Thread 2. To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

[AWanderingFool]

Thread Two for The Salt Path and Raynor Winn/Sally Walker/Sally Winn discussions.

Thread One is here: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5368194-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

May shine a fresh light on Fiona Harvey’s defamation case against Netflix, for what she claims is a depiction of her in Baby Reindeer, also pitched as a ‘true story’.

It was reported Richard Gadd argued the story was ‘emotionally true’ but fictionalised.

It appears Sally Walker may be starting to make a similar argument.

It’s a memoir, and as such, entirely subjective. Anyone who reads memoir should know this. Memory is flawed, interpretation of events differ depending on who is telling the story, the chronology of events are mixed up or deliberately changed to help the narrative flow etc etc. That’s what is meant by ‘it’s a little bit true and a little bit not true’. Read memoir for your purposes, to help you in your life, or to be entertained or whatever your reasons, but don’t let your experience of a text be marred by whether it actually happened or not.

Unless it’s an appliance manual for a pressure cooker or a technical report that you are using to build a bridge. The purpose of your reading is what matters most. Therefore, people with brain illnesses who used this memoir as a reason to give up their meds and start walking with heavy backpacks in the hope of a cure should be rightfully upset that they took ‘Raynor’ at her word. But they probably also shouldn’t have made such a decision based on one woman’s subjective account. The same goes for people who only enjoyed this book because they believed the author to be a perfect victim of a financial scam with no hand in losing her home.

That’s what is investigated in literary (and yes, the dreaded postmodern) theory. The relationships between writer, narrator, editor, language, genre, purpose, reader and how these, together, produce ‘fact’ and ‘fiction’.

But why they lost the farm isn’t subjective

whether he has CBD or not is not subjective

He's well known in the industry and well liked. (A friend of a friend, I was shocked to make the connection earlier).

I don't think it will do him any harm professionally
Having shitty duplicitous relatives doesnt affect your ability to design boats.

Theres a gigantic moral difference between subjectivity and duplicity

The Observer piece says this: Our reporting has found sins of omission and commission in The Salt Path. Leaving stuff out is run-of-the-mill for a memoir, but the sin of commission – inventing important passages of the book – is not.

That’s what is investigated in literary (and yes, the dreaded postmodern) theory. The relationships between writer, narrator, editor, language, genre, purpose, reader and how these, together, produce ‘fact’ and ‘fiction’.

However I think readers who are not fortunate enough to have investigated literary theory can be forgiven for taking the Penguin blurb at face value.

“an unflinchingly honest, inspiring and life-affirming true story”

“A real-life story about triumph over adversity and the healing power of nature
My Weekly”

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/309419/the-salt-path-by-winn-raynor/9781405972147

Penguin know that that truth sells.

Thread 3: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

I wonder when the film company and the main stars will release statements

Apparently Waterstones' staff have been told to retail it as fiction. I don't know how true that is as it's from a comment on the Observer article on YouTube.

From another comment it gets round any potential issues with continuing to sell it.

I wonder if they're holding off in the hope of a strong repudiation from the Walkers.

Thanks for clarifying @Localres. I thought there was still some connection between them, as past and present Observer articles are available to read on the Guardian website. Are the online Obs and GDN editions still connected maybe, even if the print editions aren’t?

This reminds me a bit of the controversy around "A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey about his "true life" experiences of overcoming his demons in a rehabilitation facility, including the physical and emotional challenges of overcoming addiction. The book was a best seller and was featured on the Oprah book club.

But then doubts emerged about the books authenticity. Frey admitted that the same "demons" that had made him turn to alcohol and other drugs had also driven him to fabricate crucial portions of his "memoir", and that the book had first having been submitted as a novel but rejected by many publishers, including Random House itself who published it later as a "true" memoir.

Although in the long term it didn't do him much harm - it was made into a film 15 years after the controversy.

I don't think it sounds odd at all - the guy wanted his money back and this was likely the only way to achieve that quickly.

Remember the house was mortgaged and likely 50% owned by Moth so not much available to repay. Also the courts often don't like making people homeless, Moth is sick and the couple have no income ....

I've seen many cases reported in the press - people who stole tens, even hundreds of thousands where the repayment order is something like £5 per week.

Hope the lawyer takes a big advance given their history of not paying bills!

I’m so sorry @JanineLory ❤️❤️

It is (was?) a work of fiction. That is how I read it, although the boundaries were blurry, but that’s allowed in fiction. Had it been left there, would it have been acceptable?

I related to it - in my 50s finding myself in an unforeseen precarious situation, homelessness even, being only a step away. Nature as redemption and escape and provision. It’s a wonderful story.

Sad they couldn’t find the courage to be frank to the general public before allowing themselves to be carried along on the wave of publicity and fame. And money.

It has been presented and sold as non-fiction @Ellen2shoes

Take good care of yourself @JanineLory

The problem is that is wasn't sold as a work of fiction but as their true life experience of homelessness and poverty.

... only it turns out is was a work of fiction and she forgot to mention stealing over £60,000 from her employer

Link to Thread 3

I have a neurological condition and can recommend the book by Dr Joaquin Farias
Intertwined. How to induce neuroplasticity. : A new approach to rehabilitating dystonias.

I haven't read it for a few years so can't remember how specific it is to dystonia, but it is written from a scientific pov by a doctor known as the world expert on dystonias.