| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Renowned for the thorough research he carries out before actually starting to write a new book, Boyle has given new impetus to the historical novel by spinning bizarre and funny yarns round historical events. For example, Riven Rock, set in 1920s America, is about contemporary treatment for insanity as well as the emerging feminist movement, whereas a later novel, Drop City , is set in 1970 and deals with the hippieHippies (singular hippie or sometimes hippy were members of the 1960s counterculture movement who adopted a communal or nomadic lifestyle, renounced corporate nationalism and the Vietnam War, embraced aspects of Buddhism, Hinduism, and/or Native American movement.
| time | setting | historical personage in the novel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| World's End ( 1987See also 1986 in literature, other events of 1987, 1988 in literature, list of years in literature. Events Tom Wolfe was paid $5 million for the film rights to his novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities the most ever earned by an author. New Books Beloved Ton) | late 17th century16th century 17th century 18th century more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601- 1700. During this period, the power of England and the United Provinces increased; while that of, 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming, and 1968Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is standardized as ANSI Standard X3. Nauru adopt his national anthem of the | Northern Westchester CountyWestchester County is a suburban county located in the U. State of New York. It was named to commemorate Chester, in England. The county seat is White Plains. Although many of its residents are quite wealthy and although Westchester is home to many extrem near Peekskill, New York | |
| Water Music ( 1982See also 1981 in literature, other events of 1982, 1983 in literature, list of years in literature. Events La Bicyclette Bleue The Blue Bicycle by Regine Deforges becomes France's best selling novel ever. New Books The Assumption of the Rogues and Rascals) | 1795Events January 16 French occupy Utrecht, Netherlands. January 20 French troops enter Amsterdam and later proclaim Batavian Republic. January 23 Dutch fleet freezes in Issel Meer. February 7 The 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed. | London, Scotland, and Africa (source of the Niger) | Mungo Park |
| The Road to Wellville ( 1993) | 1907 | Battle Creek, Michigan | John Harvey Kellogg |
| Riven Rock ( 1998) | 1905- 1925 | Montecito, Santa Barbara County, California | Stanley McCormick , Katharine McCormick |
| The Inner Circle ( 2004) | 1950s | United States of America | Alfred Kinsey |
| Drop City ( 2003) | 1970 | California, Alaska | |
| Budding Prospects ( 1984) | 1980s | California | |
| East Is East ( 1990) | 1980s | Georgia ( American South) | |
| The Tortilla Curtain ( 1995) | 1990s | Southern California | |
| A Friend of the Earth ( 2000) | 2025 | United States of America | |
Each of the 16 books is introduced by the author himself at http://www.tcboyle.com/public_htm/books.html.