I first ran across this story while listening to Glenn Beck on the local radio. Most of you know that I live in Alaska. I live in Palmer, which is right next door to Wasilla. Until the fall of 2008, I would bet that most of you never heard of Wasilla. In case you’ve been on an extended hiatus from planet Earth, you know that Sarah Palin lives in Wasilla.
Here’s the story in a nutshell:
An author named Joe McGinnis, who in the past has written critically of Sarah Palin, is writing a book about her. Imagine her surprise when she discovered he has rented the house right next door. Unbelievable.
I have so many issues with this I hardly know where to begin.
- First, can you say STALKING? I find it incredibly difficult to believe that in order to research his book he needs to live right next door to Ms. Palin. Given that he has been so critical of her in the past, does anyone believe for an instant that this book is going to be sunshine and daisies? Mr. McGinnis is a disgrace to writers. If he had a moral compass or any sense of ethics he would never have pulled such a short sighted and inane stunt.
- The publisher who has inked a deal with this “writer” is Broadway Books, whose parent company is Random House. They (Broadway)released a statement indicating they believe he will respect the Palin’s privacy. Really? If his ethical standards are so low that he is willing to harass the subject of his book by moving next door, what makes you folks think that he has any intention of respecting her privacy? Random house, you need to step up to the plate, denounce this exceedingly immoral and unethical strategy and demand that McGinnis move or the book deal will be cancelled.
- Investigative reports and tell-all books are done all of the time without the writer stooping so low. It is absolutely unnecessary to disrespect the privacy rights of the book subject.
Let me sum this up:
Joe McGinnis –
SHAME ON YOU
Random House and Broadway Books –
SHAME ON YOU
To the property owner who rented to McGinnis
SHAME ON YOU
Until and unless Random House corrects this situation I will boycott them and any of their subsidiaries. I will research every book purchase, every Kindle download and every book recommendation to ensure I am not supporting this harassing behavior.
I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t ask the readership (many of whom are writers) what they think of this tactic.
I agree completely. This kind of stuff is just silly. The writer claims he’ll respect the Palins’ privacy, but that’s the exact opposite of what he’s doing by simple virtue of where he’s living!
Part of it is Palin. There is an irrational and intense hatred of her by some folks. I mean, go ahead and agree with her politics or disagree, whatever. That’s fine. But there are folks who just HATE her.
(And yes, there are examples of people on the right doing this kind of thing, too. I don’t suggest for a moment that one side is less guilty than another.)
Hi Bob,
Yes, yes! That is my point exactly. Love Sarah or hate her, there is a right way to go about things and this is not it!
George
The article states: “McGinniss is the author of ‘Going to Extremes,’ a classic book about Alaska, and his work-in-progress returns him to the 49th state to examine Sarah Palin’s significance as both a political and cultural phenomenon and as an embodiment of the contradictory forces that shaped Alaska as it moved into its second half-century of statehood.
He does not need to live next door to study her significance as a political and cultural phenomenon–he can read reports of her accomplishments and interview people.
I agree George, this is going to far. Thanks for sharing.
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Hey there, Patti
Thanks for coming by. I can see no reasonable explanation for moving next door except to intimidate. Perhaps he thinks this is cute, but in my mind the only thing he has accomplished is the degradation of his credibility as a writer.
George
I think if no writer or photographer has ever done this before that is because the house next door to the subject wasn’t available for rent.
I’m not familiar with McGinnis’ work. Stalking suggests physical risk to me. If he has accosted Gov. Palin and she feels she is in physical danger she have a restraining order already. I presume she is armed.
I don’t think this is as uncommon as Glen Beck seems to have suggested. I am planning to move to Salem, MA to work on a Hawthorne biography. I expect I will have easier access to resources at the Peabody Essex museum and local libraries than I have from my current home. I will also be able to add authentic details like how long a walk across town would take. Were Hawthorne alive and the house next to his available to rent, I would snatch it up in a heartbeat. I would expect that act woudl help with an advance. Regardless of whether my words would be favorable or not, I believe Hawthorne would have disliked the prospect of having his unauthorized biographer living next door.
Again, I am not familiar with McGinnis at all. I don’t know if he has assaulted his subject in the past. That would certainly be an outrage.
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Hi Tammi,
I think that he obviously has a slant to his book (based on previous works).
Moving next door to his subject is nothing more than a stunt and a means of intimidating Ms. Palin. Even if he was going to write a glowing book about her, this takes things too far. He can accomplish his goal without peering over his fence at the Palin’s all summer.
I believe he is wrong in his tactics.
George
Bad decision.
By living next door to her, the author guarantees that no one will take the book seriously. It could be the greatest critical examination of Palin’s politics in the world and people would still see it as an exercise in ax-grinding.
You know that every review will mention the living arrangements. That’s going to be the story, not the actual content of the book, the quality of the writing, etc.
It’s overkill and it will cheapen the final product in the eyes of many.
And I say that as someone who doesn’t care for Palin’s politics one damn bit.
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Hi Carson.
Thanks for stopping by. You are right on the money with this. It cheapens the product and the writer has destroyed his credibility for his 15 minutes.
George
Ugh, I can’t imagine it from Palin’s perspective…I don’t know about her, but it would drive me batty to have a journalist/writer living next door! Will he go through her garbage and watch her every move? I guess that’s the price people pay for celebrity…..no privacy, no anonymity.
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Hey Laurie,
Yeah, yuk. And, I understand they “met” him because they saw him peeking over the fence. Creepy.
George
Agree with your perspective unequivocably. We love Palmer – those are some mighty big vegetables y’all grow there in the Mat-Su Valley. We were fascinated by the story of how your town was settled. Awesome place. Can’t wait to visit Alaska again.
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Thanks Betsy.
It’s good to see you here. I love Palmer as well – especially this time of year on days like this!
George
Gosh, if I knew some writer had moved next door to me just to write a book about me…this would just give me the creeps. Down right rude and disrespectful, and no point even writing the darn thing because no one will want to buy it! It’s a kiss of death to his writing career.
Carrie
All political views aside, that is just creepy. Imagine knowing that your next door neighbor is documenting everything – including you going to the mailbox in your pjs, or taking out the trash without combing your hair – to put it all into a book, probably to make you sound awful. Yikes.
I see court appearances in the works. I see restraining orders and court injunctions in the very near future. And I’ll be that’s what Random House is banking on – the publicity that civil suits and media attention will draw.
How sad and utterly sickening the lengths some will go to in order to write and sell a book. Makes me almost want to hang my head in shame when I say I’m a writer.
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Come on, how bad does Random House want to sell books???????
This is not reasonable for them to back this kind of practice.
I wonder how the President of Random house would like somebody keeping him under 24/7 surveillance.
Certainly a publisher that has lowered their standard that radicaly can not possibly have a single book worth reading.!!!
Who was that famous oft-accused “stalker” from Fox news? None other than Bill O’Reilly!
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/05/palins-fence.html
I’m hardly surprised that Sarah Palin has had a conniption over someone threatening to commit journalism in her vicinity. She has kept it at bay for so long. But whining about her next door neighbor is a little convenient after all these years:
The home Joe McGinniss is renting used to be an Oxford House from 2005 until 2008. The tenants were men recently released from prison who were recovering addicts. What? No fence to protect sexy Sarah in her tank top? Dear God! Who was lurking in that house watching her children play?
The Palins themselves rented the home McGinnis is staying in for six months in 2009, but weren’t interested in purchasing it. They didn’t want to spend the money. Last October they were “done with the house”.
George,
I agree with you completely. I can’t believe an author and a publisher would stoop this low.
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As much as I dislike the woman, there’s a point at which someone definitely crosses the line, as you’ve stated. I hate that this guy has made me find common ground with her; it’s definitely a punk move.
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Holy cow!
Um, I actually hadn’t heard about this (as you know, George, I’m crazy busy on the Amish farm) but this is just RIDICULOUS!!!
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I can’t believe anyone would stoop to such a level. Being stalked is NOT fun (I’ve experienced it – it’s horrific)!!!!
Note that my stalker nightmare isn’t because of being famous or anything (hehe) but it’s awful and I can’t imagine how Sarah Palin and her family must fee.
Yes, SHAME ON THEM ALL!!!!!
I step up in boycotting as well.
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Hi Michele,
Thanks for coming by and giving your take on this. It still kinda upsets me that a writer would be so bold an obtrusive. All I know is that there has to be karma in this world and he will be on the receiving end one day.
George
I DO believe in karma – and I’d hate to be in his shoes for sure!
Yeah, besides just the overall stalker part, it’s sad that a writer would feel they had to go that far.
*sigh*
Thanks for sharing your heart with us, George!
Michele´s last [type] ..Organic Garden Update + Aurorae Yoga Giveaway Reminder!
Come on, how bad does Random House want to sell books???????
This is not reasonable for them to back this kind of practice.
I wonder how the President of Random house would like somebody keeping him under 24/7 surveillance.
Certainly a publisher that has lowered their standard that radicaly can not possibly have a single book worth reading.!!!
While not illegal, it certainly was not an example of taking the high ground. It is akin to having paparazzi move in next door, invasive and definitely over the line.
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