In the mid 1980s, author Winston Groom published a story which would, thanks to its Oscar-winning Hollywood adaptation, come to be a quintessential American tale.

Forrest Gump's life zigzags around some of the most important moments in 20th century American history. But where's the line between fact and fiction?

In this episode we dive into a modern classic and do a bit of fact-checking to answer the question... how accurate is Forrest Gump?

Joining me from the faculty today is Jon Mitchell, an Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of East Anglia. He is interested in late 20th Century US culture, with a particular interest in the representation of gender and sexuality.

See Jon's full bio

Additional Resources:

BOOK: Forrest Gump (1986) by Winston Groom

MOVIE: Forrest Gump (1994)

BOOK: Revisions of the American Adam: Innocence, Identity And Masculinity In Twentieth Century America (Continuum Literary Studies) by Jon Mitchell

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How Accurate is Forrest Gump?

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This episode is sponsored by What's Your Map

What's Your Map is the British Podcast Award-winning show from map expert Professor Jerry Brotton. In each episode, he invites a special guest to share a map that means something to them. It's a fascinating show, and you can listen to the new season right now: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/whats-your-map/id1766500219