Out from autobiography?

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How many writers have started with "I was there and here is my story" memoirs, then actually taken the resultant praise to heart and started writing fiction/non firsthand non-fiction?

Clifford "The Cuckoos Egg" Stoll is the only one that came to mind, and he's unlikely to win the Booker, to be honest.

The inspiration for this was reading Jarhead by Anthony Swofford, who's called a "genuine talent" by Martin Amis on the front cover, which was suprising for a book subtitled "A Marine's chronicle of the Gulf War".

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 18 March 2004 09:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave Eggers, unfortunately.

― m.e.a. (m.e.a.), Thursday, 18 March 2004 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, good point. Is Fever Pitch supposed to be autobiographical?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 18 March 2004 17:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Of course. If you're into football, it's a fine book. Gooner or otherwise.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 18 March 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Two Irish examples:
Eamon Dunphy. First book 'Only a Game' about his time playing for Millwall. Later books about U2, Matt Busby, Roy Keane
Paul Kimmage. First Book 'A rough Ride' about riding in the Tour De France. Has since co-written Tony Cascarino's autobiography.

Tim O Brien wrote about being a soldier in Vietnam (If I die in the Combat Zone). Has written novels since then.
Michael Lewis. First book 'Liar's Poker' about his experiences working as a Stock Exchange trader. Has written a couple of business related books since then.

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Saturday, 20 March 2004 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

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