USA History in Brief

Abstract

This abstract examines *: Narrative Truth and the Contemporary American Documentary Novel* (2010), which interrogates the nature and implications of the documentary novel, a genre that blends fact with fiction. The book explores whether this form describes an evolution in narrative techniques or challenges traditional notions of historical truth and "truth-claims" within nonfiction. Central to Flis's analysis is the question of how the documentary novel reflects broader cultural shifts, particularly regarding the erosion of boundaries between disciplines and genres. Drawing on Foucauldian theory, Flis considers whether the documentary novel signifies a post-hegemonic distribution of knowledge and power. While acknowledging that the form itself may not inherently possess social agency, she argues for its significance in rethinking traditional modes of representation. The book emphasizes the tension between realism and the documentary novel's stylistic techniques, suggesting that these cannot be entirely separated from the author’s worldview. Ultimately, Flis advocates a postmodern reading of the genre, despite her initial reservations about labeling it as such, due to the examples she examines, including works by Norman Mailer and Don DeLillo.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)