In this semester-long historical fiction seminar, we will travel alongside Alexander the Great through Mary Renault’s iconic novel The Persian Boy. This acclaimed historical fiction novel will be our central text this semester, but we will supplement our literature with forays into primary source texts. Some of our essential questions for writing and discussion will include: With what techniques does a great historical fiction novel bring the past to life? What does the character of Bagoas teach us about sexuality and gender fluidity in the ancient world? How does the character of Alexander create his own myth, and how does Mary Renault unspool that myth to guess at the real man? This is a discussion-based seminar class where we will employ inquiry and Socratic dialogue to together work toward understanding. We will ground our discussions in critical inquiry, textual analysis, examination of genre, and at core, a love of story, whether from the novelist’s imagination and the historian’s record.