The Chronicle: Colloquy: Responses

RESPONSES

What lessons does the controversy over the new biography of President Reagan provide for historians? Is it legitimate to create fictional characters within a biography?

The most recent responses appear first

"'Second-rate fiction.' That's how Dr. Kyle Huckins of Regent University characterized Edmund Morris's 'Dutch' in a recent Regent University panel discussion on the controversial biography of Ronald Reagan..."

: -- Michael R. Smith, Ph.D., Journalism, Regent University (posted 10/20, 4:45 p.m., E.D.T.)

"What happened to the historical novel?..."

: -- David G. Whiteis, whiteis@ipfw.edu (posted 10/18, 12:12 p.m., E.D.T.)

"As other writers have so astutely observed,..."

: -- Megan Greene, Independent Scholar / UT - Austin (posted 10/18, 11:23 a.m., E.D.T.)

"As a historian, I think Todd Gitlin makes an excellent suggestion:..."

: -- Tim Tyson, Assistant Professor of Afro-American Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison (posted 10/18, 10:40 a.m., E.D.T.)

"Morris seems to be crossing boundaries in the literary world..."

: -- Andrew S. Bennett, Student, Mars Hill College, NC (posted 10/14, 3:30 p.m., E.D.T.)

"Has anyone else noticed flat errors and anachronisms in Morris's fictional insertions?..."

: -- Todd Gitlin, Professor of Culture, Journalism and Sociology, New York University (posted 10/13, 11:30 a.m., E.D.T.)

"Lets' be realistic on this whole topic..."

: -- Charles W. Miller Ph.D., Inst. History, Pima Community College (posted 10/13, 9:25 a.m., E.D.T.)

"Edmund Morris wrote one of the all-time great political biographies back in 1979..."

: -- Richard B. Bernstein, Adjunct Professor of Law, New York Law School (posted 10/12, 4:35 p.m., E.D.T.)

"In all the commentary on Edmund Morris's Dutch,..."

: -- Marvin E. Gettleman/NYC (posted 10/12, 3:50 p.m., E.D.T.)

"Perhaps the real issue here is one of ownership..."

: -- Megan Greene, Scholar at Large/UT - Austin (posted 10/11, 4:35 p.m., E.D.T.)

"Regarding the Edmund Morris biography controversy:..."

: -- Dr. Patrick Gerster, Dean, San Jose City College (posted 10/11, 12 p.m., E.D.T.)