The Lifespan of a Fact

The publisher description begins, “An innovative essayist and his fact-checker do battle about the use of truth and the definition of nonfiction. How negotiable is a fact in nonfiction?”

Great question. The debate continues in last Sunday’s front page New York Times review. It’s worth a read. The question goes beyond the place of facts in nonfiction and into the nature of nonfiction itself.

Teens interested in journalism, involved in debate, indeed anyone serious about research or writing, should give this a try. Seeing as it addresses truth versus reality, maybe students of philosophy, too. Those who work in school libraries might share it with relevant teachers. This short book would make for a fascinating lesson.

D’ARGATA, John & Jim Fingal. The Lifespan of a Fact. 123p. Norton. 2012. pap. $17.95. ISBN 978-0-393-340730. LC 2011042637.  

Adult/High School–In this election year, this book is even more prescient than the authors intended. The main story is that of 16-year-old Levi Pressley, who committed suicide by jumping off a building in Las Vegas (where he lived). This story forms the core around which the book is built, the discussion between John D’Agata, the author, and Jim Fingal, the fact-checker and an unnamed editor on the nature of the writing and how the Pressley story is presented. Each section of the story is picked apart, with proven facts, e.g., the $400 that D’Agata spent on Venus Investigations, in black and unproven facts and opinions/exaggeration, e.g., slightly altered quotes, in red. The depth of research Fingal performed in order to determine the terminal velocity of a falling body, the location of the hotel information desk, and other seeming minutiae is impressive. Students of journalism and politics, and those doing in-depth research into history, will learn a valuable lesson about writing nonfiction and the attention to detail that is required.–Laura Pearle, Venn  Consultants, Carmel, NY