Historical fiction is an effective yet underutilized method of teaching history and I wanted to demonstrate how it can be used in the classroom. By writing a full-length, heavily researched historical fiction novel I explored the techniques of writing fiction, the differences and similarities between researching historical fiction and a textbook, and how these features can be exploited by educators as well as easily learned by the public at large. My novel, An Honest Man, explores medieval Spanish Muslim culture and philosophy, classical Greek philosophy, vellum production, and a myriad of other historical trends and events. It is also funny, entertaining and on sale soon.
Thomas Brown has an academic background in Archaeology and Business Management, as well as a Liberal Studies BA with a minor in K-8 Education. He pays the bills as Chief of Operations at Craciun Research Group and as a freelance writer/editor in Anchorage. He wastes time reading more than he’d like to admit, writing fiction, volunteering as the co-director of the nonprofit Alaska Freedom To Travel USA and hiking with his dog.
