or two, but his life was clearly much more than that. What led up to his possession by a thousand demons, and what became of him after that? I added a deeper measure of humanity to him—to hear his voice, to see his face, to touch his heart.
Alison Treat
Posted at 20:32h, 12 DecemberThat sounds like such a cool novel, Brock! I love it when authors shine a light on the lesser-known characters in history. Thanks for listening and commenting!