The historical novel? Novel, history and the 'end of history'

The chapter briefly reviews theoretical positions on the relation between fictional and historiographical narratives, from Lukacs to his recent postmodern adversaries. Exploratory rather than conclusive in its argument, it defends the view that apparently naive questions about fiction, history and truth remain central to our reading. It concludes with some remarks about recent British fiction, including novels by Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McEwan and Zadie Smith.