This week we are looking at fake memoirs. There are many in wikipedia, but the one that really got me was James Frey's book. It was called "A million Little Pieces", but according to the Smoking Gun it should have been called "A Million Little Lies." While I read this six page article, I thought how can he print a book that mostly make up and call it non-fiction. The article shows from documents, like the police report that he didn't stay in jail and others like he told in the book. He sensationalized his story so more people will buy the book and read his story. When I read that he was running over a police officer and they were beating him up, I was appalled. This part was made up and I was relieved. I think it is one think to make yourself look bad, but to make the police look bad. It is uncalled for. I am glad he came clean about there being lies in the book, but this was after he made his millions.
Oprah had this book in her book club, which really helped the sale of this book. I really believe if Oprah knew that she was endorsing a fiction book as a non-fiction book she would have chose another book. Oprah helped authors, that were unknown, like Frey become known and well read. During her book club from 1996 to 2002 she endorsed 48 books and people still are reading the books today because they were in her book club. I would not choose a book because Oprah or the President choose a book. It would have to be something I am interested in. I am glad her book club got people reading though.
When I think about truth and sometimes it is stranger than fiction, it means that people can believe what they want to believe. I really don't believe people should call memoirs real when they are not. Some people don't believe the Bible because it reads like a work of fiction. Most reality shows are not really reality, but scripted. So, I ask, What is the truth? Is Oprah always telling the truth. Can we believe everything we see on TV? Let's read more fiction and non-fiction and when you chose a book to read think about the characters and how it would make you feel.
Sources:
Butler, R., Cowan, B., & Nilsson, S. (2005). From Obscurity to Bestseller: Examining the Impact of Oprah's Book Club Selections. Publishing research Quarterly, 20(4), 23-34. Retrieved from Academic search Premier database.
Fake Memoirs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_memoirs
Smoking Gun. (2006). A Million Little Lies: Exposing James Frey's fiction addiction.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/million-little-lies
That is a hard question to answer....is anything real anymore?? I used to love reality television until I realized how scripted it was. I should have known that most normal people would not act that way!! Do any talk shows tell the truth these days?? Even Dr. Oz. (whom my mother swears by) endorses products that seem shady to me. If television can't be trusted, who says non-fiction should? I am appalled that Frey made millions selling his "true" horrific story that was in fact mostly made up. Shouldn't he have to refund money to people who believed they were reading a true story??
ReplyDeleteI really believe there are a lot of honest people out there, so we shouldn't throw the baby out with the baby water. I believe non-fiction can be trusted, but not everyone can be, so we got to pick and chose. I don't think he needs to refund the money because they choose to buy it. I would rather get a book from the library, unless I really want to keep the book.
DeleteYou definitely make some great points about truth! I think that is something everyone reading a newspaper, watching TV or looking at news on the internet has wondered at one point or another. Have we come to a point in time where we have to research everything for ourselves to find truth? Can we just not trust the media (book, TV, news etc.)? I'm glad that Oprah and others have helped to popularize reading again, but I'm worried that popularizing books to the point where they are written solely to make money might also encourage untruthfulness in and of itself.
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