I think that the story should be mostly true in order to be called a memoir. I don’t think that it has to be totally true to be a good book though. While it may not be a memoir, a made up story can still be good. A Million Little Pieces may have been mostly a lie or a little bit a lie or however much a lie, but in the end it’s a good book and that’s why readers kept reading it. It’s a hard industry and James Frey did what he had to do to get his book out there. I don’t think the genre labels are as important as everyone makes them.
It is okay if a book is partially in one category and partially in another. We have all seen iTunes attempt to classify music as rock, alternative, etc. and a lot of the time I’m thinking…ehh that’s not really what I was thinking. What books are classified as are just names, a good book is a good book.
If we have to give genres labels I would agree that memoirs should be true. Obviously no one wants to read a conversation like:
Mark leaned over and said, “hey”, then I said, “hey”, then he said, “how’s your wife”, and I said, “Oh she’s good, and Karen?”, on and on. That would be a terrible book. No one’s life is interesting enough to be completely and accurately documented and sold for millions of dollars around the world.
i think it should 100% true. its non fiction meaning real, adding a flase statement makes it fiction
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your opinion! And I love your iTunes comparison, I've totally been there!
ReplyDeleteA good book is a good book. But a lie is still a lie. If your life isn't interesting, don't write nonfiction.
ReplyDeleteI think a book should be true, but making stuff up about your life really isn't right.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a good book is a good book, but I think that the experst on what genre a book is shoudl decide what it is sot hatt he reader can have an easier time finding where it is in a book store.
ReplyDeleteLines are made to be crossed, and James Frey did that when publishing his book. He got out there and people enjoyed his book. After finding out he lied, people still continued to read it, and those enlighted remained.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only iTune-category-confused person out there... and I lov what you said about Frey need to get his book out there, your post is refeshing in its ability to finally see things in color rather than just black and white. I chuckled at the end with your real-life conversation and it made me wonder how many other books have been remade in these ways and have never gotten caught for the sheer fact that they weren't more popular... hmmm.
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