Sandoz provided a manifestation of historical events for her readers that went beyond a mere recitation of facts and ideas; in fact, her works consciously sought to bring enlightenment and perspective to history. Her biographical books took liberties with standard elements of historical writing by partially fictionalizing conversations and events so that the symbols of culture could be read and evaluated. Some historians considered these fictionalizations to be "serious flaws" in that they lacked the normal documentation needed for academic writing, that Sandoz was "terse" about providing bibliographies, and that only she could track the sources of her writing. Sandoz's works were produced to bring about a new perception of the events of the past and to shape the attitudes and actions of those who would read her work.