“These documents speak and they speak in these kind of startling, unexpected ways,” says author David Grann.
What does it look like? Are you allowed to handle any of this stuff? Can you actually read it when you look at it?
You can read them. I mean, they come in a box. Often they have leather-bound covers that are disintegrating, like a covering, and just dust. Like when you open the box, dust just infiltrates your nose, your nostrils. You have to lay them on pillows because otherwise they will further disintegrate. You have to turn the pages so, so gently. Sometimes they are water stained and a little bit rubbed out, but for the most part you can read them. Sometimes you need a help of a magnifying glass.
Joan Didion famously said, “We all tell ourselves stories in order to live.” And they quite literally have to tell their stories in order to live, because if they don’t tell a convincing tale they may get hanged. And so they begin to release their journals and their testimony or they write narratives, trying to shape the story out of self-interest, as you said, to try to save their own lives.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jerry Seinfeld dines with Larry David, Judd Apatow, Amy Schumer and David Geffen in ItalyJerry Seinfeld was spotted in Italy this week dining with fellow comedy legends Larry David, Judd Apatow, Amy Schumer, Leslie Mann, and billionaire media mogul David Geffen.
Read more »
15 Years Ago, 'Twilight' Gave Us The Campy Vampire Love Story That Never DiesLet me take you back to a time with vampires glistened in the sun and played wildly dramatic baseball games. Please join me in rewatching 'Twilight.'
Read more »
Director of North Coast Rep's 'Pippin' says story will grab audiencesThe 1972 musical is about a traveling theater troupe presenting the story of the Middle Ages king Charlemagne and his son, prince Pippin
Read more »
SnapJAX Stories: Insider shares true story behind photo of false crawl turtle tracksSo many of our Insiders’ pictures are from the beach, and it’s clear why, but you might not fully understand a picture we spotted on SnapJAX recently without hearing the story behind it. So we tracked it down for you!
Read more »
Kim Kardashian Looks Unrecognizably Creepy In American Horror Story: DelicateThis season has everything: babies, wigs, a reality star.
Read more »