The day the innocence died. The New Republic has uncovered the literary non-scandal of the month: David Sedaris‘ biographical essays aren’t entirely true. You have to be a subscriber to read the whole story (boo!) but Slate serves up a scalding synopsis:
The day the innocence died. A piece fact-checks the collected writings of essayist David Sedaris and turns up more than a few half-truths. In a passage from his book Naked, Sedaris describes an elderly mental patient rising from a gurney to “sink her remaining three teeth into my forearm.” This incident never happened. The author argues that Sedaris might not deserve “the James Frey treatment” but also doesn’t deserve the label “non-fiction.”
I am shocked — shocked — to find that literary hijinks are going on here. Puh-leeze, did anyone other than Alex Heard think these stories were literally true to the last detail? Perhaps I shouldn’t judge, since I haven’t read the article. Maybe Heard is trying to be funny at Sedaris’ expense or something.
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Any outrage they’re trying to cause is disingenuous.
They’re purposely confusing:
Memoir – n. A record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.
with
Autobiography –n. A history of a person’s life written or told by that person.
or
Biography – n. A written account of another person’s life.
The first is entirely subjective while the latter two are supposed to be more “objective.”
“Naked” is advertised as a “Memoir.”
Really, if the author is writing the story and it’s about them, one should expect the author to be at least a little self serving with the tale. I certainly would be.
Mr. Heard needs to get over himself.
Somehow I knew before ever opening a Sedaris book that the events he recorded were not entirely true. And after reading one the impression was clear: did people honestly think that his life was so filled with hijinks, just ripening for several humorous books?
Once upon a time people who could tell a tall tale well were admired. We called them entertainers. Now I guess we just call them liars.
“Disingenuous” might be the nicest thing to say about it. I’ll have to stop by the library and see if I can get the article.
[...] 20th, 2007 · No Comments David Sedaris Lies! is by far the most popular post on this blog in the past 30 days, with more than twice as many hits [...]
It’s one thing to lie about a woman you’ve fallen madly in love with and who you credit with at least helping to pull you out of a lifelong stupor AND THEN who kills herself (Frey) and entirely another to lie about an old woman biting your arm.
Like every credible writer of creative non-fiction, I assume Sedaris gives us the basic truth with flowery, if occasionaly fabricated, details.