Author admits acclaimed memoir is fantasy: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/04/arts/04fake.php?page=1 One wonders how these writers figure it won't come out that what they've written is complete fiction. Terry
YOu know that is disgraceful that she has done that. I would be ashamed of myself for such a lie. How could she do it though? It was a mjor lack in judgement that is for sure. I just hope that people realise that even when in the best of intensions, a lie is still a lie and completely unacceptable. She certainly suckered people in and it really is disgraceful. At least the truth has come out though.
In that article she claimed that she wanted to give a voice to under-represented people living in inner cities. If this is true, why not just pull a John Steinbeck and write a novel about them? It clearly worked for him, as he's now regarded as one of the best writers of the twentieth century, and much of his writing is focused on the plight of the working class and the poor.
Connolly she could have taken that route and from the looks of things would have been successful. But no, she wanted to big note herself. It was foolish that is for sure, and greedy!
I suppose she'd have trouble living up to Steinbeck, as he his writing style helped to make him what he was. I seriously doubt this woman was as good of a writer as he is, since almost nobody is. I do however think she could have found a market and moderate success.
Personally, this bugs me far more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/02/29/jewish-memoir-wolves.html?ref=rss You just don't mess with the Holocaust. I mean, seriously.
I guess publishers might want to start doing a little background checking on authors who submit memoirs, before they accept, let along bring the work to publication. Sadly, it appears they might have to on a regular basis. Terry
Maybe, but since all the heat will fall on the author, they could treat all mamoirs as potentially works of fiction.
That is a good idea Cogito. But then again publishers really should do a little background checking themselves. It makes you wonder how many memoirs out there are actually truth to be honest. It was only by chance this one was caught out, how many hve slipped through because publishers don't bother to do a quick background check on the author.
Seems a heavy burden for the publishers. Not only do they have to weed through mounds of crap to find a well-written piece, and then thay have to become investigators as well?
Wow, that's just a bad idea because someday you're going to have to live up to what you've done. Not to smart an author, eh?
imo, this is more about stupidity than venality... the writers are beyond stupid to think they can get away with it for long and the agents/editors/publishers are unbelievably stupid to have fallen for the con job in the first place...
The first clue I had was when she said she travelled all over europe with this wolf pack. I think a wolf pack has a territory of about 90 miles. I am pretty sure europe is much larger than that. Wolves also get rid of their own kind if they are different so I cannot see them accepting a human into their ranks. Those are what I saw in the story in the newspapers. If someone is not telling the whole truth read what they write and you can almost always spot the little things which will give them away. I almost feel sorry for the poor woman. She fantasized her way through a terrible war and never really let go of the fantasy. I don't think she really intended to lie she just didn't have the help she needed to get back to the real world.
With a facade, most likely. Practiced liars can usually come up with something to deflact attention and make excuses.
chronic liars will believe their own lies almost before they finish speaking/writing them... i should know, having been married to one... halfway into a lie, it wasn't one any more, for him... if he said it, it had to have happened... that makes such folks dangerously believable...
Maia, that is too true. My mother has a very hard time distinguishing truth from lies. I don't get angry with her anymore, though. Sometimes I really think it is a disease. For my mom I really think that she believes everything she says and because of that it is true to her. Sad!
