Gardener's Group discussion

I'm curious... Generally speaking, given the books released in let's say the last 5 years through the present & reactions to those books, do you feel that messages and experiences are taken more seriously (or given more credit) when released as nonfiction/memoir as opposed to being released as fiction? Which style of writing holds more weight for you when it comes to taking the overall theme of the book to heart? Are you more likely to relate to the book when it's nonfic/memoir or fiction? Regardless of preferred genre, what if Eat Pray Love has been written as fiction, would it still have the far-reaching impact that it's had as a memoir? What if The Help had been written as a nonfic/memoir, would it have the same impact as it's had as a fiction (based on fact) novel? (Whether you like or dislike either of these books, they've still garnered much reaction).

Thank you for your thoughts Kelly Jo!

I like this topic. I read both, and I am not trained as Kelly Jo. I am probably one of those that tend to believe more non - fiction has weight. On the other hand, I don't believe everything I read. I'm not remembering the title or the author, but I do remember when there was a book written that Oprah publicized widely and then she had the author on the show. The book was a memoir and ended up most of it wasn't true. So many people were in disbelief. I wasn't one of them as I hadn't read the book but it did make me think twice about believing blindly in memoirs and non - fiction. Does anyone know what book or author I'm talking about?

That was James Frey's A Million Little Pieces. As a writer that made me So Angry. #1 that he presented this book as memoir/nonfic when most of it is fiction and #2 that Oprah's team did nothing to verify the validity of his book. (I know, the publisher should have too but that's besides the point). It made her look like a fool but I'm glad she had him back on to grill him about it. I hate when people do that. Writer's as a whole have enough trouble being taken seriously to begin with much of the time and when something like this happens, it's makes it even harder for all of us regardless of our genres.

Yes you're right Jo. Thanks, that was driving me nuts that I couldn't remember. Yes, the publisher should have verified but Oprah should have known better too before she sort of validated his story. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

I'm just really surprised that Oprah's normally thorough team didn't do more than just read his book - normally they contact people, go to places & so on to research an author like that and someone really dropped the ball.

In reality publishers have little enough man power to do much fact checking. There are things which are a matter of public record which would be easy to check and I feel if those things turn out to be true then most likely what's presented as a memoir could be published as such without it coming back to bite anyone in the arse! My girlfriend works for a mid-sized publisher and according to her, they do try to do a little fact checking because of incidents like James Frey and Love and Consequences: A Memoir of Hope and Survival (which the NY Times exposed as well and that one has not one stitch of truth to it, it's complete fiction!).

Heck, a lie detector test would be a good way of checking to make sure a memoir is more fact than fiction, lol!

When I read "A Million Little Pieces" I remember my BS detector kept flashing on red. Some of it was just too fantastic to be true, but I enjoyed the book nevertheless. When it was revealed it was partially fabricated I wasn't really surprised and it made me wonder about the author who would have the guts to think no one would find out what he had done.

As far as memoir versus fiction I find how it affects me has more to do with my own personal filter and past life experience than style. If it is something I can identify with from either genre it will touch me in some way.

Cheryl S. wrote: "If it is something I can identify with from either genre it will touch me in some way. "

I like that Cheryl! I feel the same way.

My bs detector flashed the first time I saw or read (can't remember which) an interview with James Frey before he was even on Oprah, lol! Guts is one way to put it!

James Frey is certainly an interesting character with a lurid imagination. He should just stick to fiction.

Cheryl S. wrote: "James Frey is certainly an interesting character with a lurid imagination. He should just stick to fiction."

Exactly! And if he'd done that from the beginning neither him nor his agent/publisher would have had eggs on their faces. There are plenty of fact based fiction novels that carry a lot of weight. No need to lie & get us to buy a memoir that's a fiction book in sheep's clothing!