LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Books

Going Good!

At the moment TWTMNO is the publisher's number 1 seller.

May it continue.

Of course, the interest in this book would be greatest down here.

In the meantime today yet another big-money 'memoir' was exposed as a fraud -- this one about growing up in gangbanger life. Last week it was a woman who as a child traveled about nazi-dominated Europe as Jewish child survivor, who survived with the assistance of -- wolves. No, I did not make that up. But the writers did. Not a word of autobiographical truth in it.

I read the glowing reviews of these books, as well as previous ones also exposed as frauds, and my radar immediately went up. Radar like -- "I don't believe this is true. This fantasy."

So, how come the editors and the publishers who ennabled them, don't see the fraud?

It's easy to believe that they did know these were fraudulant memoirs but thought the pubic so gullible that we wouldn't, and thereby they make oodles of money.

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