Jack Shafer of Slate Magazine defines it as: "history written by a liar"; what word is it?

---

Etymology, Etymology, and more Etymology
as well as grammar, usage, euphemism, slang, jargon, semantics (meaning), linguistics, neologism, idiom, word origin, syntax, dialect, lexicon (vocabulary), diction, pidgin, synonym, antonym, homonym, cant, argot, lingo, and redundancy.



The critically-acclaimed board game MooT consists of tough questions about the nuances of the English language.

To join our mailing list and get free brain-twisting MooT questions sent to you irregularly, enter your email address and then press submit.

E-Mail address:

---

Answer: autobiography

In his review of The Autobiography of Howell Raines (subtitled: Guess who's the hero - Posted March 24, 2004), Shafer writes:

"As long as you keep in mind that all autobiography is history written by a liar, Howell Raines' feature in the May Atlantic Monthly about his 20-month rise and fall as executive editor of the New York Times is a valuable addition to the growing literature about his crack-up.

Copyright 1998-2006 Blair Arts Ltd. All rights reserved.