Fact-checker: “This still seems to violate about ten different rules of journalistic integrity.”

Author: “I’m not sure that matters … This is an essay, so journalistic rules don’t belong here.”

— The Lifespan of a Fact, by John D’Agata (author) and Jim Fingal (fact-checker), from page 19.

I’m settling into this book after a day at the ballpark, and these exchanges are … astonishing. “Punched up” quotes? Changing facts for the sake of “rhythm”. As I told a friend it would be much better for the “rhythm” of our writing if Albert Pujols hit .300 last season. Alas, he hit .299. We can’t change the facts, not even for an essay. I had no idea that the “non” in “nonfiction” had different definitions. It’s always been rather self-explanatory to me.

I hope at the end the answer to the books title is that the lifespan of a fact must certainly outlive its author.

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