Crafting Truth

<p style="MARGIN: 0px">Preface xiii</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">___</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction 1</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Form and Theory of Creative Nonfiction 1</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">On Missing the Target 2</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Collapse of the Narrator 3</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Telling It Straight 4</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Taking the Reflective Turn 6</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Building It Scene by Scene 7</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Creating Tension 9</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Casting a Wide Net 12</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Writing With (and Against) Tradition 14</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Using Crafting Truth 16</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">How to Read for Craft 16</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">___</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Part 1</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Essayists 21</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction to the Personal Essay 21</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">A Brief History of the Essay 21</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Essays as Narratives of Thought 22</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">New Forms of the Essay 24</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.1 ORDER OUT OF WILD DISORDER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M E . B. WHITE’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Ring of Time 25</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.2 A FATHER’S FLAWS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M JA M E S BALDW I N ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Notes of a Native Son 31</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.3 PRICKLY DREAD ON BANYAN STREET</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M J OA N D I D I O N ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream 36</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.4 YOU DID NOT CHANGE</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M A L I C E WALKER’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Beauty:When the Other Dancer Is the Self 42</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.5 CUTTING IT STRAIGHT</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM SCOT T RU S S E L L S A N D E R S ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Inheritance of Tools 48</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.6 THE BEGINNING AND END OF A MAN’S LIFE</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM ANDRE DUBUS’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Broken Vessels 54</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.7 A GREAT MOMENT OF NEED</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM NA N C Y M A I R S’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">On Touching by Accident 59</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.8 VAMOOSE TO THE VOMIT CORNER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM DAV I D S E DA R I S ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The SantaLand Diaries 64</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">1.9 A SCAFFOLD FOR LANGUAGE</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM ANDER MONSON’S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Outline Toward a Theory of the Mine Versus the</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Mind and the Harvard Outline 69</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">___</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Part 2</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Memoirists 75</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction to Memoir 75</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Ethics in the Age of Memoir 76</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Is There a Story Worth Telling? 77</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.1 I MADE HIM OUT OF DREAMS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM TO B I A S WO L F F ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">This Boy’s Life 79</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.2 LONG AGO WHEN DOGS COULD TALK</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M N . SCOT T MOMADAY ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Way to Rainy Mountain 84</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.3 TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT DREAMS,</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">VISIONS, AND PRAYERS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM MAX I N E H O N G K I N G S TO N ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Woman Warrior 89</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.4 THE ACHE MADE PHYSICAL</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M G R E T E L E H R L I C H ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Solace of Open Spaces 93</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.5 POWERFUL PRAYERS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM FRANK MCCOURT ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Angela’s Ashes 97</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.6 SAFE IN THE CENTER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM MARY C L E A R M A N B L EW ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">All But the Waltz 101</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.7 A CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EARTH</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXCERPT FROM TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS’S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Refuge 106</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">2.8 I COULD BE GOING OUT, SURE</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM DAV E E G G E R S ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 110</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">___</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Part 3</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Literary Journalists 115</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction to Literary Journalism 115</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">New and Not New 115</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Ethical Dramas 117</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Building Blocks of Literary Journalism 118</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.1 THE SMELL OF SWEAT</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M JA M E S AGEE’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Let Us Now Praise Famous Men 121</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.2 THE WHEELING OF HAWKS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM TRUMAN CAPOT E’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">In Cold Blood 126</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.3 MAILER’S TOWER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM NORMAN MAILER’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Armies of the Night 132</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.4 TOO FREAKING TRUE!</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F ROM TOM WO L F E’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test 136</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.5 A FINE, SOLEMN SWAGGER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M JANE KRAMER’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Last Cowboy 141</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.6 CLAUSTROPHOBIA</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M E R I K L A R S O N ’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The Devil in the White City 146</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.7 A FOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M J O S E P H M I TCHELL’ S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Old Mr. Flood 152</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">3.8 A LIGHT TOUCH OF THE LIPS</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">EXC E R P T F RO M D I A N E ACKERMAN’S</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">A Natural History of the Senses 157</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">___</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Part 4</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">A Brief Anthology 163</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Introduction 163</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">S T U D E N T E S S A Y</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.1 ANDREA OYARZABAL</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Math,Metamorphosis, and Monarchs 164</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">E S S A Y</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.2 LIA PURPURA</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Autopsy Report 170</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.3 SARAH VOWELL</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Thanks for the Memorex 176</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">M E M O I R</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.4 LAUREN SLATER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Lying 182</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.5 JOHN EDGAR WIDEMAN</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Brothers and Keepers 195</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">L I T E R A R Y J O U R N A L I S M</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.6 H. G. BISSINGER</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Boobie 206</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">4.7 SUSAN ORLEAN</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">The American Man at Age Ten 210</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">&nbsp;</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Appendix: The Literary Landscape of Creative Nonfiction 221</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Bibliography 229</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Credits 231</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">Index 233</p> <p style="MARGIN: 0px">&nbsp;</p>