Stephen Glass and Roman a Clef literature

[LadyShea]

I watched "Shattered Glass" tonight, which prompted me to look up Stephen Glass. Of course, Salon had an excellent article about him, and discussed his book, The Fabulist. Has anyone read it? From what I am reading, the book comes off as a roman a clef, but Glass claims it is purely a fiction novel only loosely based on himself. He makes some of the "real life" characters seem like bullies and bad guys and himself, the main character, as some kind of victim. I hate to see people benefit from their misdeeds as Glass is, and I sorta don't want to support that by purchasing it.

Thoughts? Reviews?

[livius drusus]

I just saw the last hour or so of that movie a few nights ago and was quite riveted (even though I was getting ready for dinner at the time). Do you have a link to the Salon story?

[LadyShea]

Catch the whole movie if you can, quite good but disturbing.

Salon interview (http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2003/10/28/glass/index.html)

[livius drusus]

Thanks for the link, Shea. He's a very odd duck, isn't he? (As an aside, it's freaky how much Hayden Christensen looks like Glass in the movie.)

My first reaction to the interview is to not want to read the book, particularly given the apparently negative portrayal of the Charles Lane character. Still, it would be interesting to do a comparative study of movie and fictionalized story written by the ultimate fictionalizer.

[LadyShea]

Thanks for the link, Shea. He's a very odd duck, isn't he? (As an aside, it's freaky how much Hayden Christensen looks like Glass in the movie.)

My first reaction to the interview is to not want to read the book, particularly given the apparently negative portrayal of the Charles Lane character. Still, it would be interesting to do a comparative study of movie and fictionalized story written by the ultimate fictionalizer.

Very very odd, indeed. That's prolly an understatement. I kinda want to read the book to see his side a bit, maybe I'll check it out of the library so as not to support him financially.

[viscousmemories]

Well I learned something by having to look up "roman a clef (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_a_clef)". Thanks, Shea. :)

[LadyShea]

Well I learned something by having to look up "roman a clef". Thanks, Shea. :)

I had to look it up because I had forgotten the damned definition. Hadn't seen the term since high school :)