Hilary Mantel once wrote, “The writer of history is a walking anachronism, using

today’s techniques to try to know things about yesterday that yesterday didn’t

know itself. She must try to work authentically, hearing the words of the past, but

communicating in a language the present understands. I start to practice my trade

at the point where the satisfactions of the official story break down.” Three of our

most incisive and successful contemporary novelists whose work often engages

with history—KRISTIN HANNAH, JOHN BURNHAM SCHWARTZ, and ABRAHAM VERGHESE—will

sit down with New York Times columnist and former Book Review editor PAMELA

PAUL for a frank discussion about Mantel’s observations, their own books, and how

and why they write what they do.