Quote:
Originally Posted by desertgrandma
Seabound, "interviewing them twice over the years" is not what I meant by research.
Any book written as non fiction demands to be verified, does it not?
This quote, by the publishers
Even after such fabrications as James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces," another Winfrey favorite, publishers have said that with more than 100,000 books coming out each year, fact-checking is too time-consuming and too expensive.
is shameful. But, encouraging others to buy the book, without checking it out herself, is as bad.
If you are going to sell a book, you must take responsibility for the contents.
I know I just lost a lot of faith in so called "non-fiction".
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It took "scholars"--whatever those meant in this case--to expose the hoax, and the story was out there for anyone to "investigate." It's the kind of story that people want to believe.
Also, the publishing industry is in the business of publishing books. The "Pride and Prejudice" and other fiasco notwithstanding, they would have tools, experience, and know tricks of the trade that Oprah would not. For every hoax writer that Oprah inadvertently supported (eh, two?), there are probably other honest and deserving people, not only authors, who benefited from her support.