Fiction and Nonfiction: When it comes to certain books the Truth is a necessity, you can't write certain books with partial truths and leave out or embellish details. Non-fiction books such as textbooks can't afford half truths or embellished details because they need to present unbiased unembellished fact. The people who read this books are looking for just that and shouldn't have to worry about being misinformed whilst reading these books. When it comes to something like a memoir a little bit of imbellishment or white lie isn't unheard of. If there are certain small details that an author wants to leave out to make him/her look better in her story but don't stray too far from the truth than the author has that right, it is after all his/her story and he/she has the right to choose what to and what not to share with us. If the story whether 50% or 100% true is an entertaining one then people will still read it and still enjoy it whether or not you call it a memoir a fiction. Often times fiction writers will add details of their own lives or influences from their own lives into their writings but people wouldn't go balistic if they found out a few quotes or conversations from their favorite fictional novel were based in reality. It might make them love that author even more, so if an author chooses to blend fiction and non-fiction then so be it, and let them choose where to draw the line in labeling their book as such, if they even want to label their book, and the public will choose either way whether it becomes a best seller or not.