Comments on: David Sedaris Exaggerates For Us All http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/ Your source for technology culture, internet phenomena, politics, interviews and entertainment Wed, 8 Oct 2008 02:34:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Geprodis http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-22207 Geprodis Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:47:15 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-22207 David Sedaris is a humorist, and if you are reading a memoir by a humorist you shouldn't be surprised if it isn't entirely true. Memoirs are on the fringe of non-fiction. David Sedaris is a humorist, and if you are reading a memoir by a humorist you shouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t entirely true. Memoirs are on the fringe of non-fiction.

]]> By: Clay http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-18296 Clay Sat, 09 Jun 2007 14:02:13 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-18296 I think it was William Zinnser who advised memoir writers to "lie to tell the truth." Neon Cat, I'm with you. I generally wince at comments--and did at Neon Cat's (what, is she 20 or something?)--but I cracked up when I read yours :) Moralists never seem to get art. I think it was William Zinnser who advised memoir writers to “lie to tell the truth.”

Neon Cat, I’m with you. I generally wince at comments–and did at Neon Cat’s (what, is she 20 or something?)–but I cracked up when I read yours :)

Moralists never seem to get art.

]]> By: RU Sirius http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-12309 RU Sirius Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:49:20 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-12309 From Slate.com: <a href="http://slate.com/id/2163957?nav=tap3" rel="nofollow">"RU Sirius ... mistakenly identified Tad Friend as the author of the Sedaris piece..."</a> That's embarrassing. I transposed two writers both of whom I met once... And in an article about writers and truth! Ugh, the irony. From Slate.com:

“RU Sirius … mistakenly identified Tad Friend as the author of the Sedaris piece…”

That’s embarrassing. I transposed two writers both of whom I met once… And in an article about writers and truth! Ugh, the irony.

]]> By: You Think You've Got Too Much Free Time? « Heather’s Poor Excuse http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-12264 You Think You've Got Too Much Free Time? « Heather’s Poor Excuse Thu, 12 Apr 2007 04:10:29 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-12264 [...] David Sedaris Exaggerates For Us All [...] [...] David Sedaris Exaggerates For Us All [...]

]]> By: Paul Herron http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11706 Paul Herron Fri, 06 Apr 2007 17:41:12 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11706 Part of the problem of expectations for writing comes from the terminology--"memoir", "diary", "biography". These terms imply truthfulness, which in most minds means "facts." Anais Nin's diary contains an inner truth (as she put it), and several versions of it in various works. I'm sure Sedaris's truth is not bare-boned fact, but when one calls a book "memoir" an automatic checklist of requirements come into place, and if they're not met, then the nit-pickers have a field day. Perhaps we need to come up with a new category, such as "creative memoir," not to be confused with "novel." Part of the problem of expectations for writing comes from the terminology–”memoir”, “diary”, “biography”. These terms imply truthfulness, which in most minds means “facts.” Anais Nin’s diary contains an inner truth (as she put it), and several versions of it in various works. I’m sure Sedaris’s truth is not bare-boned fact, but when one calls a book “memoir” an automatic checklist of requirements come into place, and if they’re not met, then the nit-pickers have a field day. Perhaps we need to come up with a new category, such as “creative memoir,” not to be confused with “novel.”

]]> By: NeonCat http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11684 NeonCat Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:56:30 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11684 <i>@ cintra</i> So you tell the truth all the time, without fail? You must not be a very good storyteller, or your life is really incredibly sensational. David Sedaris's stories are funny. That's all I care about. If <i>New Republic</i> has nothing better to publish than that David Sedaris doesn't always achieve a courtroom level of truth, maybe they need to fold their tent. Did people say the same crap about Mark Twain? Does anyone but the most humorless churl talk smack about Shakespeare's plays (granted, it's not always good history but by god it's a good story)? This isn't A Million Little Pieces. You know what? Fuck it. I'm sick of internet comments. Every asshole, including me, has an opinion. For every one that is well reasoned, thoughtful and informative there are ten that are childish and stupid. If you don't like David Sedaris, fine. Go read something else. @ cintra So you tell the truth all the time, without fail? You must not be a very good storyteller, or your life is really incredibly sensational.

David Sedaris’s stories are funny. That’s all I care about. If New Republic has nothing better to publish than that David Sedaris doesn’t always achieve a courtroom level of truth, maybe they need to fold their tent. Did people say the same crap about Mark Twain? Does anyone but the most humorless churl talk smack about Shakespeare’s plays (granted, it’s not always good history but by god it’s a good story)?

This isn’t A Million Little Pieces.

You know what? Fuck it. I’m sick of internet comments. Every asshole, including me, has an opinion. For every one that is well reasoned, thoughtful and informative there are ten that are childish and stupid.

If you don’t like David Sedaris, fine. Go read something else.

]]> By: cintra wilson http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11639 cintra wilson Fri, 06 Apr 2007 04:42:05 +0000 http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2007/04/05/david-sedaris-exaggerates-for-us-all/#comment-11639 Dude: speak for your own depraved-onna-counta-being-deprived-self. Some of us tell the truth, because the truth is more fun than selling your ass for the short dollar. Live it or leave it. xxx c Dude: speak for your own depraved-onna-counta-being-deprived-self.

Some of us tell the truth, because the truth is more fun than selling your ass for the short dollar. Live it or leave it.

xxx
c

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