April 12, 2007

Aw, come on, you didn't believe all those things really happened to David Sedaris?

Can't we just accept the convention that "humor" gets classified as "non-fiction"? No one is tricked into thinking the author is asserting that these things really happened.

8 comments:

Jeff with one 'f' said...

Does this mean that "Strangers With Candy" isn't a documentary?!?

bill said...

Dumbest controversy ever.

I know it's meant as a joke, but unless you think Amy Sedaris is David in drag, it makes no sense.

MadisonMan said...

Is Dave Barry making things up too? Did Erma Bombeck?

And more importantly, why should anyone care?

Dave TN said...

I'm confused as to why it's important for Sedaris and others to label their fictional humor as non-fiction. Would they lose book sales if it was classified as fiction? Maybe it's easier to get on the NYT non-fiction best seller list than the fiction list.

price said...

Unless I'm mistaken, some of his books actually say "Memoir" on the back cover. I don't necessarily equate "memoir" with "non-fiction".

Beth said...

jeff, wasn't "Strangers..." inspired by a 70s documentary about an ex-junkie returning to school?

Jeff with one 'f' said...

Yes, it's called "The Trip Back" PSA and it's on YouTube.

demian said...

Sure, David Sedaris's fictional nonfiction "suggests a larger truth." And CBS's National Guard docs were "fake but accurate." Why bother with facts when pass off your imaginings as the same thing?