This week on “60 Minutes,” John Worthtime did an interview of David Grain, a New York Times best-selling novelist whose most recent book, “The Voyager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder,” came out in April.
Grain discussed how he researches and writes about these incredibly well-liked and complex non-fiction stories with “60 Minutes” before the book’s publication. He keeps his devoted readers interested by fusing true crime, journalism, and history, and he has grown to be a favorite of Hollywood producers as well.
Martin Scorsese is turning their most recent book, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” into a movie that will star performers like Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brendan Fraser. The movie, which had its world debut in May at Cannes, will hit theaters in October with the intention of challenging for major honors at the end of the year. They spoke with 60 Minutes this past Sunday on the process involved in writing such outstanding books.
The topics covered in the novels of Grain Amazon range from British explorers to the systematic murder of Native Americans, from runaway captives to shipwrecks. Investigating thoroughly is a recurring theme. Each of their works is based on actual occurrences and the product of extensive study conducted both on- and off-site over many years. Their commitment to their art is unwavering, and they see the need of uncovering lost historical accounts.
Grain spent 60 minutes strolling through his office, which included tens of thousands of records, periodicals, and other writing-related materials. He then gathered them.
The archives have a lot of buried, hidden stories, mysteries, facts, and voices, Grain observed. Important pieces of American history can be found here.
However, searching for old texts for years in a collection can be tiring, Grain told 60 Minutes that it is worth the trouble. They said that in the quest for an unknown thing, difficulty and beauty are the “qualities of serendipity” that can change everything. They spoke to 60 Minutes correspondent John Worthen about a moment in the National Archives in Fort Worth, Texas, when they came across an account that illuminated a historical mystery that shaped their novel, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
For this reason, I’m pulling boxes, and within one of them, I found something that virtually resembled a diary,” Grain said of his observations. To be completely honest, this was one of the most significant texts I have encountered in the last five years
Although laborious research is the foundation of any good non-fiction narrative, Grain revealed that to take their work a step further and create something extraordinary, they need to develop meaningful connections with sources and experience the authentic, realistic encounters similar to their characters.
You are shaped by your relationships and friendships, Grain continued. They alter you in some way. Because of this, they represent truly hidden riches to me. Despite the fact that they aren’t frequently found in novels or stories you tell, they are items that make your life better.