They say that truth is stranger than fiction. But what happens when fiction and truth are blended together? The results are the following books that were amazing reads with a little bit of insight into the actual characters.
In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
Truman Capote spent years talking to Perry Smith and Richard Hickrock about the brutal murders they committed in rural Kansas in the 1950′s. The result was the captivating and chilling novel, “In Cold Blood. One of the first widely popular books that blended real life experiences with the elements of fiction, “In Cold Blood†captured the fear and bloodlust of many Americans.
Primary Colors, by Anonymous
In 1992, then Arkansas governor Bill Clinton ran a grand campaign that won him a presidency that would lead to famous – and infamous – results. In the primaries however, Bill Clinton’s campaign was “the little engine that could†and was met with their share of battles. In 1996, in the midst of Clinton’s presidency, “Primary Colors†was published with characters all too familiar. Including a young Southern governor, Jack Stanton, an idealistic campaign manager and a hard-nosed wife, the characters mimicked, to the point of carbon copies, President Clinton, campaign manager George Stephanopoulos and Clinton’s wife, Hilary Clinton. Later revealed to be written by political insider Joe Klein, the book was wildly popular.
Tesla: A Biographical Novel of the World’s Greatest Inventor, by Tad Wise
Inventor Nikola Tesla is regarded as one of the most prolific inventors of the Twentieth Century. Nikola Tesla’s life and legacy is also heavily borrowed for works of fiction. From movies such as “The Prestige†to a slew of science fiction novels, Nikola Tesla has been used as a character of enchantment and wonder. In Tad Wise’s novel, Tesla is the centerpiece of his own wondrous and at times tragic life. Wise tells the story of Tesla’s rise to fame, his work with mentor turned rival Thomas Edison and lays out key points in Tesla’s life. While much of the timeline is accurate, Wise adds drama and great storytelling to an already magical life.
