1st February 2006, 12:04 AM
Lying in print is definitely a big issue... sure, popular fiction or nonfiction doesn't have the same burden of proof of an academic work in reality, but if it's being published as nonfiction you should ideally be able to assume that it does... though yes, if it's personal memoirs it is true that it is generally assumed that they are not completely accurate, it is also assumed that the things said are mostly based on reality (that is, memoirs are usually written with some kind of goal in mind -- to exonerate onesself for their actions, say, or to show how their way was right and not the ways of others (eg. leaders of some failed rebellion all either blaming eachother or denying responsibility) -- that determines what the author says more than the truth does)... but just lies, made up in order to get the book to sell better? I know it happens, but it's not right.
... yeah, that's the history major in me talking. :)
... yeah, that's the history major in me talking. :)