Thread 19: 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's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

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

Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 18: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5422393-thread-18-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items before posting.
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. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders 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. Over four months we have done amazingly well together for 18 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 our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome.

Keep to the path. No saltiness. May the fudge and cider be with you.

"I'll fight anyone who says I'll make it to Christmas 2021!"

Please fill up Thread 18 before boarding this one.

OMG I'm the first to post on the new thread other than @DisappointedReader (and the usual thanks, DR, for piloting us all safely through to thread 19)

Right, here is a picture of a charabanc for those interested. And this is exactly what I have in my mind

PS and OMG yes to Capt Sensible! That's a brilliant comparison 😁

Oh, MN seems to have removed the "hide thread" option.

Ah, found it!

Just posting so I don’t lose the thread between now and the end of the other one. (I was @KettleSmocks on the last one.)

Thanks as ever to the stoical @DisappointedReader for keeping the charabanc on the road. I’m now imagining her friends and family giving her sympathetic head tilts and saying, low-voiced ‘Are they still at it?’ Like something that was originally supposed to be a short protest demo that has now turned into the Greenham Common camp.

“Greenham common camp”! 😄
Thank you for safely shuttling us across @DisappointedReader

Thanks once again @DisappointedReader for continuing to bang the drum and keeping the orchestra in harmony.

Musings on The Salt Path controversy by a lady who helped get RW invited to The Jersey Literary Festival to talk about TSP

A Personal Reflection on the Raynor Winn Revelations | by Jennifer Bridge | Medium

Good article- what a shame it’s all been.

Ooh, I like the idea of us being the Greenham Common of literary criticism!

I am here,, tablet and sloe gin intact, taking up two seats on the charabanc (because headless Simon needs his own seat, obviously, I'm not sitting on the lap of the Poet Laurete), gazing out of the window at the wavey waves crashing wavily.

Hello all! Checking in (and reunited with my old username) for some more TSP fun and games.

Agreed!

Hwaet! Cheers @DisappointedReader and hi all. I'm having my Holter monitor fitted today so not even attempting any more of TSP (That Stupid Publication) until it's off. It might explode.

As thoughts have autumnally turned to sloe gin, may I recommend Lidl's own brand Hortus. I've tried many of the artisan spendy types and this one is pretty good.

I'm up the back, got my socks on ready for the off, thank you @DisappointedReader for making sure the charabanc was fired up, the old gal is still going strong, if the weather gets rough, @TonstantWeader can release the catch and pull the canvas rain cover over us all.

This is beyond ridiculous now. These are just chat threads.

Welcome back aboard everyone. Don't be afeared to click on the photo in the OP by the way. I labelled it sensitive just to avoid us all having to see the same one every time we opened the thread. It's nothing to scare the horses too much.

I do think that pieces like this show how an extra layer of anger has been added by all those who feel that they were actively fooled. It's one thing to find out that a book you read wasn't quite 'as advertised', but when you bought into the ethos and message of that book and subsequently found it to be fake - then it's not just the message that is tainted, it's the messenger too.

And people don't like being made a fool of.

I've just popped in to see what everyone is still chatting about.
I love it when chats just take on a life of their own. If you don't love it, why hang around just to disapprove?

The reading public, as well as the media, have been emotionally manipulated and scammed. Some are still reluctant to accept the truth but the facts seem to speak for themselves.

And that is just one reason why threads (or are they 'chats'?) like this are so important. Someone might be coming fresh to the debate and not really know what all the controversy is about. So they look it up - and find threads like this that go deep into details about just HOW we were manipulated.

We might still be opening some eyes.

So we have covered at great length many issues through these threads (chats) I have been impressed at the knowledge that other posters (chatterers) have contributed. We have continued to debate (chat about) the issues raised, including articles and new information as it has arrived. I still feel we have more to explore and I'm with you @Vroomfondleswaistcoat this is a multifaceted story that has raised emotions in people, it was the authors intention to manipulate the readers emotions, for them to feel sorry for them, empathy, pity, a sense of injustice. They have received gushing praise through every media and been presented as the epitome of resilience in the face of adversity. Readers who are disappointed can come here.

I’m grateful for everyone who has also set up camp on these paths threads. I’m finding comfort in it. Sadly a lot of Jennifer Bridge’s thoughts resonated with my own, I really identified with what she says there. She obviously feels like an utter fool for working so hard to get the WWs to attend such a prestigious literary festival and what an honour for Sal and Tim. I noticed that Jennifer Bridge uses the phrase “beacon of hope” in her article, which of course Walker uses also in her blistering backlash. It’s quite obvious to me that SW doesn’t care about her readers at all, probably not even the ones who refuse to accept reality or who still find excuses for the “message within”. A message that quite frankly you can find written everywhere in three words: “live, love, laugh”. By refusing to acknowledge the bigger picture: “Steal, lie, deceive”, they just pave the way for others to do the same. It is not okay! Sally Walker does not merit the Christopher Bland prize or any of the other perks or acclaims that she accumulated by using deceit. Even the rebuttal reads like one of her overblown texts, always in character.

Oh my goodness we're still here! Reporting for duty...

They really aren’t. If you’d actually read them, you’d know this. I reckon about 80%of the conversation is still about TSP and its sequels, the CH story, putting together a RL timeline, the film adaptation, various SW and TW press appearances and interviews, the SW ‘brand’, the Gigspanner collaboration, medical ethics and fraud, speculation about whether and in what form OWH will appear, SW’s likely career in future etc.

Yes, there are sidelines about fudge, cardboard Simon Armitages etc.

Personally I think there's nothing wrong with some light chat and mutual support, alongside the serious TSP discussion (which, as has been pointed out, is still taking up most of the conversation), with a group of people who share enough of my values and interests to care about this story. I've learned a huge amount from these threads!