Anybody know of a book with the theme...

[Biber]

FP people being typically well read, I'd like to tap into the collective knowledge that lurks here. I'm interested to know if anybody knows of a book that is essentially about the search for the actual history and historical context behind behind a supposedly true story. Perhaps something like the real story behind historical fiction that really isn't (or probably isn't) fiction.

Any suggestions?

[fqgouvea]

There are, of course, many such books. In my own area (history of science and mathematics) there are lots of “folk tales” that cry out for historical investigation. Galileo’s story, for example, is known in garbled form by almost everyone; many books have aimed to sort out the truth behind the legend. There’s a book called “1001 Distortions” that collects essays explaining how a popular account of Islamic science goes wrong. And so on.

At a more literary level there are things like Avram Davidson’s “Adventures in Unhistory”, where he tries to figure out what might be behind various legends, with little actual evidence and varying degrees of persuasiveness.

Is that (either one) the kind of thing you had in mind?

[Biber]

Kind of, sorta, I think. I'll look into the books you suggest and see what I can see. I'm essentially looking into the cataloging aspect (related subjects categories etc.) of such a book. The original story I'm working with is about a person's search for the actual history (people, places, and events) behind a Holocaust story, so it's part memoir and part history and part biography. I just want to see how a similar book has been treated.

[An old bloke]

Biber wrote, 'I'm interested to know if anybody knows of a book that is essentially about the search for the actual history and historical context behind behind a supposedly true story. Perhaps something like the real story behind historical fiction that really isn't (or probably isn't) fiction.'

Mate, this may or may not be helpful, but pertains to researching essentially the same period, and being confronted with having to research from incomplete sources, oral history and even other publications written by authors whose works may bear an element of the personal.

There is a good deal of myth and legend in the shooting community about two well-known individuals who were arguably advanced close quarters shooting and combat during the inter-war and WWII than anyone else They were WE Fairbairn and Eric Sykes. Part of the myth/legend involves whether Sykes was a member of SIS (MI-5), whether there was a 'falling out' between them over what should be taught (or a conflict of personalities), and 'tales' from questionable sources about what was taught and by whom. All of this is of interest for anyone student of WWII or military history, and the martial arts. There are two well researched books that explore their story, and debunk some of the myths. The first is Fairbairn's biography, The Legend of WE Fairbairn Gentleman & Warrior, and No Queensbury Rules Fairbairn & Sykes: Fathers of Modern Close Combat (1940-1942). The former is the better written book since its original researcher (sadly deceased before publication) thoroughly documented the content. The latter leaves on with the opinion that ist was not as well documented and that it's publication was rushed.

[ChrisJ]

There have been many books about the historical King Arthur but a very good example of a historical analysis of the legend and more importantly the setting of 5th to 6th century Britain is Guy Halsall’s “
Worlds of Arthur : Facts and Fictions of the dark ages”
He covers the period from the retreat of the Romans to the beginnings of the Anglo-Saxons as well as a great analysis of the sources which purport to cover this period ( often written 6 to 7 centuries later)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0198700849?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share