# What is the difference between autobiography and autobiographical novel?



## cinderblock (Feb 28, 2016)

I haven't read My Struggle by Karl Gnaasgaurd, but I've heard a lot about it. One of the things that I noticed was that it's considered "not a memoir, but an autobiographical novel..."

I know memoirs sort of get flack, whereas what Gnausgaard is doing is getting a lot of attention.  

What is the difference?


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## Bishop (Feb 28, 2016)

Memoirs are usually a direct retelling of what happened. An autobiographical novel is told more like fiction, but has resemblance to the real life events of the author.


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## Jeko (Feb 28, 2016)

Critics can needlessly debate how autobiographical the latter is.


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## cinderblock (Feb 28, 2016)

Bishop said:


> Memoirs are usually a direct retelling of what happened. An autobiographical novel is told more like fiction, but has resemblance to the real life events of the author.



That seems simple enough.

I guess I ask because I don't really follow the trend on books. I'm confused because from all the press that Gnausgaard gets, a lot of it seems to circle around the controversy that he uses real people in his books. Apparently one of his exes feels very violated about it.

So my question is... if this is an autobiographical "novel," why do people keep treating this like a straightup tell-all? Not only a straightup tell-all, but one deserving of critical acclaim. From what I could piece together from hearing about this book, it seems like a reality TV show in book form. The idea itself seems fascinating. 

Perhaps I should pick it up and read it at some point and see for myself. 

I know James Fry wrote a supposed autobiography called Million Little Pieces, and he was lambasted on Oprah for embellishment. So I guess it boils down to how you market your book? If you say it's an autobiographical novel, you're free to exaggerate and understate at any given moment. But then why not just call it a novel at that point? What is this neither-here-nor-there BS about? 

To add to the confusion, there's a stigma about memoirs. At least a stigma, based on what I've heard in interviews with Mary Karr and Joan Didion. Joan doesn't want her books to be categorized as memoirs, because she says it's "soft." This is baffling to me. Why are memoirs considered soft? Autobiography, tell-all, memoir, autobiographical novel, isn't it all semantics in the end? It seems to me the trendy thing to do in this moment, at least if you want to associate yourself with literary value and critical acclaim, you want to call whatever you're writing an autobiographical novel.


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## Terry D (Feb 28, 2016)

An autobiography is to an autobiographical novel as a documentary is to a reality TV show.


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## Bishop (Feb 29, 2016)

cinderblock said:


> So my question is... if this is an autobiographical "novel," why do people keep treating this like a straightup tell-all?



Because they want _their _moment in the limelight.


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## bazz cargo (Feb 29, 2016)

Memory plays tricks. Whatever you write will differ a bit from the reality of it all.


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## cinderblock (Feb 29, 2016)

Bishop said:


> Because they want _their _moment in the limelight.



I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying the people accusing the author of violating their privacy have an ulterior motive, as in seeking attention?



bazz cargo said:


> Memory plays tricks. Whatever you write will differ a bit from the reality of it all.



Which further perplexes me on our attempt to distinguish an authobiography from autobiographical novel. There're even a class of meta novels that are very self-referential and blur the line between reality and fantasy. Plus, I think it's safe to say most books are loosely autobiographical or "inspired" by true events.


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## Bishop (Mar 1, 2016)

cinderblock said:


> I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying the people accusing the author of violating their privacy have an ulterior motive, as in seeking attention?



Or are looking for their own book deal. Johnny Cash's first wife hated the way she was portrayed in the film "Walk the Line", and when she made enough noise, got her own book deal about her life with Johnny. Now, to be fair, she was portrayed somewhat poorly, but the film was not made by Cash, nor anyone in his camp, and films are rarely truly biographical... Even still, I have no doubt she enjoyed her paycheck.


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