Oral History and Fiction: Enhancer or Underminer of War Literature to be held

According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), continuing the series of problem-solving sessions in fictional literature, the second session titled “Oral History and Fiction: Enhancer or Underminer of War Literature” will be held on Monday, Azar 10 (December 1), with the presence of Mohammad Reza Sharghi Khaboushan (writer and researcher), Ahmad Shakeri (critic), Mohammad Hadi Abdolvahab (researcher), and Mohammad Ghaemkhani (writer and researcher).

This session will take place on Monday, Azar 10, at 5 PM at Somayyeh Book Cafe, next to the Art Center.

Some writers and researchers believe that oral history, with its expansion in recent years, especially in the field of war and revolution, has inadvertently occupied part of the traditional domain of the novel. For years, the novel played a primary role in representing lived experience, creating characters, and narrating historical emotions. However, the influx of numerous oral history works that rely on reality, details, and direct accounts from witnesses has changed the audience’s taste. Today’s reader, instead of imaginative narratives, seeks a “real voice”; a voice that appears more documented and trustworthy. This shift in taste has marginalized many novelists and changed the supply and demand landscape in favor of memoir-based works.