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When Science Meets Fiction!
(October 4, 2004) -
For Kathy Reichs, there’s no question that novels are
an effective means of bridging the gap between science and the
general public. Her best-sellers Déjà Dead,
Death du Jour and Grave Secrets, to name a few,
prove it. An introduction to the woman who so rigorously and successfully
novelizes forensic science.
You’re a forensic anthropologist who’s
written a string of best-sellers. Do you consider yourself a scientist
or a popularizer?
A scientist, first of all, because
it’s my profession.  And
a popularizer because, as an author, I translate the scientific
methods and techniques used in the forensic sciences for people
unfamiliar with them.
Is it hard to explain your work as a forensic
anthropologist to a general audience?
Yes, it’s a difficult process. For example,
some aspects of my work oblige me to rigorously select details
and describe them accurately without any sensationalism. Moreover,
talking to the general public is not the same as talking to your
colleagues. There are three basics: avoid scientific jargon, explain
in accurate simple words, and entertain.
Do you think people clearly understand the scientific
information found in your novels?
Some people might not get all the details but one
thing is certain: every reader knows very clearly what forensic
anthropology is on the whole and understands the validity of the
scientific techniques used. One reason I think people love my
novels so much is precisely because they learn things by reading
them.
Are novels a good medium for conveying scientific
information?
Obviously I’m sold on the idea. That’s
what drove me to write. You can put your scientific knowledge
into a work of fiction without abandoning your fun side. It lets
me share science with many more people and stimulate their interest
in it. Entertainment and conveying knowledge are not incompatible.
Your work as a scientist feeds your career as
a novelist. What about the other way around? Does your career
as an author influence your scientific efforts?
In a way, yes. My writing has led me to pay closer
attention to certain details I didn’t notice before —
details that, in the context of a novel, describe the world in
which forensic anthropologists are immersed. Examples? The smell
of death, the buzz of a fly.
Is novelized science a way of the future for
science journalists?
It all depends on the kind of knowledge you want
to convey and the audience you want to reach because while fiction
reaches a large number people, it also has its limits. It’s
an excellent medium for providing an introduction to any scientific
topic, but not for reporting accurate findings. Popular magazines
are more suitable for that. The fact remains, however, if you
want to convey scientific information, fiction can be a very effective
way to do it, as the success of my novels proves.
A happy coincidence, the French translation of her
sixth novel, Bare Bones, hits bookstores this week. Dead
bodies, intrigue and scientific techniques come together against
a background of trafficking in the organs of endangered species.
Don’t miss Kathy Reichs’ keynote address on How Science
Becomes Fiction — Good News for Science Journalists from
8:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 5.
Interview by Anny Guindon
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