Articles published under the Room for a View heading in The Left Atrium, like those penned by “Dr. Ursus” for our back-page column, occupy a liminal territory between fact and fiction. Authors are required to change details to protect confidentiality, and are at liberty to refine, embellish or reinvent reality for narrative effect. Some pieces are inspired by experience, and thus lay claim to authenticity. But a ring of truth can arise from other things, such as empathy, insight and imagination. Mark Twain knew the craft of storytelling. A saying attributed to him (by Rudyard Kipling) goes like this: “Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.”
Anne Marie Todkill CMAJ