Memoir writing is a risky undertaking. Although Augusten Burroughs’ widely-known memoir “Running with Scissors” was a critical success, even spawning a movie released last year by Sony Pictures, Burroughs’ novel was not without controversy. The Turcotte family, called the Finches in “Scissors,” brought a lawsuit again Burroughs and his publisher, which the family settled today. According to the Boston Globe’s article about the settlement, the suit “…had sought $2 million in damages for defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. It alleged the book is largely fictional and written in a sensational way to increase its market appeal, and demanded a public retraction and an acknowledgment that “Running With Scissors” is a work of fiction.”
As a result of the suit, Burroughs will change the word “memoir” to “book” in his acknowledgments note, and will also mention that the Turcottes “are each fine, decent, and hardworking people.” However, over at Gawker.com they have Burroughs’ statement on the matter, which asserts that the settlement is a “a victory for all memoirists,” as he wasn’t required to alter the text or cover of the book. Burroughs also mentions in the statement that the new acknowledgment will “point out the fact that they [the Turcottes] remember things differently.” Ha. I’m sure they do.
Posted:
Friday, August 31st, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Category: Writers, Books.
