the genius chronicles

I get it.

I read A Million Little Pieces. I watched Oprah transform James Frey from literary celebrity to a sack of whimpering contradictions on national television. So, I want to get this straight up front…

There’s a wide gradient line out there dividing memoir and fiction. It starts with the pure brightness of truth and fades into the opaque darkness of complete invention. The Genius Chronicles is a memoir that lives on the bright side of the line. It’s not based on a true story, it is a true story. But… it’s also a memoir.  Memoir implies memory – and memory is nothing but a wide gradient line dividing truth and invention. To the extent that my memory allows, I’ll be sticking with the truth on that line, too. Where I suspect – or intend – to move into the realm of imagination or invention, I’ll let you know before I head that direction.

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