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Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

From the department of crime doesn't pay

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Jul 24 2008, 9:00 AM ET Comment

As a guy who recently wrote a memoir, I can't tell you how depressing it is to see the genre basically become a magnet for liars--and then to see those liars rewarded with coverage in the New York Times. Call me conflicted, but just spell my name right. Perhaps the worst part is that memoirists who defraud their readers don't even get that much out of it. I mean, you may get book-level fame and book-level money, but dude, it's still book level. If you're going to defraud somebody do it the right way--go get an MBA, work on Wall Street and steal some real money.

Oh, that hurt. Sorry friends, I promise, no more fat-cat bashing.



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