Editorial: Fact and fiction get mixed in Reagan bio
Friday, Sept. 24, 1999 | 9:47 a.m.
Edmund Morris' authorized biography of former President Ronald Reagan hasn't been released yet but already there is controversy. Morris, the New York Times reported Saturday, has invented a character who serves as a narrator in the biography. The narrator is called "Edmund Morris," but that is where the similarity ends with the real-life author. In the book, "Edmund Morris" is an associate throughout Reagan's life and the biography includes "conversations" between the narrator and Reagan -- even before the real Morris was born. Despite this Random House is releasing "Dutch" as nonfiction with only a cursory mention that portions of the book have been fictionalized. Morris' approach may create a buzz and sell more books, but the end result will be a cheapening of the historical record.
Morris' blending of fact and fiction isn't unprecedented, though. Previous biographies of American presidents and other important figures in our nation's history have seen fact laced with fiction. For instance, the anecdote of a young George Washington confessing to cutting down a cherry tree was a myth created by an early biographer to display the first president's honesty. We still long for heroes, but in today's age such fables should be unacceptable, especially when documenting one of the most important figures of the 20th century.
Both supporters and critics of Reagan's presidency were looking forward to this work, considering Morris' previous Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of President Theodore Roosevelt. In addition, Morris' unprecedented access to high-level government meetings that included Reagan created a natural anticipation. But fictionalizing even a small portion of a lengthy biography is a terrible mistake. What could have been arguably the definitive word on the Reagan presidency instead could end up being remembered as a return to the since-discredited genre in which historians play loose with the facts.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Ensign moves out of home on C Street
- Cada and Moon emerge as Main Event’s final two
- Fight snapshot: Reviewing “24/7 Pacquiao/Cotto,” episode 3
- Life in the Limelight: Wayne Newton
- Cities, county find buying valley homes isn’t easy
- Motorcyclist dies in Summerlin crash
- Six people share their stories of what led them to jobs at CityCenter
- Fedor Emelianenko TKOs Brett Rogers in second round
- Two injured in shooting in central valley
- Buchanan was one of the city’s truly flamboyant characters
Blogs
Elsewhere
Findlay Prep's Bradley fitting in at Texas
Now and Then
I went to a hockey game and a New Mexico women's soccer match broke out (1 Comment)
Politics: The Early Line
Attention in D.C. focuses on health care proposals
Elsewhere
Fedor v. Rogers delivers solid ratings on CBS (4 Comments)
Bloggity, Bloggity, Bloggity
If you can rebuild the whole car, then why not allow an engine change? (1 Comment)
Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch
DWTS: Donny’s thirst for victory; Susan Boyle to make U.S. debut
Sports: Upon Further Review
Fight snapshot: Pacquiao is a hit with Jimmy Kimmel, and vice versa (2 Comments)
Calendar »
- 9 Mon
- 10 Tue
- 11 Wed
- 12 Thu
- 13 Fri
-
Jo Dee Messina at the House of Blues
House of Blues | 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
-
The Revival Tour at Beauty Bar
Beauty Bar | 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
DJ Tina T at Prive
Prive | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
The Automatic Tour at The Square Apple
The Square Apple
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati








