In this episode of Always Bring a Book, I sit down with journalist and bestselling author Michael Finkel, whose books explore some of the strangest true stories you’ll ever encounter.
Michael Finkel is the author of The Art Thief, The Stranger in the Woods, and True Story; all nonfiction books that read like thrillers and dive deep into the minds of people living far outside the bounds of normal life. (Photo Credit: © Doug Loneman)
We talk about how Mike became fascinated with people living on the fringes of society, from a Frenchman who stole over $2 billion worth of art just to admire it in his bedroom, to a hermit who lived alone in the Maine woods for 27 years without speaking to another human being. Mike explains why he’s drawn to these kinds of stories, what it takes to convince elusive subjects to talk, and how years of reporting and research eventually become a narrative that feels both unbelievable and completely true.
Our conversation also revisits the bizarre real-life events that inspired his book True Story, including the surreal moment when Mike discovered that a fugitive accused of murdering his family had been traveling under his name while posing as a reporter for the New York Times. We talk about the complicated aftermath of that experience, what it taught him about truth and storytelling, and how it shaped the way he approaches every project since.
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This week's recommendation: The Return by Rachel Harrison
Intro music by: Trevor Vaughan
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