This week in book publishing scandals: O.J., Augusten Burroughs

Lisa Thu, Sep 27, 2007 at 10:08 PM EST

OJ? Well, companies want to make money and if people are requesting it, out goes ethics and what can be right in the world.

Augusten Burroughs - If anyone were to read all his published books, there is certainly a different take on his fiction (Sellevision) and nonfiction. I believe his stories are true. He's never said to the world, like James Frey, that all is true and then recanted what he'd said. AB is a great writer and memoirist. I look forward to his upcoming books for his candor about his life and all things mundane and unusual. His writing allows many to appreciate their own lives and not feel so freakish that there is someone else out there like them.

catt Sat, Sep 1, 2007 at 01:42 AM EST

OJ found not guilty in a court of law, oh wait, he's guilty in civil court (so much for double jeopardy!). OJ's book proceeds will go to his kids. Wait, it won't be published. Wait, yes it will with proceeds to the victims' family. B&N won't sell it. Wait, yes they will, but they won't advertise they sell it... except in saying that they'll sell it without advertising it. (wonder how they'll display it though... )

The almighty dollar wins again. The money won't bring back the dead, but it does a nice job of making them all look sleazy. I won't be buying it, and both books prove you shouldn't believe (or buy) everything you read.

Stephen Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 05:31 PM EST

I'll probably buy O.J.'s book. We just ran out of toilet paper.

Christine Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 05:02 PM EST

I've read and loved the book/memoir. It's genius fiction or not and I'm glad things worked out for everybody. I really don't care whether it's real or not , I just want ot enjoy it. I think this was handled differently from the James Frey case because MOSTLY accurate. I hope Burroghs continues to write fiction even if Sellevison was slightly underwhelming.

vicki Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 02:23 PM EST

B&N as well as every other big box store only cares about money.They'll sell anything under the guise of 'The public wants it'. I have no respect for any of them.

nancy Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 11:16 AM EST

Whenever I read a book like Burroughs I have to wonder how deep a liberty is beign taken. I never believe ALL of it happened as written. I mean, I never tell a story the same way people in my family do - we have different views. Clearly Burroughs was messed up as a boy and young man- read Dry for more insight. But it is an entertaining book (movie stunk) and that is why I read - for entertainment. It was as funny as it was depressing.

OJ - well, I am not buying, borrowing, or bothering with that book - I hope to see it in the B&N clearence bin a year from now - regardless of where the $$ goes, that fool has had his 15 minutes long enough and I will not support any of it.

Dude Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 09:27 AM EST

Frankly, I don't give a hoot whether "Scissors" was true or not, it was a genius novel. I read it a couple weeks ago and laughed my arse off! And that, to me, is all that matters. I will read it again...

GingerCat Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 09:21 AM EST

The whole Augusten Burroughs thing is interesting, because I believe he appeared in the pages of Entertainment Weekly about a year ago, slagging on James Frey. Now here he is in a similar situation.
Not that it matters. I feel the same way about Burroughs' books as I do about Frey's: they were all awesome reading experiences, and no one can take that from me. And I agree with ceej--as a culture we devour tabloids that flat-out lie--and then we get upset about literary memoirs????
The OJ book is trash, and some of you need a civics lesson: Censorship is when the GOVERNMENT bars its citizens from having access to information or entertainment we have a right to. A PRIVATE business has the right to decide what they want to stock and what they don't. It's not censorship not to carry the OJ book. Still, the marketplace will decide whether the book succeeds or fails, and unfortunately it looks like enough Americans want to read this garbage to make it a success.

Craig Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 08:38 AM EST

Scissors seemed almost unbelievable, but he wrote with such candor that I wanted to believe what he was telling me. Regardless, I thought it was a great read. That being said, I thought his account of his struggle with alcoholism in Dry was painfully honest and effective.

Kimberly Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 08:04 AM EST

Hear Hear and Thank you Jason!!

Jason Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 07:54 AM EST

There is a big difference between memoir and autobiography. Get a grip people. His explanation that he remembers things differently then the family is fully valid. Try it sometime. Reminisce with your family or your partner or your friends and see if you get the same story twice. Memoir is art. It is a form of literature. The truth of memoir comes from the emotional honesty, not from the by the numbers facts.

Jason Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 07:30 AM EST

Two things here. First, memoirs are supposed to be impressionistic. They don't have to be PC. A memoirist can say anything s/he wants and they SHOULD NOT be censored for it, because the whole point is that they are telling their side of the story from their point of view.

Second, the whole concept of genre is socially constucted.

Out culture of litigation is killing art. The very idea of a class action lawsuit for reader who thought "Million Little Pieces" was a solid autobiography is ridiculous and for Burroughs to have to amend a completed work to satiate anyone is ridiculous also.

clownie Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 07:26 AM EST

Not stocking the OJ book is tantamount to censorship. If they carry it, but just shelve it and don't feature then at least the book is available.
Ps those of you who think big box bookstores are not in the money making business are just stupid. We are all capitalists and the dollar is god

peach Fri, Aug 31, 2007 at 03:36 AM EST

Memoirs are crap for people who don't have the creative balls to write fiction. Period. I love Augesten but gimme a break!

ceej Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 11:38 PM EST

In a society where any random person can make up lies about a celeb and it be taken as gospel because it's posted on some loser's gossip blog, it's amazing that people get their panties in a bunch when a book might have gotten it's facts wrong.

Dio_K Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 11:32 PM EST

I think I'm going to stay away from memoirs in the future. It's too confusing. It's a shame too because I think Burroughs is a really good writer. (I'm still confused about the settlement.)
And the whole OJ thing is sickening. I think I understand why the Goldman's are doing this, but this book shouldn't exist. The whole concept is corrupt and cowardly. Doesn't he consider his kids when he does things like this?

Nix Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 11:04 PM EST

Nonfiction in general and memoir in particular is debased in current literature. Stick to honest fiction.

Dave Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 09:20 PM EST

I want to buy the book because $$ will go to the victims, not OJ. I've already read it online. It's not good. It's a continuation of OJ's "suicide" note - OJ's version of reality, not actual reality. He professes to black out during the murders; it's not gory.

Betty in SC Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 08:45 PM EST

Scissors was a difficult book to read. It was so jumpy and outrageous at times. The movie was god awful, I couldn't sit through all of it.

The OJ thing, yeah not worth mentioning. Who didn't think B&N would cave? There's money to be made.

Stephen Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 08:14 PM EST

I'm disappointed in Barnes & Noble, for basically selling out. By refusing to stock the book, they were making a bold statement, but in the end, just couldn't resist the dollar, even though it was soaked in two people's blood.

Jenny Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 06:59 PM EST

The current science on memories is that they are completely recreated every time we "remember" something. So the more often you think about something in the past, the more fictional and wrong your account is. The most accurate memories would be retrieved from someone who had amnesia. Thus, all of the people are wrong in this case- there is nobody who correctly, or factually, remembers what happened.

Snarf Thu, Aug 30, 2007 at 06:52 PM EST

Stick with fiction it tends to be far less convoluted both inside the covers and apparently outside as well.