Julie Myerson - why am I not surprised that a book has materialised concerning her own son's drug issues?

[glasjam]

Read this is in today's Observer www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/01/julie-myerson-novel-drug-addiction

Does anyone else have the uncomfortable feeling that I have on learning that she is writing about her son's drug problems? I know that writers often mine their own personal experiences for material but I think she's putting her literary endeavours ahead of her son here. From what I can gather, he is still young, his drug issues are ongoing, and although he is out of the family home, surely this is risking any possible future reconcilliation? I also baulk at the way she "weaves historical research about Yelloly with her disturbing account of her son's ejection from the family home" It just smacks of middle-class-writer angst.

My cynicism is further fuelled by my very strong suspicion that Julie Myerson is the author of Living with Teenagers - but that's another story...

Or sharpen your pencil?

Would you wind it's tail to make it work like the ones you used to get on teachers' tables?

yes THAT sort of gross

Gah. Want to defend myself against dittany's misrep of what I said or implied but I see convo has moved on, and can't be bothered now.

I haven't read the thread - have just come back to mn after some time away

I did know Julie in my past, she worked for a publishers as the publicity manager, I believe that she would have known what she was doing in writing and pubishing this book.

I personally feel that to subject all her children during their teens/early twenties is incredibly thoughtless. Surely she could have written the book and published it once Jake had 'got over' his addiction.

In my experience she is very much of the current thinking of letting your children dictate as opposed to our childhoods of being dictated to. I am not entirely sure as to who is right, I go for my childhood myself - I'll let you know once my kids are mid twenties

welcome home.

Has anyone actually watched the Newsnight i/v with her and can give me an executive summary. I need to know, but don't think i have the mental strength to sit through it myself. Or do I need to?

[I'm still laughing about the Guardian talkboard comment that some one posted on the other thread, about Jonathan being too much of a teary wuss to even his his own child...]

...I feel like an arsonist hanging around while the fire brigade turn up - lurking in the shadows. Is it dying down yet??

Thanks Aitch - I didn't flounce but I have decided not to be such an addict, it's a bit like me giving up smoking, it took me a few attempts but in the end, 9 years later I am a non smoker, soon I shall be a non mnetter

why? do you have anything inflammatory to add?

thready, i think the conversation is back on julie now. do you think dittany misrepresented your misrepresentation?

hey Jen would you like some skunk instead?

Some bloke on the guardian talkboards sold it to me very cheap

NO, jemenfous, don't light that cigarette!!

Executive summary:

Long preamble setting out The Story So Far with moody shots of A N Actor rolling joints in a dimly lit bedroom and hushed voices reading out sections of book/interviews/articles.

Cut to Paxo, not sure whether he should be in Rottweiler politician mode, or Richard and Judy family counsellor mode.

Paxo: Was it right to write this book?

Myerson: Well but no but yeah but if I could just make this one point no-one in your film has actually read the book.

Paxo: Well I have. Was it right to write this book?

Myerson: Yeah but no but if you could just let me make this one point it's terribly important to me, it was the skunk you see.

Paxo [channelling inner Rottweiler]: Was it right to write this book?

Myerson: Many people have told me this is the story of their next-door neighbour's son.

Paxo [inner rottweiler snarling at leash]: Was it right... [producer whispers in earpiece to remind him that this is a traumatised mother not Gordon on a bad day] I see, how sad for you, oh well, we're out of time.

what was the happy ending? her husband says she's done it to help others. Physician, heal thyself and all that.

rofffffffffffle @theyoungvisiter

arf, and thankyou. Do you think she fancies a MN online chat any time soon?

lol. daisy ashford you have an ear for dialogue. quite sumpshous.

what an excellent précis the young visitor i LIKE it!

you're welcome.

Now in return if someone could summarise episode 3 of Mad Men in the same vein I would be most grateful

Ugh.
Hey, I fancy my seceratary!

I have house in happening suburb!

My colleague is a bit mad!

was sartre right? is hell really other people?

Damn, those pointy sweaters are distracting!

Oh no! has the American dream all gone wrong?

It isn't just her own child she's exposed here, either. She's written about her son, when 17, getting his 16 year old girlfriend pregnant and her having an abortion. That's completely disgraceful too, given how identifiable she'll be, and how personal a choice that is.

I thought that too about the girlfriend. By far the worst thing of all this.