Abstract: On Histories and Sones, written by the distinguished British novelist A.S. Byatt in 2000, is an exceedingly important work in the criticism of contemporary Western historical novels. It has not been fully investigated by scholar so far. A close reading of the text in connection with its ideological and cultural backdrop reveals that the book not only forcefully refutes the French and American schools’ historical view toward postmodernist narrative and fully expounds the opposite historical view toward truth held by the British school, but also discusses in detail the approach and method in which historical novels embrace historical facts and reveal historical truths, thus showcasing a brand new mode of history writing. Obviously, On Histories and Sones is a major pioneering work of criticism on this subject.

Key words: A.S. Byatt, On Histories and Sones, The English school, truth