The Honest Broker

The Honest Broker

The Vault

The Known World by Edward P. Jones

Ted Gioia's avatar
Ted Gioia
Jan 01, 2000
∙ Paid
5
Share

Why do many historical novels, especially the zealous and ambitious ones, strike me as being so clumsy? I would suggest that the problem arises from an almost intrinsic inflexibility of the novel—which has always been a narrative form built around the exploits and perspectives of individuals— when it tries to addresses causes and results of a social and…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Honest Broker to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Ted Gioia
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture