Writing for Non-Fiction Genres

» Gostiee - Victims?

Who did Frey victimize? We choose a book to read. Maybe it's terribly boring, or stupid, whatever. Does that mean that author victimized us? He said it was a memoir. I think lots of people don't understand what a memoir is. It is a telling of what the writer thinks is important in his or her life. What the good memoirist does is give the reader a flavor of what was going on in this particular section of his/her life.

Now, James Frey is an addict. One of the hallmarks of an addict is lying, embellishing, etc. No, he did not have that dental work without painkillers, but what led to him needing the extensive dental care was part of his addiction and I am glad that he brought that out, stated it.

What Mr. Frey gave us, the reading public, is the flavor of what he was going through. As an addictions counselor, what I read did ring true in that his life was tumultous, he did some horrible things and bad things were done to him. While in treatment, some things helped him and some did not. Again, that rings true. It appears to me that Mr. Frey needs more treatment but to demonify him does no one any good whatsoever. I purched his book and I keep it on my shelf at work because most of it is true. Maybe facts were wrong, but the totality of it is true.

Can't we give the poor guy a break?

-- posted by Gostiee

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» Grandma07 - Victims?

In response to Victims? posted by Gostiee:
While I understand your (correct) feelings that none of the readers were victimized, (I can assure you, I've read some things correctly classified but so poorly written that I think the author should have his pens taken away), I still believe Frey's work is one of fiction.
Even if we are not addicts, the human mind changes things - people internalize happenings in many different ways. All six of my children remember Christmas traditions differently, for example.
If one was to write a book about our family Christmas traditions, the other sibs could call it a work of fiction. Which it wouldn't be, based on their individual memories.)
So- even though at first glance that would seem to prove your opinion that Frey's book should remain classified as non-fiction, there is one very big difference: Frey manipulated his memories to add drama. That is fiction. He did so with purpose.
Even though the book is a wonderful tool to learn of the addicts life, it is still a work of fiction. The flap on the jacket can tell us it is loosely based on his life. It makes all the difference in the world.

-- posted by Grandma07

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