WATCH: Isabel Allende on studying real people for characters in her novels
When writer Isabel Allende creates characters for her novels, she often looks to real people as "models." For a crime novel she wrote, Allende said she needed to connect with a member of the U.S. military.
"I didn't want to have a caricature of a soldier, I wanted a Navy SEAL," she told the PBS NewsHour.
WATCH: Isabel Allende's newest historical novel tells familiar story of refugee life
Allende said she eventually interviewed one of the Navy SEALs involved in the team that killed Osama bin Laden. Allende said the man was open, willing to talk about his work, "but the most important part was to watch him." Allende noticed details like how the member of the elite special operations force was an expert on wine, his love of classical music, and how he moved his hands.
Allende's new novel, "A Long Petal of the Sea," draws on historical events as its backdrop, including the Spanish Civil War and the 1973 coup in her native Chile, during which the military, supported by CIA forces from the U.S., toppled the government of socialist President Salvador Allende. Isabel was the goddaughter of Salvador, who was her father's first cousin.
For her latest book, the author said she found a "wonderful witness" to some of the real events that served as inspiration.
READ MORE: Isabel Allende talks about migration, life, aging and love
Support Canvas
Sustain our coverage of culture, arts and literature.
Abdulrazak Gurnah is receiving worldwide attention after being awarded last year's Nobel Prize in Literature. His latest novel "Afterlives" is…
In recent decades, producers of movies, TV series and other forms of art have been trying not only to reach…
Spanish prosecutors accused the entertainer in 2018 of failing to pay 14.5 million euros ($13.9 million) in taxes on income…
Rihanna is set to star in February's Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019…
Olivia Moultrie started her professional soccer career at the age of 13. For our Weekend Spotlight, Geoff Bennett spoke with…
Hilary Mantel died Thursday at age 70 near her home in Exeter, England. She authored 17 books, but it was…
Elton John said Friday that he'd played in some beautiful venues, but the stage in front of the White House,…
The Booker Prize-winning author of the acclaimed "Wolf Hall" trilogy has died. Hilary Mantel was 70.
A new book by two veteran journalists takes a look behind the scenes of Donald Trump's presidency. Husband and wife…
The new Netflix comedy "Mo" is gaining acclaim for its portrayal of Arab American life rarely presented in popular culture.…
To bring awareness to the global crisis of migration and refugees, a theater project is using a different kind of…
For Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, the path to success has been anything but easy. For our Weekend Spotlight, Geoff…
A new documentary from Ken Burns and his colleagues premiers this Sunday on PBS. It is a different window into…
This decision comes just days after the end of the U.S. Open, which is expected to be the last tournament…