A Few Words From Gay Talese

"The New Journalism, though often reading like fiction, is not fiction. It is, or should be, as reliable as the most reliable reportage. Although it seeks a larger truth than is possible through the mere compilation of verifiable facts, the use of direct quotations, and adherence to the rigid organizational style of the older form. The New Journalism allows, demands in fact, a more imaginative approach to reporting, and it permits the writer to inject himself into the narrative if he wishes, as many writers do, or to assume the role of a detached observer, as other writers do, including myself."--Gay Talese, from his book Fame & Obscurity (Doubleday, 1970).