Big Historian, Little Historian

[Gary Oswald]

Discuss the latest article by @David Flin here

 

[Alex Richards]

I think one thing that potentially works is when you have character driven sections which might be separated by a time jump, with a little 'big picture' summary separating them.

Needs careful judging lest it basically become a series of 'Star Wars opening' infodumps separating the story.

 

[Thande]

I think one thing that potentially works is when you have character driven sections which might be separated by a time jump, with a little 'big picture' summary separating them.

Needs careful judging lest it basically become a series of 'Star Wars opening' infodumps separating the story.

In LTTW 6 I liked to do "politician confidently predicts this is how the latest offensive will go / cut to ordinary people a few weeks later seeing it rather differently".

 

[IanBertram]

Two books I always point to as managing to mix both levels are 'USA' by John Dos Passos and "Stand on Zanzibar" by John Brunner, who explicitly credits the Dos Passos book as an influence.

 

[SenatorChickpea]

You've always got the classic 'Street-level Detective gets caught up with a political crime' technique, as used by Len Deighton in SSGB, Robert Harris in Fatherland and Michael Chabon in The Yiddish Policeman's Union.'

Lots of opportunity to show how the world of ordinary people is different, but the detective's prodding and poking also naturally leads to exposition dumps and the reading of documents that reveal the big picture.

Also, snazzy hats and trenchcoats and an excuse to stand on a corner beneath a blinking neon sign while the storm threatens to break overhead, a cigarette almost falling from your fingers as you think about the Dame/the Guy, and maybe the city's trying to kill you but you love it anyway.