Kurt Vonnegut passed away last night, according to the New York Times. Even though he was 84, that doesn't seem right.
In other booky news for David Sedaris fans, Slate.com's Jack Shafer has a rather boneheaded article taking on the author's acknowledged propensity to exaggerate. This line seems to cut to the heart of it, if you'd prefer to skip it:
"Sedaris and company want to erect a penumbra that shields humorists from criticism when they blend fiction into their nonfiction but still insist on calling it nonfiction. The logic behind this is difficult to follow. If writing fiction is the license Sedaris and other nonfiction humorists need to get at "larger truths," why limit this exemption to humorists? Let reporters covering city hall, war, and business to embellish and exaggerate so they can capture "larger truths," too."
The article seems so strident that it almost seems like a joke itself, but I don't think so. I just don't get it.
RIP KV
I, too, read the Slate article you mention. All I can think is that David Sedaris must have accidentally kicked Jack Shafer's dog and not apologized or something.... Otherwise, it doesn't make any sense.
Posted by: Wendella | Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 08:19 AM
note also that Alex Heard and Jack Shafer are friends. (Shafer notes so in the notes to his article).
Posted by: pffft | Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Ethically, I can't comment, having exchanged emails with and purchased animal skins from Alex Heard. That's gotta be some kind of conflict of interest, right?
http://www.slate.com/id/2082195/?nav=navoa
Posted by: Rosserford | Thursday, April 12, 2007 at 12:16 PM