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

[DisappointedReader]

The Observer The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

Thread One ^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?^

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

The journalist Chloe H went to France, visited their property, and spoke to locals and officials.

So the French authorities now know where to find the Walkers and can pursue them once more for their unpaid fees and taxes.

I hope we hear updates from this strand.

I want to reply to you and say something to help. But I can't find the words. Are there any?

The Walkers are despicable.

The LinkedIn post by the nephew of the couple has been removed.

Both the LinkedIn posts have been removed. Guessing legal shenanigans behind the scenes …. Would have been interested to know what they said.

You are very welcome on the thread @JanineLory . Your perspective isn't alone on these threads or in the wider response to The Observer reporting and is very eloquently put, thank you.

Well this thread sent me off to YouTube to look up Gigspanner and I found a beautiful rendition of The Water is Wide. Just the thing to listen to before bedtime.

I’m not on linked in so can’t read the nephews post.. what did he say

I think that the OP on Thread 2 quoted the nephew and his wife's posts if you want to check there @FloofyKat @SnowFrogJelly

Maybe it was thought that the posts weren't best placed on LI or the nephew and his wife decided the posts has served their purpose. Hopefully not because of a legal threat.

There were screenshots of the LinkedIn post (aren't there always?) Might have been posted on the second thread, if you check the media items there.

@JanineLory I can only imagine how crushing this must be for you. But guy doesn't mean neuroplasticity doesn't happen. It only means it's suspect in this case. It still seems like a worthwhile aim to me and I hope you can manage some improvements. I have known a number of people who have made excellent recoveries from what seemed like dire medical conditions - the kind that would sound too Hollywood to be included in a book or film. Maybe yours will be one of the stories that doesn't make the big screen but does bring you a life of better health. Don't let one corrupt story squash your hope.

Just remembered something - yesterday I saw the ‘salt path’ mistyped as ‘the salt oath’ on a social media post, and it really tickled me. Easy typo to make, but it felt so on the nose. I’m just imagining her swearing an oath on the novel, promising to tell ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’ in it, before sending it to the publishers 😂😂

Disappointing.

Well they came across as unlikeable, grabby and shallow in the book. Not their house, why should they be allowed to stay there? Can't be doing with all this schmalzy give me money for my sad story shite. I said this to many people when the film came out and had utterly no desire to see it. Seems those of us who read the book were right. Couldn't have given a monkey's bum what happened to them.

A complete shambles.

He said that Sally and Tim Walker, his aunt and uncle, are pathological liars and hinted that there is more to be exposed.

And that they had left a trail of destruction behind them. That was it - very short. I'd love to know the background.

Checking in. But interested in how this will affect the future marketing of ‘true’ stories, and whether in fact readers will have such an appetite for them.

If this is all true , and let’s face it- it certainly looks that way, how on earth did they think they’d keep their lies hidden?

Also once they’d made some money surely paying off some of the debt in France would have been a good idea so that when they eventually were found out there was less to talk about

It is a sad indictment of British Journalism that the recent pinnacle of investigative journalism is an expose of a paperback beloved by boomer book clubs: The Salt Path. They should have a pop at the Bible next !

This sounds very lawyered.

I don’t think they have directly libelled or defamed anyone, so I don’t think this is like Baby Reindeer. The problem is more that it was sold and marketed as a true story.

I wonder whether the film company have made a profit yet?

ETA: this is in response to film company statement.

There is more that could be exhumed here. I imagine there will be court transcripts of the hearing establishing that the loan to Sally was made personally by “James” and not by his now-insolvent company (in which case presumably it would pass to the liquidators). I read yesterday that the “missing document” alluded to in the book/film was evidence that suggested the loan was made by James’ company, which would mean that whoever purchased the loan from James would not be entitled to an order for sale. Apparently, the judge didn’t accept this argument because James gave a witness statement clarifying that the only purpose of the loan was to bail out SW after allegations of criminality. So there may be a bare skeleton of truth in amongst the highly suspect narrative.

Hang on a minute. Journalist here to defend the profession. Very few publications have the staff these days to investigate. It is very resource intensive. Social media has meant advertising revenues are slashed and the money and staff aren’t there generally to investigate. The Observer relaunched with a mission to investigate though, so I suspect we’ll see more interesting stories on other subjects.
Plus -
post office scandal? Unearthed because of the work of journalists before hit the TV screens.

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.

There is a disclaimer* * 'Medical information is based on the author's personal experience and should not be relied on as a substitute for professional advice.'

@Wetoldyousaurus.
You wrote - The purpose of your reading is what matters most.

Not really. This is marketed as non-fiction. It is NOT marketed as a Memoir (see back cover.) That's the difference.

Yes, memories or rather former emotions can be hazy when writing a memoir, but an author has a duty to their reader to recollect events as honestly as possible. So yes, they need to present facts, the bare bones, as if it were a pressure cooker manual.

What you're missing is that the fundamental foundation for the book was dishonest. Especially the way the loss of their house and income was described. That's not 'subjective' it's a fact and , here, a lie.

And, I repeat, the publishers themselves say 'The author has stated to the publishers that, except in such respects [change of name for some people to protect the privacy of others] the contents of this book are true.'

Read that again. The author has stated that the contents of this book are true.