From: Dean Schneider <schneiderd>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 12:34:09 -0600

The problem with a label such as "Creative Nonfiction" is that it implies that other nonfiction is not creative. I've always been a big fan of John McPhee, Joseph Mitchell, and other nonfiction writers who use fictional literary devices in their work. But I'm also a fan of David McCullough, Robert Caro, Edmund S. Morgan, Samuel Eliot Morison, and many others, too history writers who are fine stylists, writing with knowledge and humanity, but in more traditional formats. Is their work less creative?

And does the word "narrative" necessarily mean points of view, dialogue, photographs, etc.?

I'm a huge fan of Russell Freedman's work and this whole genre of photo-essay/biography. As Marc Aronson says, the 32-page picture book, the young adult novel, and the lavishly illustrated nonfiction book are three of the most interesting art forms of our time. James Cross Giblin's new bio of Hitler, and Elizabeth Partridge's new bio of Woody Guthrie, are excellent examples of the fine nonfiction writing going on for children and young adults. I guess I just haven't hit on the right label for it. Neither
"Creative" nor "Narrative" seems to quite work, and it's easy to get too hung up on it; but it's fun to discuss....

Dean Schneider Ensworth School Nashville, TN 37205
Received on Tue 02 Apr 2002 12:34:09 PM CST