An Interview with historical novelist, Philippa Gregory
Sussex historians have a particular interest in the representation of the past within popular culture. The vitality of history beyond the universities is reflected in television documentaries, radio broadcasts, popular history books and the worldwide web. Historical fiction is a particularly vibrant strand, but what is the relationship between popular history, academic history and creative writing?
Best-selling author and former Sussex student, Philippa Gregory excels in this field. In November 2012 she delivered a Sussex public lecture on the topic. In her talk, ‘How historical is historical fiction?’ she explored the relationship between historical fiction historical research, addressing the issue through the lens of her own writing career and responding to questions from the audience. She also kindly agreed to be interviewed by Sussex doctoral student, David Geiringer, about her work and approach.