»In which we have a personal mythology

As modern-day literary liars James Frey and JT Leroy raise public awareness of truth vs. falsehood (or, as Herr Dr Strasser would put it, "Richtig oder Falsch?"), one thinks back to great literary identity crises: William Shakespeare, for example. Frey created a milquetoast personal mythology; he followed up with a weak story of redemption, one calculated to bring a tear to a certain eye. JT Leroy is a composite designed to fit the personality that would write the books published under his (her) name; the blame for this equally rests with readers and the media, who fan the fires of celebrity: who is behind the books becomes as important a question as what does this book mean? The character of an author cannot be completely divorced from the author's work: think of what the Divine Comedy would be without Dante and his Beatrice; or, for that matter, without its translators?

Don Asmussen's Bad Reporter -- the only reason to read the Chronicle! -- sheds light on the public perception of memoir embellishment.