It seems that lately truth is stranger, or at least more intriguing, than fiction. An outstanding number of books seem to have real people and real events at their core. It seems to be a recipe for success as well. Here are some of my favorite books based on real-life people.
The Literary:
Adeline by Norah Vincent looks at Virginia Woolf and touches on other members of the Bloomsbury Group.
Z by Therese Anne Fowler gives us a peak into the Jazz Age life of Zelda and her husband F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Arctic Summer by Damon Galgut explores how E.M. Forster actually got A Passage to India written.
Under The Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan travels the world with Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mrs. Hemingway by Naomi Wood shows us Hemingway through the eyes of his many wives.
The Scientific:
The Goddess of Small Victories by Yannick Grannec lets us into the mind and personal life of mathematician Kurt Godel.
Us Conductors by Sean Michaels brings us some crazy with the theramin and it’s creator.
And The Others:
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan takes us to 19th century Paris and the artist Degas.
The Confabulist by Steven Galloway not surprisingly shows that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Houdini.
Euphoria by Lily King is my personal favorite and gives a thinly veiled look at anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson.
The Visitors by Sally Beauman takes us to Egypt and the discovery of King Tut!
Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner brings Paris and fashion to life with Coco Chanel.
52 books or bust 
I haven’t read any of these but I really want to read Euphoria. My favorite real person read lately was Mr. Mac and Me by Esther Freud about artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Seems like artists and writers make for good fiction!
Mr Mac and Me is on my list! And you must read Euphoria. MUST. It was divine.
I love reading fictionalized versions of real people. Great list – thanks!
I never really enjoyed reading fiction books based on real people. But recently I’ve read a few that you have mentioned and now it’s something I keep an eye out for!
Yes, I’m finding truth stranger (and better!) than fiction at the moment. I’ve just started Euphoria and had no idea it was based on fact – that makes it better straight away! I haven’t read any of the others, but several are buried in my TBR pile somewhere. Glad to hear you enjoyed them!
I think Euphoria may be one of my all time favorites! Just loved it so much. Enjoy!
I love nonfiction and I think my enjoyment of fact based fiction is an extension of that. Especially if an author is clear about which parts of the book are factual, books like this can be a great chance to learn some interesting history while reading a really enjoyable story.
What a great list! I haven’t read any of these books either, but because of Naomi, Euphoria is at the top of my list. I’ve had a hold at the library for ages, so I’m hoping it will come in any day now.
Camp out at the library until it comes. It will be so worth it.