Comparing Memoirs: Ghostwriting vs. Skilled Writers

Here’s what I learned from How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart by David Foster Wallace:

• Rather than tell us how bad the memoir was, he lists eight (eight!) examples—all quotes from the book. 

• Later, he explicitly tells us how bad TV interviews of top athletes are, then gives two very long and detailed back-to-back examples to make his point. 

• The best memoirs are written by writers, and celebrity memoirs are trash.