Culture of Lies

There will be a LOT, LOT LOT LOT LOT more to say about the decrepit state of literary journalism now that we’re finding out about the decrepit-but-relatively-healthy-compared-to-lit state of sports journalism.

Think about the two big sports stories right now.

1.) The fake Manti Te’o girlfriend story.

2.) The Lance Armstrong-as-good-guy fake story.

The same kind of thing goes on in the established literary scene, albeit on a smaller level. But take a look at it.

We have Believer Books last year republishing an essay by Tom Bissell which is essentially a fake. His research was nonexistent or shoddy. His use of sources was questionable. No—not questionable. He abused his sources, as I’ve been showing at www.kingwenclas.blogspot.com in black and white.

Meanwhile, literary “journalists” like Garth Risk Hallberg and Maria Bustillos have raved about the fakery. Hallberg hailed Tom Bissell as a new kind of journalist. Well, he is that, I guess.

It’s not as if lit writers shouldn’t know that Tom Bissell is a dishonest writer. He was involved in questionable literary activity some years ago—yet the literary scene covered up for him and backed him.

When do we ever encounter honesty? A commitment to honesty? (Then there are other gullible writers like Johannes Lichtman of Oxford American who apparently believe in the Easter Bunny. He’s refused to read a word about the Bissell essay contrary to his prefabricated belief.)

AT THE SAME TIME as dishonest essayist Tom Bissell is on the scene (his dishonesty able to be shown in black and white), another dishonest character is on the scene. Namely, untouchable good guy Dave Eggers, whose public persona as good guy is fake. People must know this, but, um, no one wants or dares to say.

We now know that Lance Armstrong is a mean guy who tried to put out of business and destroy those who criticized him. This is the same kind of behavior engaged in by Dave Eggers and friends (see Daniel Handler) viz-a-viz the whistle blowers of the Underground Literary Alliance.

Hey, guys, isn’t this a good time to come clean? Look in the mirror and acknowledge the truth in what I’m saying.

This also should be a wake-up call to literary writers and “journalists” like Garth Risk Hallberg, Maria Bustillos, and Johannes Lichtman to stop believing in the Tom Bissell Easter Bunny and do some real investigating.

Dave Eggers: Not So Great

IF Dave Eggers of the McSweeney's Gang were as great a writer and person as his p.r. makes him out to be, he'd rebuke Tom Bissell for Bissell's Believer Books smear-attack essay on the Underground Literary Alliance, which is filled with inaccuracies and dishonesty. ("--lots and lots of tombstones.") He'd apologize for the essay's republication, which Eggers had to have authorized. Could Eggers truly be as nice a guy as he's portrayed?

If Eggers were so great, he'd come on here to explain or defend that essay, which came straight out of McSweeney's Headquarters on Valencia Street.

Notice one curious thing. In his entire career as a writer and publisher, Dave Eggers has endured not one tough interview. (He is, in fact, notorious for his intolerance of criticism.) If there's been one such encounter, please let me know. I can't find it. Only the usual puffy gushy puff pieces from sycophantic mock-journalists about how great he is.

In his career, from what I can find, Dave Eggers has never engaged in an open freewheeling debate, not offline or on. The great mind, the genius behind McSweeney's, has never exposed that mind to the buffets of dissent and free speech.

Why not?

Here's his chance to remedy that. To assure us of his greatness. Come onto this humble blog, Mr. Eggers, or one of my other blogs. Let readers know about the thinking behind your renewed attack on the ULA. Defend the Bissell essay. Expose yourself to free speech and free thinking.

Don't let your fans suspect the p.r. greatness is simply stage scenery.

Was the ULA Betrayed?

Was the Underground Literary Alliance betrayed? This question came up recently amid discussions of whether to bring the notorious writers organization back.

The more pertinent question: When was the ULA not betrayed?

Keep in mind that we were attacked full out almost from the opening moment of our creation. Powers-that-be, hearing of our initial protest, wanted our movement strangled in the crib. I began receiving anonymous hate mail, and crank phone calls. A self-proclaimed "corporate hatchet man" known for flame wars began attacking us on-line. ULA members were offered the allure of friendship with power, or the implied threat of banishment from literature. During the ULA's history, the pressure never let up. It goes without saying that we were everywhere scorned and mocked.

We had disturbed a hornet's nest. It's naive to want to believe otherwise.

Some members simply dropped. Others played footsie with our opponents. The kicker is that for those, the payoff turned out to be laughably minor. These are the true facts.