Here, for example, even Rebecca and Sandra aren't the real names of the women involved and, as far as I can determine, he changes their physical descriptions and the age of at least one of them. This is despite the fact Rebecca (actually Tiffany Fowler) and Sandra (actually Shae Saur) pleaded guilty in federal court and their names are a matter of public record. Combined with "re-created dialogue" and descriptions that often feel novelistic, at what point do such changes push a work from nonfiction to "based on a true story" status? (A phrase that seems somewhat appropriate given that the film rights to the book were optioned in January to Sony Pictures.)
Some criticize Mezrich's techniques, even going so far as to call it dishonest or the works "nonfictionish." Undoubtedly, Sex on the Moon is an entertaining and enjoyable read. For readers, though, the question may become the extent to which its entertainment value undercuts their trust in the author and, hence, the story.
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