I am writing in regard to the novel, “You Deserve Nothing,” recently publish by Tonga at your selection. I’m sure you already know everything I’m going to say, but I could not in good conscience let it go unsaid. I was a student in the author’s senior AP English class at the American School of Paris, 2005-2006, as well as a close friend of the girl he had an affair with during that time. I wonder if you had done much research into the author’s past or his time at the American School of Paris (ASP). I would like to think that you may not have published this manuscript as a novel had you known it was strictly true.

It’s not a bad book, I read it in one 5 hour sitting; but then again I had the advantage of already knowing the entire story. Within the author’s retelling of my senior year of high school every plot point of significance was lifted directly from reality. The characters can all be generally identified as real teachers and students, all the major events are true, and the chronology is accurate.

Everyone from ASP has been talking non-stop about this book from the first press-release on. Rumors and speculation have been making the rounds, and now that we all have read it, there is more gossip still. This book stirred up a lot of unnecessary and unwanted memories for everyone, especially for the young woman in question. I happen to know that she has received emails from former teachers inquiring how she “feels” about the book. I am simply bringing this up as evidence that I am by no means the only one who acknowledges the extreme similarities between the book and reality. And because of the lack of disguise, there is speculation about what is factual and what is fiction. Of course there are things that were invented, but those readers, who were not as close to the events and cannot distinguish, are likely mis-attributing actions and dialogue. Because of the sensitive nature of the events, it seems wrong to bring them up again like this, without the author clarifying his intentions.

Ironic, that the main theme of the book is bravery vs. cowardice, and yet the brave thing to do would have been to publish it as a memoir, or at least based on a true story; for the author to put himself out there and really confront the repercussions of his actions. Lucky for him, he wasn’t fired from the school, simply asked to resign, which I will attribute to the cowardice of the school board and their aversion to negative publicity. From what I understand the incident never went on his record.

Let me be clear, I am not moralizing about the events portrayed in the book. I am questioning the ethics of labeling this book as a novel when I think you will find many, many people who can verify almost every occurrence and character. There can be no doubt that the author wrote this in part to process the events and his role in them. The writing and even the publishing of this book is not so much what concerns me. Call it what it is, some type of non-fiction. I am quite a fan of yours and that’s part of the reason I was surprised that you would have been involved in this project if you knew what I’ve relayed. Despite being two completely different situations, the fact that you bravely wrote a memoir about your experience and this author chose to shield himself with a work of fiction pretty much sums up my point. This book could have been a more authentic and demanding experience for the reader and more cathartic for the author had he followed your lead by writing a memoir or at least a “based on a true story”.

With fiction, the author has freed himself to explore character’s voices and thoughts that he would not otherwise be able to had he written a memoir. I understand that this is what makes the book so appealing and intriguing. Considering that his characters are primarily real people, we can safely say that he has put words in their mouths and even distorted those things they actually did say. All of us from ASP are painfully aware that this is not fiction and that the young woman is having this period of her life put under a microscope again, as if it wasn’t bad enough the first time around.

I hope I have made some points that you will take into consideration when working with this author in the future. I have tried to keep my own feelings about the events out of this letter, although I’m sure you can guess them. But I sincerely believe that this was the wrong way to go about things and I hope you can see our side…those of us for whom this wasn’t a novel.

Regards,
Siobhan Steen

But of course it really is about the river, it is the true protagonist in this down home telling. The flesh and blood girl Margo takes second billing. I was not convinced that Margo was natural born in the rural Michigan environs, she is super-imposed and quite doesn’t blend in. Author Bonnie Jo Campbell is a puppeteer quite dropping the girl into each encounter and so we are left with an inauthentic series of forced adventures.

Rather bold, in the right hands, is the Annie Oakley idolization by Margo, but as the girl is a bit slow, I don’t see her drawing much from the biography and so we are decidedly beat over the head with the volume and it becomes a running joke. In the end, it is hard for a character to compete with the audacious breadth of nature. If you want a man larger than nature tale, read “Deliverance.” *

* As I have stated in past reviews, I don’t recommend any works completed since the beginning of time. I mention “Deliverance” only as a better man/nature novel, but it is inherently flawed.

Chris Roberts, God of Brad Listi’s Mother

In the meantime, right on, Ben.

Also, it seems very cool that so many of these books are on the shelf (and floor) near my bed.

Yes. This is just.

Thanks TNB for fighting the good fight for good books and reads and writing…

And thank you, TNBrad, for making an annual book award that says something to me about my life.