At last

I think I might have found the woman for me. Evidently one Maria Dahvana Headley grew tired of "dating only intellectual, literary types," and instead decided to spend a year just saying yes:

Frustrated by those guys, she reversed course, resolving to spend one year responding positively to all flirting and saying yes to literally anyone who asked her out. The ensuing 150 dates included a homeless man, several non-English speakers, 10 taxi drivers, two lesbians and a mime.

I figure even I'd look like a catch compared to a mime! Of course, Maria has now chronicled her year of adventure in a book -- with a happy ending (she married one of them). I doubt I'll read the book, even though one review described it as "sheer chick fluff" and goodness knows I end up reading way more chick books that I can reasonably explain. Still, it sounds like a cool idea.

Of course I approach all these books with a hearty dose of skepticism. That's what bugged me while reading Homer Hickam's October Sky. Everything just seemed to fall into place a little too perfectly. I was suspicious. I promise I had this feeling about memoirs before the current controversy over A Million Little Pieces. I haven't read the book, though Caffeine Brother and a co-worker both strongly endorsed it. As for the controversy I like Mary Carr's take:

Great memoirs don't take bizarre experiences and make them more bizarre and outrageous. They take bizarre experiences and make them familiar. That's the power.

As for myself, I can't quite explain why, but I'm offended by the deceit. Both the people who recommended the book to me told me that it was very inspirational and uplifting. They seemed to imply that it's as easy to find inspiration in fiction as non-fiction and if this book helped someone in a bad situation then it shouldn't really matter whether it was true. I can see that, but what if you read the book and had a reaction along the lines of, "Gosh, if this guy could overcome ALL THAT and make it back, then what's my excuse?" Now you find out many of the author's worst experiences were "exaggerated" (to be kind)! I think I'd be pissed. As for the "every memoir exaggerates" excuse, ... I might buy that as an explanation for recreating dialog or combining two people into one character, but to make up events and pass them off as true, that just seems a little much. Still, it worked out well for the guy. His second book seems to be doing real well and Oprah backs him on the whole "scandal" issue. Yep, being James Frey right now wouldn't suck.