Comments on: A Long Way Gone a Little Bit Off? http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/ Behind the Book Reviews--The Official Blog of Booklist Online Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:07:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Keir http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-103009 Keir Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:17:28 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-103009 Well, you make a good point, JML, but bear in mind that the Australian reporters aren't critics, they're reporters. And they didn't set out to fact-check Beah's book--they stumbled across the errors in reporting another story. And Beah himself says it's all true. I agree with your larger point that the point of Beah's book is sadly getting lost in all of this point-counterpoint. But I don't think there's any shame in a reporter digging for truth--and there wouldn't be any shame in Beah saying he couldn't remember a few things, either. Well, you make a good point, JML, but bear in mind that the Australian reporters aren’t critics, they’re reporters. And they didn’t set out to fact-check Beah’s book–they stumbled across the errors in reporting another story. And Beah himself says it’s all true.

I agree with your larger point that the point of Beah’s book is sadly getting lost in all of this point-counterpoint. But I don’t think there’s any shame in a reporter digging for truth–and there wouldn’t be any shame in Beah saying he couldn’t remember a few things, either.

]]> By: JML http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-102901 JML Tue, 19 Feb 2008 04:30:20 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-102901 I find this whole question absurd. Did these people actually read any of Beah's book? It is about being a young child, brainwashed and strung out on drugs. How can you expect 100% factual accuracy? That's like chastising Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" because according to reports by an Australian newspaper, the people in the casino did not actually transform into giant lizards. How can anyone who claims to enjoy reading make a concerted effort to turn cartographic discrepancies into means for an "investigation"? This is a classic case of establishment critics who know nothing about writing and nothing about subjectivity, knocking on a young writer for no reason. Shame on them. I find this whole question absurd. Did these people actually read any of Beah’s book? It is about being a young child, brainwashed and strung out on drugs. How can you expect 100% factual accuracy? That’s like chastising Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” because according to reports by an Australian newspaper, the people in the casino did not actually transform into giant lizards.

How can anyone who claims to enjoy reading make a concerted effort to turn cartographic discrepancies into means for an “investigation”? This is a classic case of establishment critics who know nothing about writing and nothing about subjectivity, knocking on a young writer for no reason. Shame on them.

]]> By: Book Blog - Likely Stories, by Keir Graff - Booklist Online » Blog Archive » Think Twice before Taking on the Australian Press http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-98870 Book Blog - Likely Stories, by Keir Graff - Booklist Online » Blog Archive » Think Twice before Taking on the Australian Press Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:26:23 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-98870 [...] Those who’ve been following this story on other blogs (this was a link in previous comments) know that Dan Chaon has said that he was “radically misquoted.” Shelley Gare of the The Australian writes that colleague David Nason has sent a transcript of his interview with Chaon to Chaon and asked him to explain how he was misquoted. It will be interesting to see if they publish their transcript–especially interesting if they include the audio. [...] […] Those who’ve been following this story on other blogs (this was a link in previous comments) know that Dan Chaon has said that he was “radically misquoted.” Shelley Gare of the The Australian writes that colleague David Nason has sent a transcript of his interview with Chaon to Chaon and asked him to explain how he was misquoted. It will be interesting to see if they publish their transcript–especially interesting if they include the audio. […]

]]> By: Dominic http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97937 Dominic Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:58:46 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97937 Even if I were inclioned to believe Beah's book, his refuttal in the Australian was a bit too full on for me, and only adds to my feeling that he is having us on. Time for him to sit down and reflect on what he has done by his own hand. Even if I were inclioned to believe Beah’s book, his refuttal in the Australian was a bit too full on for me, and only adds to my feeling that he is having us on. Time for him to sit down and reflect on what he has done by his own hand.

]]> By: Keir http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97786 Keir Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:01:48 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97786 Thanks for the link, T. Chaon's claim that he was misquoted (see, I'm using the journalistic "claim" and "alleged" etc.) certainly adds some, um, clarity? I haven't had time to read much more than the back-and-forth between the Australian reporters, Beah, and FSG, but I think things are likely to get muddier before they get clearer. Of course, given the difficulty of discussing any important issue in a way that everyone would regard as the "truth," I'm now thinking that we should publish journalism in the "memoir" category, too. Just kidding. Thanks for the link, T. Chaon’s claim that he was misquoted (see, I’m using the journalistic “claim” and “alleged” etc.) certainly adds some, um, clarity? I haven’t had time to read much more than the back-and-forth between the Australian reporters, Beah, and FSG, but I think things are likely to get muddier before they get clearer.

Of course, given the difficulty of discussing any important issue in a way that everyone would regard as the “truth,” I’m now thinking that we should publish journalism in the “memoir” category, too. Just kidding.

]]> By: T. Lee http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97692 T. Lee Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:49:48 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97692 I'm following this story very closely, and appreciate your distinction between memoirist and journalist. You may be interested in this: <a href="http://benpeek.livejournal.com/633864.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://benpeek.livejournal.com/633864.html</a>, where Chaon responds to being misquoted in The Australian. I’m following this story very closely, and appreciate your distinction between memoirist and journalist. You may be interested in this: http://benpeek.livejournal.com/633864.html, where Chaon responds to being misquoted in The Australian.

]]> By: Book Blog - Likely Stories, by Keir Graff - Booklist Online » Blog Archive » Ishmael Beah: “my story is all true” http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97350 Book Blog - Likely Stories, by Keir Graff - Booklist Online » Blog Archive » Ishmael Beah: “my story is all true” Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:07:28 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2008/01/22/a-long-way-gone-a-little-bit-off/#comment-97350 [...] « A Long Way Gone a Little Bit Off? [...] […] « A Long Way Gone a Little Bit Off? […]

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