Lies in biographies
Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:05 pmDuring the time that Paul Schatzkin was publishing his “Defying Gravity” draft chapters on-line I enthusiastically talked about this unusual project to a friend. He started reading the chapters and he followed the forum discussions that ensued.
However, having read Chapter 31, "Intrepid," which stated that Sir William Stephenson's "most daring mission during the war was his pursuit and eventual downing of Lothar von Ricthtofen", he sent me a short email:
Now my friend is an acknowledged aviation expert in his particular field and he’s the author of a number of painstakingly researched aviation reference books, so I knew he would not have written that without being absolutely sure of his facts. Nevertheless, I did my own research and satisfied myself that he was absolutely correct. [1]
Although William Stephenson and Lothar von Ricthtofen were both World War 1 fighter ‘aces’ on opposing sides during WW1, there is not one credible account of these two ‘aces’ engaging in aerial combat against each other.
Indeed the only incredible account (excluding its retelling) appears in the somewhat discredited book, "A Man Called Intrepid," by William Stevenson (no relation), and as my friend said, it’s “bunkum”.
Unfortunately it was this entirely fictitious story - which presumably was intended to ‘puff up’ Sir William Stephenson’s accomplishments - that Paul Schatzkin unwittingly chose to excerpt and paraphrase in his first draft of “Defying Gravity”. The deceit therefore was not Paul Schatzkin’s, for he had, understandably I think, trusted the word of the man who wrote the biography, "A Man Called Intrepid."
And Mr. Schatzkin is not alone in unwittingly perpetuating this lie. Yesterday I discovered that Ben Macintyre has written: “William Stephenson… shot down Lothar von Ricthtofen” in his biography of Ian Fleming, “For your eyes only”.
That deliberate lie has not enhanced the reputation of Sir William Stephenson at all, but it has damaged the reputation of its author, William Stevenson, and it has tainted his book.
As a consequence of all this my friend lost all interest in Thomas Townsend Brown and “Defying Gravity”, and I shall never read my copy of "A Man Called Intrepid."
As my friend said, once you know some of it is bunkum “It kind of destroys your faith in the rest.”
Geoff
[1] See for example this book, diligently researched from official records:
“Who Downed the Aces in WW1? Facts, Figures, and Photos on the Fate of Over 300 Top Pilots Flying Over the Western Front” by Norman Franks.
(For clarity, I do not know Norman Franks)
However, having read Chapter 31, "Intrepid," which stated that Sir William Stephenson's "most daring mission during the war was his pursuit and eventual downing of Lothar von Ricthtofen", he sent me a short email:
“I got as far as the bit about Stephenson - sure he was a WW1 'ace' but the bit about Lothar von R is bunkum - on a number of counts. It kind of destroys your faith in the rest.”
Now my friend is an acknowledged aviation expert in his particular field and he’s the author of a number of painstakingly researched aviation reference books, so I knew he would not have written that without being absolutely sure of his facts. Nevertheless, I did my own research and satisfied myself that he was absolutely correct. [1]
Although William Stephenson and Lothar von Ricthtofen were both World War 1 fighter ‘aces’ on opposing sides during WW1, there is not one credible account of these two ‘aces’ engaging in aerial combat against each other.
Indeed the only incredible account (excluding its retelling) appears in the somewhat discredited book, "A Man Called Intrepid," by William Stevenson (no relation), and as my friend said, it’s “bunkum”.
Unfortunately it was this entirely fictitious story - which presumably was intended to ‘puff up’ Sir William Stephenson’s accomplishments - that Paul Schatzkin unwittingly chose to excerpt and paraphrase in his first draft of “Defying Gravity”. The deceit therefore was not Paul Schatzkin’s, for he had, understandably I think, trusted the word of the man who wrote the biography, "A Man Called Intrepid."
And Mr. Schatzkin is not alone in unwittingly perpetuating this lie. Yesterday I discovered that Ben Macintyre has written: “William Stephenson… shot down Lothar von Ricthtofen” in his biography of Ian Fleming, “For your eyes only”.
That deliberate lie has not enhanced the reputation of Sir William Stephenson at all, but it has damaged the reputation of its author, William Stevenson, and it has tainted his book.
As a consequence of all this my friend lost all interest in Thomas Townsend Brown and “Defying Gravity”, and I shall never read my copy of "A Man Called Intrepid."
As my friend said, once you know some of it is bunkum “It kind of destroys your faith in the rest.”
Geoff
[1] See for example this book, diligently researched from official records:
“Who Downed the Aces in WW1? Facts, Figures, and Photos on the Fate of Over 300 Top Pilots Flying Over the Western Front” by Norman Franks.
(For clarity, I do not know Norman Franks)
The book has doubled in its sales from the last report and Paul has done absolutely nothing to promote it. Gee..... I wonder which terribly wicked person is responsible for keeping the name of Townsend Brown out there?....I am the BANE of poor defenseless Pauls existence! I gave him the opportunity to write a really wonderful piece of work....and HE DID IT...