Crafting Truth

Preface xiii

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Introduction 1

The Form and Theory of Creative Nonfiction 1

On Missing the Target 2

The Collapse of the Narrator 3

Telling It Straight 4

Taking the Reflective Turn 6

Building It Scene by Scene 7

Creating Tension 9

Casting a Wide Net 12

Writing With (and Against) Tradition 14

Using Crafting Truth 16

How to Read for Craft 16

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Part 1

The Essayists 21

Introduction to the Personal Essay 21

A Brief History of the Essay 21

Essays as Narratives of Thought 22

New Forms of the Essay 24

1.1 ORDER OUT OF WILD DISORDER

EXC E R P T F RO M E . B. WHITE’ S

The Ring of Time 25

1.2 A FATHER’S FLAWS

EXC E R P T F RO M JA M E S BALDW I N ’ S

Notes of a Native Son 31

1.3 PRICKLY DREAD ON BANYAN STREET

EXC E R P T F RO M J OA N D I D I O N ’ S

Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream 36

1.4 YOU DID NOT CHANGE

EXC E R P T F RO M A L I C E WALKER’ S

Beauty:When the Other Dancer Is the Self 42

1.5 CUTTING IT STRAIGHT

EXC E R P T F ROM SCOT T RU S S E L L S A N D E R S ’ S

The Inheritance of Tools 48

1.6 THE BEGINNING AND END OF A MAN’S LIFE

EXC E R P T F ROM ANDRE DUBUS’ S

Broken Vessels 54

1.7 A GREAT MOMENT OF NEED

EXC E R P T F ROM NA N C Y M A I R S’ S

On Touching by Accident 59

1.8 VAMOOSE TO THE VOMIT CORNER

EXC E R P T F ROM DAV I D S E DA R I S ’ S

The SantaLand Diaries 64

1.9 A SCAFFOLD FOR LANGUAGE

EXC E R P T F ROM ANDER MONSON’S

Outline Toward a Theory of the Mine Versus the

Mind and the Harvard Outline 69

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Part 2

The Memoirists 75

Introduction to Memoir 75

Ethics in the Age of Memoir 76

Is There a Story Worth Telling? 77

2.1 I MADE HIM OUT OF DREAMS

EXC E R P T F ROM TO B I A S WO L F F ’ S

This Boy’s Life 79

2.2 LONG AGO WHEN DOGS COULD TALK

EXC E R P T F RO M N . SCOT T MOMADAY ’ S

The Way to Rainy Mountain 84

2.3 TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT DREAMS,

VISIONS, AND PRAYERS

EXC E R P T F ROM MAX I N E H O N G K I N G S TO N ’ S

The Woman Warrior 89

2.4 THE ACHE MADE PHYSICAL

EXC E R P T F RO M G R E T E L E H R L I C H ’ S

The Solace of Open Spaces 93

2.5 POWERFUL PRAYERS

EXC E R P T F ROM FRANK MCCOURT ’ S

Angela’s Ashes 97

2.6 SAFE IN THE CENTER

EXC E R P T F ROM MARY C L E A R M A N B L EW ’ S

All But the Waltz 101

2.7 A CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EARTH

EXCERPT FROM TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS’S

Refuge 106

2.8 I COULD BE GOING OUT, SURE

EXC E R P T F ROM DAV E E G G E R S ’ S

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 110

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Part 3

The Literary Journalists 115

Introduction to Literary Journalism 115

New and Not New 115

Ethical Dramas 117

Building Blocks of Literary Journalism 118

3.1 THE SMELL OF SWEAT

EXC E R P T F RO M JA M E S AGEE’ S

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men 121

3.2 THE WHEELING OF HAWKS

EXC E R P T F ROM TRUMAN CAPOT E’ S

In Cold Blood 126

3.3 MAILER’S TOWER

EXC E R P T F ROM NORMAN MAILER’ S

The Armies of the Night 132

3.4 TOO FREAKING TRUE!

EXC E R P T F ROM TOM WO L F E’ S

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test 136

3.5 A FINE, SOLEMN SWAGGER

EXC E R P T F RO M JANE KRAMER’ S

The Last Cowboy 141

3.6 CLAUSTROPHOBIA

EXC E R P T F RO M E R I K L A R S O N ’ S

The Devil in the White City 146

3.7 A FOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

EXC E R P T F RO M J O S E P H M I TCHELL’ S

Old Mr. Flood 152

3.8 A LIGHT TOUCH OF THE LIPS

EXC E R P T F RO M D I A N E ACKERMAN’S

A Natural History of the Senses 157

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Part 4

A Brief Anthology 163

Introduction 163

S T U D E N T E S S A Y

4.1 ANDREA OYARZABAL

Math,Metamorphosis, and Monarchs 164

E S S A Y

4.2 LIA PURPURA

Autopsy Report 170

4.3 SARAH VOWELL

Thanks for the Memorex 176

M E M O I R

4.4 LAUREN SLATER

Lying 182

4.5 JOHN EDGAR WIDEMAN

Brothers and Keepers 195

L I T E R A R Y J O U R N A L I S M

4.6 H. G. BISSINGER

Boobie 206

4.7 SUSAN ORLEAN

The American Man at Age Ten 210

Appendix: The Literary Landscape of Creative Nonfiction 221

Bibliography 229

Credits 231

Index 233

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