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Non-Fiction
In reply to the discussion: Has anyone read the new James Patterson memoir "Stories of My Life" ? [View all]anobserver2
(922 posts)27. Deception #1 in Memoir: North America
In Laura Miller's piece in the New Yorker she writes:
"he rose to become the C.E.O. of the agencys North American branch"
-- and this title is also mentioned by other journalists because: Patterson does state in his memoir, as I recall, that he
was "CEO of JWT North America."
OK. Let's say he was.
What is "North America" - ? How would you define it?
Here is one answer I found online:
What is considered North America?
The term Northern America refers to the northern portion of the continent. It includes the world's largest island Greenland and the sovereign states of Canada, the United States, and Mexico. About 498 million people live in Northern America (in 2019.)
Here is another answer I found online:
What are the 7 countries in North America?
Northern American Countries
Canada. At nearly 10 million square kilometers or over 3.8 million square miles, Canada is the largest country in North America and the second-largest country in the world (Russia is the first). ...
Mexico. ...
The United States of America (USA) ...
Antigua and Barbuda. ...
The Bahamas. ...
Barbados. ...
Cuba. ...
Dominica.
------------
Now, I have heard - for many years - that James Patterson was the CEO of JWT North America. So I look through his memoir. I read his memoir after taking it out of the library. And here is what I am looking for: I would like to read ONE story, even if it's only ONE or TWO pages long, about: his experience as CEO of JWT North America. I would like to read about JWT's office in Canada, and what happened when he went there. I would like to read about JWT's office in Mexico, and what happened when he went there. But, here's the thing: I could not find one story about James Patterson at any JWT office in Canada or Mexico.
I think that's because: JWT never had any office in Canada and never had any office in Mexico.
Yes, JWT had offices in Europe. Yes, JWT had offices in Asia. Yes, JWT had offices in Africa.
But the only JWT offices in "North America" were in: the United States.
And I am sure: James Patterson can pull out a business card that says "CEO OF JWT North America."
However, I can make a business card that says that, too.
I am sure, people who worked with him would tell you, "Oh, yes, that was his title - CEO of JWT North America."
And those people, some of them, may have no idea that JWT had no offices in Canada or Mexico.
So, call me crazy, but when a CEO of North America writes a memoir, I expect to read: stories about the experience of being a CEO
in North America - Canada, Mexico, or other countries outside the USA.
But no such stories exist in his memoir.
I think it's because: JWT had no offices outside the USA in North America. It was a fake title for James Patterson, because James Patterson was very busy doing: other things.
And here come a dozen people telling me James Patterson DID write chapter after chapter about Mexico and Canada, but, his editor felt the book was already too long.
Whatever.
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Has anyone read the new James Patterson memoir "Stories of My Life" ? [View all]
anobserver2
Jun 2022
OP
It seems he has promoted two versions of the structure of his writing factory
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#14
PS Here's the NY Post article about the lawsuit a writer filed against Patterson
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#16
Also: Patterson's new memoir makes no mention of any lawsuit against him by a writer
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#17
Two organizations for writers in the writing factory - Author's Guild and National Writers Union
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#18
When I have time I will write a list of discrepencies I found in this memoir
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#8
From June 20, 2022 New Yorker magazine: "How James Patterson Became the World's Best-Selling Author"
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#26
Deception #11 in Memoir: Money, and Pages 120-121 - "the fine art of negociating"
anobserver2
Jun 2022
#41