Alison Bechdel: World's Most Scrupulous Memoirist
Alison Bechdel, whose brilliant memoir Fun Home detailed her closeted dad's probable suicide and its effects on her family, writes in Slate today about how she was tormented about her mother's reaction to the book. Bechdel did tell her mother what to expect, but she still feels guilty.
I do feel that I robbed my mother in writing this book. I thought I had her tacit permission to tell the story, but in fact I never asked for it, and she never gave it to me. Now I know that no matter how responsible you try to be in writing about another person, there's something inherently hostile in the act.
Admirable. Wouldn't it be great if she could teach some sort of Mediabistro 'How To Have A Soul' seminar to other prospective sellers-out of other people's dignity? Seriously.
