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Mother sues daughter over 'misery lit' memoir

CarolCarol
edited November 2008 in - Reading
It has finally reached the UK...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5174790.ece

Comments

  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Very sad.
  • Stan2Stan2
    This is sad.
  • LolliLolli
    ditto
  • StirlingStirling
    It is very sad if a Barrister has fictionalised her life, if true she should be de-barred.

    But for one, if this means that publishers will think twice before publishing these books, then I am glad.
  • CarolCarol
    But what if much of it is true?
  • StirlingStirling
    Then the Barrister should be taking legal action against her mother (rather than publishing a book?)
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Exactly my thoughts Carol. How very sad that a relationship sours so much that someone feels the need to publish their account.

    The truth is almost irrelevant. The relationship is broken, whatever happened.
  • CarolCarol
    edited November 2008
    Exactly.
    IF what is alleged in this type of book is true, any parent involved in such a case is hardly going to admit it is true, they will deny it. The 'accused' has to prove it is true.
    And because other such books have been shown to be fictitious or exaggerations, it doesn't mean that every such book is.

    Rapists and Abusers don't carry out crimes in front of independent witnesses- so it will always be a case of one side against the other.
  • StirlingStirling
    Our whole legal system is based on innocent until proven guilty - the Barrister should have known better than write and publish something she couldn't prove.

    How many people suffer worse abuse but never feel the inclination to publish it, but just get on with their lives? I question the motive behind the original book, after all she is already a successful career woman. Why wallow in the past?
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Revenge.
  • CarolCarol
    True, but how many people on the surface seem successful and happy, but inside, or in private are an emotional mess.
  • StirlingStirling
    Slander - and she should know!
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    [quote=Carol]how many people on the surface seem successful and happy, but inside, or in private are an emotional mess.[/quote]

    Too many.

    Anger and revenge are so powerful. They cloud the judgment of many.
  • TessadragonTessadragon
    What good was there ever in writing a 'misery memoir'? I was disgusted to see that in the run up to Christmas, a boxset of misery memoirs has been released.
    What will they advertise that as? "All you need to become a Scrooge."
  • StirlingStirling
    My thoughts exactly Tessadragon!

    She's obviously worked hard to get where she is, now her professional reputation lies in tatters.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Maybe some people enjoy reading them just so they can feel better about their own lives?
  • TessadragonTessadragon
    There's another place for misery memoirs...misery magazines, and diaries. Or the fire.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    Misery memoirs should remain private. Purge those demons, but as Tessadragon says, burn them.
  • StirlingStirling
    Agree!
  • AmandaAmanda
    i hate misery books (fact or fiction).

    It does go to show that you must be careful of facts in your writing and unless you can provide evidence then steer clear. You would have thought a barrister should have known that.
  • VericaVerica
    I believe the barrister wrote her book originally before she was highly qualified, in order to prove her mother and teachers wrong when they always told her she would amount to nothing and that she was worthless. I only read extracts from the book in either the Daily Mail or the Mail on Sunday a long time ago. It rang true at the time, but who knows.
  • StirlingStirling
    Seems foolish more than anything else if that was the motive.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    It seems strange that someone who is part of our legal system chose not use it.

    Writing the book may have helped her, but it sends out the wrong signal to other victims. If a barrister can't find justice, who can?
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