Episode 366: David Grann

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Each book has a different voice and almost a different style to some extent.

David Grann, from Ep. 366

By Brendan O’Meara

David Grann (@DavidGrann) returns!

His new book is The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder (Bantam Doubleday Dell). And what a tale!

Isn’t it nice to sink into a cool story in nonfiction? Not some overarching treatise on either self-improvement or how we can/should improve the country? In this case, David takes to the souther tip of South America where hell on Earth plays out.

David also is the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, The Lost City of Z, and The Devil & Sherlock Holmes. Each story he writes is a master class in writing, structure, and research. On top of that, David is just an awesome and generous person, so you’re gonna love this chat.

We talk about his relationship to his brilliant editor Daniel Zelewski, how each book demands its own voice, and his “God, no” file.

The show’s Instagram handle, @creativenonfictionpodcast, and you can always keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod.

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Stay wild, CNFers!

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