Gay Talese

I just finished Gay Talese's A Writer's Life, a very well written nonfiction memoir. This quote, from page 372 of the hardcover edition, nicely summarizes Talese's approach to his work and frames his intellectual integrity:

If I were a practitioner of fiction, a creator of novels, plays, or short stories, I would have the option of doing what these writers can do whenever they feel compelled to write intimately about themselves and/or individuals whom they are close to -- they can change everybody's names and otherwise falsify the facts in ways that they hope will protect their works from lawsuits or other forms of redress arising from so-called injured parties. And thus what is most truthfully and tellingly conveyed about private life in public literature and other means of communication is categorized and conveyed as "fiction." But as I have already tried to explain, since I am a fastidious exponent of nonfiction -- a reportorial writer who does not want to change names, who avoids using composite characters in narratives, and who makes every effort to adhere to factual accuracy -- I am in a quandry here because I suspect that there exists a conflict of interest between my role as a writer and myself as a subject in this section of my story.

Here's a proud writer standing by his craft's demanding rigor, trusting his skill and talent, and believing in language's illuminative power. Thank you, Mr. Talese.