What kind of correlation is there, if any?
Also, if there is... What is the distinction?

I've noticed that writers like Mark Twain and Frank McCourt (the general consensus is IEE on the former and I strongly believe that holds true for the latter) like to write in a satirical, anecdotal fashion. There are always little side stories that don't really have a strong connection to one another but serve altogether to move the plot... From reading a couple of each of their books it feels like time blurs and I'm never really given any direct insight as to how much time has passed between each episode.

Thoughts?