Veteran journalist Gay Talese has made headlines more than once this year, including drawing criticism over a divisive comment at Boston University's Power of Narrative journalism conference in April. Now the author of the upcoming book The Voyeur's Motel, which chronicles the life of Gerald Foos, who purchased a motel in Aurora, Colo. for the express purpose of becoming its resident voyeur, has received scrutiny for its source's lack of credibility.
In a piece for the Washington Post, Paul Farhi investigates the reliability of Talese's book, which was excerpted in the New Yorker earlier this year. Confronted with data that disproved some of what Foos told Talese that the author included in his book, Talese seemingly disavowed the book. “I’m not going to promote this book,” he told the Post. “How dare I promote it when its credibility is down the toilet?”
But according to a statement issued Friday by Grove Atlantic, the Post misinterpreted disapproval as disavowal—an admittedly fine distinction. In a response issued by the publisher, Talese doubled down on his insistence—included in the book—that he clearly laid out Foos's lack of reliability as a narrator.
"When I spoke to the Washington Post reporter, I am sure I was surprised and upset," Talese said in the statement, "...but I was upset and probably said some things I didn't, and don't, mean. Let me be clear: I am not disavowing the book and neither is my publisher. If, down the line, there are details to correct in later editions, we'll do that."
Grove Atlantic's CEO and publisher, Morgan Entrekin, has confirmed that the company will move forward with publishing the book July 12. "The vast majority of the book focuses on Foos['s] early life and the years from 1969 to 1980, which is not at issue in the Washington Post story," he said in a statement. "Grove takes the Post story seriously and will work with Talese to address any questions in future printings.”
