Posted on 01/27/2006 2:55:59 AM PST by advance_copy
Former Chapel Hill author Nasdijj won national acclaim writing memoirs about his brutal childhood as a Navajo Indian in the Southwest and as a father to two adopted sons who died of AIDS and fetal alcohol syndrome. In truth, he was Timothy P. Barrus, a man of Scandinavian descent who grew up in a solidly middle-class neighborhood of Lansing, Mich., and had a career writing gay pornography, according to public records and several people who know Barrus.
The likelihood that Barrus had fabricated his past -- and parlayed the fiction into three successful nonfiction books -- was first raised Wednesday in a lengthy article in a Los Angeles newspaper that outlined similarities between Barrus and Nasdijj.
On Thursday, The News & Observer was able to confirm that they are the same person. The paper had a Social Security number for Nasdijj because it had paid him for free-lance work. A check of the database of public records collected by Accurint, a private company, matched Barrus to the Social Security number. And an Esquire editor said the magazine had made out a check to "Tim Nasdijj Barrus" for the 1999 article that was the author's breakthrough piece.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsobserver.com ...
Who runs that project, I wonder?
Probably just another way to get government grant money.
Doesn't anybody check anything out?
Same with Ward Churchill. The entire literary and academic world seems to have suddenly lost all research skills.
It's easier to find a publisher for non-fiction than it is to get a novel published. The other writer, Frey, busted on Oprah.
I wonder how many other authors are selling novels as non-fiction?
I'm just wondering if there is a class action lawsuit in any of these.
You really aren't getting what you paid for if the non-fiction book you are reading isn't true.
I would want my money back.
Actually, they'll both probably now wrie new memoirs about faking their last memoirs -- and how it's all society's fault (and they'll probably make serious $ doing it).
We get a number of these hippy, wannabe Indians at the local reserve. They hang around the reserve looking for Indian wisdom and smoke their "peace pipes."
The local Anishinabe tolerate them as a source of amusement and give the wannabe hippys "Indian" names like "Windigo." Annointing these hippys with a name really thrills them and they think they're now accepted. Windigo, by the way, is the name of a forest demon who ambushes wayward travelers and eats their flesh. After the people are done amusing themselves, the hippy is sent west for further "Indian" training.
Wonder if this guy is one of our local graduates.
Matches up with this photo of him here with the star over his crotch
http://www.laweekly.com/index.php?option=com_lawcontent&&task=view&&id=12468&&Itemid=47
Yes, but an even closer match to the shot of him in the woods-- looks like the same dog, too. The "star crotch" looks older and is a closer shot. The newer shots are longer range, to obscure/avoid recognition, maybe?
They both received a lot of free publicity. Their next books will be instant best sellers.
Frey wasn't busted by Oprah. He was busted by The Smoking Gun. Oprah continued to defend Frey, even calling into Larry King while Frey was on to support him.
Oprah continued to defend Frey, even calling into Larry King while Frey was on to support him.
I'll be damned if I know why, but it's amazing how often they pull this stupid routine.
Rush used almost these exact words during his broadcast today. So, either you are Rush Limbaugh or he lifted your words.
OH, for heaven's sake! I thought he was an outstanding writer.
Cool!
No, i'm not Rush... But am pleased that he might have found my little quip worthwhile.
Well, he’s got the rig skill set to be a Democrat Party Chairman.
Well, he’s got the right skill set to be a Democrat Party Chairman.
Wannabi /Wannabe tribal credentials.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.