Oftentimes when we are watching a film or reading a novel we encounter the phrase “based on a true story.” We are left to wonder, how much of this work is based in historical fact, and how much was dreamed up by the author or director? It’s a fair question, and sometimes we learn that a lot more is factual than we anticipated. Here are five novels that bring truth and fiction together to create an incredible story.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S. Thompson

Throughout most of the story, our main character is on a crazed romp through the city of Las Vegas during a time when men still wore suits when in public and behaved appropriately. Against a glamorous and sensational background, the main character breaks every rule regarding what to say and how to behave in the casino atmosphere and somehow manages to evade arrest against staggering odds.

This novel is shrouded in mystery regarding the circumstances of its origins. We know for certain that Rolling Stone magazine commissioned Hunter S. Thompson, AKA “Raoul Duke”, to travel to Las Vegas and cover the Mint 400 desert race. From there we are taken on a maddening journey that crosses between the realms of fiction and fantasy.

Devil in the White City – Erik Larson

Devil in the White City is a historical novel that tells the story of America’s first serial killer who used the magnificent World’s Fair as his hunting grounds. The 1893 World’s Fair was an extraordinary and meticulously planned event for its time that showcased incredible scientific and cultural wonders from around the globe. While the author takes creative liberties with the details and storytelling, it’s amazing how much of this novel is factual. So much so, that it’s been cited as a source by historians and scholars.

When he began researching this subject for his novel, author Larson absolutely exhausted his sources, citing hundreds of historical accounts and records that recount the killer and his actions. While his novel remains as factual as possible, there are a lot of scenes and details that were recreated or embellished by the author based on his speculations of what “must have happened” or how this incident “likely played out.” The end product is a captivating novel that has an enormous historically accurate basis and is an exceptionally good read.

The Shining – Stephen King

Stephen King has been called the “King of Horror.” The lineage of this fitting title spans decades and numerous novels, but one of the most memorable and famous is his 1977 novel, The Shining.  While it is a completely fictional work, the novel borrows many real life elements from the history and legends surrounding the perplexing Stanley Hotel in Colorado.

King and his wife spent a night at the Stanley Hotel right before they closed for the winter season. Being the only two guests in the entire hotel, King recalls the eerie feeling in the building. After a night spent in the haunted room 217, he had the entire premise of the novel decided on. Many of the details from the novel are borrowed from historical accounts of this haunted and enigmatic hotel.

Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden 

The story for Memoirs of a Geisha went on to inspire the 2005 film that won numerous awards. For the background research of the novel, author Golden interviewed several real-life geishas, most notably being Mineko Iwasaki. The story of Memoirs centres around the two young girls Chiyo and Satsu in 1929 Japan, who are sold by their father as slaves to work in the “pleasure district.”

Many real locations and people are mentioned by name in the story, as are the traditions and ceremonies that were performed at the time. Overall, while being a fictitious novel, the tale of Chiyo and Satsu Sakamoto is the unfortunate tale of many young women of their time and era.

The Godfather – Mario Puzo 

The Godfather is one of the most memorable and influential mafia dramas of all time. While the history of the American mafia is steeped in legend, many factual events have been recorded over the generations and are present in this seminal work. One of the most important characters, Don Corleone, is inspired by the real-life boss Frank Costello, as well as drawing inspiration from others like the “Olive King” Joe Profaci. Later in the novel, we meet the Las Vegas kingpin Moe Greene, who was clearly based on the notorious gangster Bugsy Siegel.

There are many more events in this novel that are reflective of incidents that truly transpired, like the infamous restaurant assassination. With all of this real-world factual basis, the Godfather can be considered a web or patchwork of mafia history.