"So I sort of braid, or try to braid together what we would call history and what we would call fiction. And this is a place for a fiction writer to sort of dwell," he says. "It's interesting how the truth gets perceived and how the repeated lie becomes the truth. McCann's inspiration led to TransAtlantic, his latest novel, which mixes history and fiction in an exploration of the ties between Ireland and the U.S.įacts can deceive, says McCann, whereas fiction often gets closer to the truth. McCann says he knew almost immediately that he wanted to turn this historical fact into fiction: "This intersection between history and fiction, between what is real and what is not real, fascinates me," he says. How?Ībout five years ago, Colum McCann stumbled upon a small piece of history he had never known: In 1845, Frederick Douglass, then an escaped slave who was already famous for his anti-slavery writings and speeches, visited Ireland to raise money and support for his cause. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title TransAtlantic Author Colum McCann
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