Is Honesty the Best Policy? Only If You’re Actually Honest

Readers have come to expect a one-sided story in memoirs. After all, you’re learning about one perspective, which clouds certain events or memories. However, memoirs are often meant to cover the nastier side of someone’s life, too, allowing them to lay bare their faults and traumas in a revealing way that reminds you of life’s ups and downs. But what about memoirs that aren’t any of that? Here, we explore some universally despised reads. 

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1. A Million Little Pieces

When James Frey’s so-called memoir first hit shelves, he garnered tons of media attention. He wound up sitting down with Oprah, selling thousands of copies, and earning critical acclaim for his honesty…until it came out that he fabricated a good portion of his journey in rehab. As quickly as he climbed the charts, he plummeted back down to earth. 

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2. Eat, Pray, Love

Not everyone can just ditch their marriage and responsibilities before flying halfway across the country. And not everyone can write a memoir about it. Well, that’s exactly what turned the tide with so many readers, many of whom found Elizabeth Gilbert’s work an exercise in narcissism. 

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3. Scar Tissue

When it comes to memoirs, you want a little honesty sprinkled in. Sure, there will be some embellishment, but the key to a great book is a raw examination of your life—and how you became better. Anthony Kiedis, on the other hand, got pretty candid about his experiences, none of which made him look good or even remorseful. 

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4. Greenlights

Alright, alright, alright. Matthew McConaughey’s memoir seemed like it would fly with longstanding fans, but most of them dismissed it as another narcissistic actor who downplayed serious topics. Many reviews criticized the laissez-faire attitude throughout as further proof of a guy removed from the world’s realities. 

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5. Fragments

It’s pretty low to lie about your time as an addict. But it’s the ultimate low to fabricate a story about the Holocaust. Binjamin Wilkomirski (real name Bruno Grosjean) made up his time as a Jewish child who survived the Holocaust. In reality, he was an adopted kid who grew up in Switzerland. 

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