A ‘Million’ error

Re “Why pay millions for ‘A Million’s’ lies?” Opinion, Sept. 10

David L. Ulin’s evident disregard for nonfiction comes through in his defense of what he terms “creative nonfiction.” If readers were moved by the fantasies presented as fact in James Frey’s memoir, “A Million Little Pieces,” does that make the “emotional response” invalid, he asks. Well, yes, because readers were falsely led to believe they were responding to an honest depiction of real events.

“Creativity, after all,” Ulin writes, “is a matter of illusion.” I assume this includes the gathering of facts, evidence and historical documents and the conducting of interviews? Just wondering.

DAVID LEWIS

Piedmont, Calif.