Thread 4: 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 ...

Second article in the Observer
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-whats-in-the-book-and-what-the-observer-has-found

Third article in the Observer
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-the-truth-behind-the-blockbuster-book-video

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

Thread 3 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5369425-thread-3-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement Raynor Winn

The "did not have the evidence required to support what happened" thing makes no sense. Embezzlement is a crime and it would be on the prosecution to prove her guilt not on her to prove her innocence. Trying to explain the disappearance of 64K over a period of years, money the Hemmings worked out themselves was missing, would be one hell of a series of "accounting errors".

Indeed! And in all their exotic home renovation projects did they ever face the same challenge Adrian had in felt-tipping out the hat bells on the Noddy wallpaper that kept showing through his black painted bedroom walls?

Absolutely not. Master Plasterer or no Master Plasterer.

Side note: could posters stop rudely positioning themselves as superior regarding others' views and tangents, please? This is a conversational discussion forum, not a police interview. As a PP said, if you don't like an angle, just skip it rather than trying to exert control.

cc @DisappointedReader

Yes - that’s what the observer says

I'm saying her version of it being a loan in lieu of repayment is ridiculous

Yes totally, but I can see how she spun it into “we invested in a friend’s business and when that business failed we ended up losing our house” I watched an interview on the one show where was was with Jason Isaacs who was getting very angry on her behalf about how they lost their beautiful family home because they were conned and she looked a bit uncomfortable as he was saying it. She didn’t correct him though as she should have.

You are under no obligation to post on this thread. However, it may weaken your argument if you pop back later claiming moral high ground you didn’t mention at the time. Anything you do post may be screenshotted, quoted out of context, and revisited endlessly in future threads. So help you God.

And remember, Adrian was completely taken in by the, "Hitler Diaries" hoax. Which is strangely...

Well I see there’s another thread on this and it’s interesting on there as no one seems to have actually read the observer article or her rebuttal and seen the issues! Also an insistence that the observer article is allegations only

ultimately if people read the book and got something from it they will either be livid or they will gloss over it

Agree with much of what you're saying @sualipa but I think a lot depends on what else comes out. I am sticking my neck out too but I don't think the Observer is finished with them yet. Lots of work and trips to Cornwall and France for one (admittedly quite incendiary) piece?

I think they will have been waiting to see the response from Raymoth and what their lawyers might do. If anyone accused me of embezzlement I would be tearing down heaven to put the record straight, not making half arsed statements about regretting any mistakes, especially if I was a multi millionaire with access to the best legal help.

I think some people may have the general idea that they are still tramping the SWCP without 10p to bless themselves with. They're not anymore.

I think we need Simon Armitage to write a poem about this whole imbroglio. Possibly in the unique style of Adrian M, he could do it. Right generation!

The most shocking thing about this whole exposé is that their nephew came out and publicly condemned them. They must be the most dastardly pair in town if their own flesh and blood was willing to chuck them under the bus. What the hell else have they done??

I also think there could be more to come from the Observer - not least because it’s likely people will have contacted them with further information since the original article came out.

They were arguably never really poor & the trouble is, to quote Jarvis, ‘everybody hates a tourist, especially one who thinks it’s just a laugh & the chip stains & grease will come out in the bath’ or the luxe shower of a borrowed house etc.

Done by Olaf Falafel on Bluesky...

Following on from a post this morning, Gigspanner have taken down the Facebook post where they shared SW's statement. It is also not on their Instagram.

Having read it when it was up on FB, the post was factual rather than expressing support for her, and they did not react to any of the supportive comments.

In my view they are trying to minimise the impact on their gigs, rather than implicitly show support for her.

I think this level of detail is niche, a bit odd, and far from mainstream. Most of their two million readers and the casual onlookers won’t bother with a deep dive. Once they flood the zone with half‑hearted mea culpas and polished excuses, it’ll be back to business as usual, albeit with a slight dent to their mainstream reputation. Penguin will stick by them unless the story somehow tips over into murder.That said I'm invested and listen to LBC all day and of this story not a peep so it's not breaking through - Alasdair Campbell said if it stayed on the front page for 11 days then it could have considered to have broken through, well this isn't front page anymore and dropping down the rankings. We are now on day 5 fwiw and just a single story way way down on Mail Online with 800 comments.

Yes funny I was thinking of the Common People song too!

I would pay good money too. GA's Thatcher is a joy to behold.

True - but if all you read were the observer article and her rebuttal and you came away thinking she explained it all and all good - well I worry about people’s critical thinking skills

fair enough a lot of people won’t really care. It is a niche issue ultimately

Someone mentioned Swampy earlier, it anyone's curious here's how he's getting on:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/08/swampy-dan-hooper-tunnels-bailiffs-protest-capitalists-human-mole

Am I missing something? She wrote a book. A story. Sold in the fiction section. What does it matter if it isn’t 100% true. It’s closely based on their life experience. Think people are taking it a bit seriously. I don’t think anyone’s memoir is completely true. Just enjoy the book.

Well it's going to have to be real juicy it has a feel that they have shot their load already and the excellent sleuthing here hasn't managed to find much more. I would love to be afly on the wall at the expletive filled Penguin crisis managment meetings in secure rooms with searches on the way in and mobiles banned - same goes for the film company there are literally millions at stake !

That would have got to page 2 of thread one - what fun would that be ! It was non-fiction though - but apparently not or we don't know how much. Or something.

Haven't thought about him in decades but I'm strangely happy that Swampy has had a nice life and is still campaigning!

Laughing at Alasdair "Dodgy Dossier" Campbell pontificating over other peoples' lies. I guess Raymoth haven't caused any unnecessary wars.