Thread 11: 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 ...
2nd Observer https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-whats-in-the-book-and-what-the-observer-has-found
3rd Observer https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/the-salt-path-the-truth-behind-the-blockbuster-book-video
4th Observer ‘I felt I was being gaslit’ – the landlord who helped Ray...
Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement Raynor Winn
Thread One www.mumsnet.com/talk/amibeingunreasonable/5368194-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?
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husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?
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New posters welcome. It would be helpful to read at least the four Observer items above before posting. There are currently 10 items on The Observer website The real Salt Path | The Observer

To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Please do not engage with visitors who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. We have done amazingly well together for ten very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in a healthy and civil fashion is very welcome.

No saltiness. Keep to the path.

Does stolen fudge taste better?

I’m extremely impressed you can read that! I can’t make head or tail of the notes in the book in the photo.

Did they pay for it, though....

Haha thankfully not! In an interview posted here with Jason Isaacs yesterday - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/popcorn-podcast/jason-isaacs-interview-the-LVS7mFlWORc/ - he said he’s vegan so didn’t think he could eat pot noodles for the film scenes where they’re shown eating them, but someone told him they were vegan, so it was fine for him to eat them.

Radio 4 (This Natural Life) interviewed Angela Harding yesterday. The intro said that her drawings had been widely seen, as the illustrator of books by Simon Armitage and Isabella Tree (notably didn't mention TSP etc).

Just as an aside…. I used an inflation calculator to see what £64000 in 2008 would be equivalent to in 2025.

It’s over £104,000.

I think according to the timeline, the maximum RW worked for the Hemmings was 8 years. So this is equivalent to stealing over £1,000 per month for the entire period, I think that’s right?

I think this is the ferry that got stuck in the mud. The one to Edgcumbe. There is currently (according to Google maps) no other mode of public transport that will take you to Edgcumbe that I can see.

I suppose the Belle Gibson case is different because she sold recipes that were claimed to have healing powers - the Walkers are just telling their own "experience" and not giving direct advice.
So a cynical observer could even conclude that Penguin might have learned from the Belle Gibson case about the importance of plausible deniability and extensive disclaimers.
Besides that, a penalty of $30,000 or similar are peanuts compared to the income from the book.

V good points. I do wonder though if there are still grounds for legal action if their claims about Moth’s condition turn out to be false. There is no definitive evidence as to whether they made false claims, and it might never be possible to get definitive evidence, but their claims so far have more than a few holes in.

I was thinking they were normal noodles rather than pot noodles.

TSP says mackerel baps at Sennan Cove. In heavy rain!

Huge thanks again for the timeline, @FurryHappyKittens . It's so helpful, seeing it all laid out like that. This is why I doubt there'll be any further appearances at literary festivals or writing retreats or anything else, unless there's a much more fulsome apology & significant charity donation a la James Frey. How would you screen the audience between those who'll believe no matter what, those who don't really care about whether it's not true but like the nature descriptions, and those who are disappointed/angry/sceptical and have critical questions to ask? It would be impossible, and the insurance/security costs would be prohibitive.

Even doing a Piers Morgan interview wouldn't help IMO unless there's a total mea culpa/OMG we never meant to deceive anyone but it all spiralled out of control type of approach. And I'm not sure that Raymoth would be able to do that convincingly, either, going by the initial 'rebuttal' statement. It didn't work for Hannah IM after the Capt Tom scandal, either.

Seconding the recommendation for 'Prairie Fires', too. Fascinating book.

@Divegirl65 Yes, it would be entirely feasible if that one was stuck.

However, you will see that they are at the Barbican - not where you get the Cremyll ferry.

If you get on the bus, which they would have walked past - on the way to the shopping centre and on to the university - it goes over on the Torpoint Ferry, you then can stay on the bus to Edgcumbe.

They could have asked any of the locals .....

A mackerel bap sounds absolutely delicious! The thought of a fresh mackerel sandwich is making me hungry 😍😍

I, too, can let minor inconsistencies go. I was invested only in the homelessness coupled with a definitive terminal diagnosis both delivered at the same time ( apparently). It was a publisher's dream double emotional hook and that is what I find disgraceful.

Even if there were definite evidence, I'm not sure lying itself is illegal - I think you would have to prove that the lies directly caused harm, and that would be extremely difficult in this case. And who could take them (Walkers or Penguin?) to court, the PSPA?
My dream outcome of this whole mess would be the introduction of some sort of legal obligation for publishers to do proper factchecking before they publish anything containing claims about miracle cures or health effects of alternative treatments. But I don't actually think that is going to happen.

@TheBrandyPath<shudder> ask the locals? Urgh.

Yes, my feeling about TSP too. I mean, when I lived in York, there was a joke that you didn't go out without a camera around your neck - you got asked the way to somewhere so often. (pre-dates smartphones!)

My dream outcome of this whole mess would be the introduction of some sort of legal obligation for publishers to do proper factchecking before they publish anything containing claims about miracle cures or health effects of alternative treatments. But I don't actually think that is going to happen.

Same - but I also don’t think it’ll happen. If it didn’t happen after the Belle Gibson case, I don’t think it’ll happen now. Surely something has to change though in terms of how publishers manage non-fiction submissions though?

The thing is, the minor inconsistencies aren't really being raised here because people have a problem with them. They are generally being flagged because collectively they build a picture and show a clear pattern of behaviour which in turn lends weight to the really bad things such as the homelessness and health claims. That, for me, is why all of the inconsistencies matter, and why everything is and should be under scrutiny.

Actually the PSPA might have grounds to take them to court - that’s a good point. I think it all depends on what still comes out in the Observer articles.

The Wink has been known for its mackerel for decades - so this looks like.... wait for it ... something that looks right.

It would also explain why they walked so little that day after jumping camp that morning.

Not frugal though ....

It should but how? If it's not through outside force, I doubt it will happen at all.
The Penguin CEO starts his 'About' page with the words "I am a gambler and publishing is all about taking risks."
https://www.penguin.co.uk/about/leadership-team/tom-weldon
And in a recent interview he basically says that no mistakes were made, at least not by the publishers, no need to change anything, let's just move on. After all, books should drive discussion!
https://archive.ph/sc6OX

I don't think the truth of the 2013 'terminal diagnosis' will ever be revealed. They are protected forever by patient confidentiality even with regards to their publisher. They just need to keep saying it was true and they can never be held to account imo.

They could have caught the 70 bus from Royal Parade in Plymouth which goes to Cremyll via the Torpoint ferry, and a scenic journey through the villages of the Rame peninsula.

Everything so far points to the fact it’s not true though. Many posters on here have pointed out it’s quite telling that they haven’t released any letters from 2013 that prove a terminal diagnosis. The earliest released letter is from 2015, and both that and the letters since then are very vague in terms of his condition and diagnosis.

I wonder if they’ll crack and just admit the truth at some point (whatever that is), especially if they want to sell more books. Although they may just be able to retire comfortably on the earnings they have from the books so far and the film.