Historical Fiction: How Accurate Does it Need to Be?

Dara Gruenberg interviewed author Barbara Josselsohn at Scarsdale LibraryWhat is historical fiction and how broad can the definition be for “historical fiction?” That was a subject of discussion of a conversation between Scarsdale author Barbara Josselsohn and moderator Dara Gruenberg at a book party for Josselsohn’s new book, “Secrets of the Italian Island,” at Scarsdale Library on June 5, 2023.

The reception and conversation were held in a grassy knoll outside the library, just a day before the smoke descended and forced everyone inside. The audience was filled with Josselsohn’s friends from the Scarsdale Library’s Writers Center, friends, readers and even her agent.

Mark Fowler from Bronx River Books was on hand to provide copies of the new book which the author signed for admirers following the talk.

The book is a “dual timeline” novel, based in 1943 and in 2019, following a present day heroine investigating mysterious circumstances of her grandmother’s life during World War II in Italy. Following the death of her grandmother, Mia, the present day protagonist, is going through the contents of her grandmother’s house when she learns that her grandmother has been accused of a crime and discovers some mysterious artifacts.

Anxious to learn more about her grandmother’s past and to clear her name, Mia travels to a celebrated private island off the coast of Italy that is the scene of the wartime drama.

Josselsohn was asked for the source of her inspiration for the book and she shared some surprising news. The island and magical castle where the action takes place, are actually based in France, off the coast of Brittany. That island was acquired by a Polish mathematician and inventor who invited many talented artists, writers and scientists to work there prior to World War II.

As in the book, the island was invaded by the Nazis and there are few historical records about what took place. The inventor’s daughter was killed at Auschwitz. Now it is again a private island so there’s been little written about it.

How did she research a story about a fictional island during World War II? Josselsohn explained that she began her research at the Scarsdale Library and accessed resources from here and around the country. She used Pinterest boards to form a visual picture of her story and her imagination to construct the plot.

Asked if she worried about historical accuracy, she said she did try to write in keeping with the era but does not get hung up on small points of fact. She says her proofreader and copyeditor did a wonderful job of fact checking and reviewing her manuscript for accuracy.

The reception to this book has been so good that Josselsohn is now writing a second book in the series called, The Lost Gift to the Italian Island. This one focuses on the grandmother’s younger sister Guilia.

Josselsohn closed with a reading from the book which whet the audience’s appetite for more.

Secrets of the Italian Island is available in paperback at Bronx River Books and also on Kindle here: