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I was once on a panel that gave a prestigious award to Julie Myerson for her first novel, Sleepwalking, an elegantly overwrought account of an abused woman who begins a passionate affair.
Myerson has said there are autobiographical elements to it, but if so they were properly obfuscated by the routine devices of fiction.
She since seems to have forgotten that all good fiction is a form of psychic autobiography: there's no need to give such revelations the seeming authority of fact, when fiction speaks with greater authenticity.
In the intervening decade and a half, Myerson has carved herself a literary career using the actualité of her own life for copy. This writerly cannibalism has now reached a grim apotheosis, with the author herself pre-puffing her latest book, The Lost Child, with revelations of how she and her husband exiled their eldest child from the family home because of his addiction to marijuana.
Jake Myerson yesterday gave his side of the story, telling this newspaper that his mother was “mad”, and that both his parents were gripped by a US-style “War on Drugs” hysteria that made them conflate ordinary teenage puffing with reefer madness. I don't want to get into the he-said, she-said of the Myerson family's meltdown, although I do think it significant that Jake Myerson has a job and is perfectly articulate, rather than some mumbling stoner. What I find utterly mad about his mother's behaviour is that she's decided to cash in on this tale so egregiously.
Julie Myerson says that “it's the most traumatic thing that's ever happened to us”. Why, therefore, broadcast it to the world, which can only provoke more schism in a family where the eldest child hasn't even talked to his parents for a year? Ah, says she, that's because I want to help other parents who are similarly affected.
This could even be dubbed “the therapeutic defence”, rolled out by every self-seeking maker of a public confession who crawls on to daytime TV. The only difference with Myerson is that she has some middlebrow cachet.
I always tell people who seek my advice about such antics the same thing: don't expect the reading public to provide you with psychotherapy. But what makes Myerson's behaviour so much worse is that she's perpetuating the abuse of a young man that began when she and her husband exiled him from their lives — and doing it in public.
Yes, drug addiction is a dreadful thing. And yes, so-called “tough love” can be the best way to deal with addicts who won't stop using — but such confrontations should be handled in private, while giving the addict an alternative, preferably treatment.
We don't know if the Myersons gave Jake this option — but somehow I doubt it. If they had, and Jake had accepted, and the entire family had been interviewed by a good professional addiction counsellor, I suspect it would've been Jake who'd driven away again, leaving his mother behind for some serious treatment.
• To the London School of Economics in Lincoln's Inn to appear at its new literary festival — honestly, if things keep on like this you won't be able to go to the corner shop without tripping over a lit fest.
Still, the LSE one was an amiable affair, and I was able to both read a scene from my latest book that actually takes place within yards of where we were, and to speak of my childhood, when my father — who taught at the school — had his office around the corner in Portugal Street.
None of this profound localism seemed to make much impact on the audience. It could be that like many young people they had no real interest in place — or, alternatively, so inured were they to the whole lit fest go-round, that they thought they were in Hay, or Edinburgh, or possibly Dubai — all of which host similar worthy endeavours.
• It seems that an ex-Thames Valley copper is making a mint by providing mandatory “speed awareness” courses to drivers nicked for going over the limit. Speaking as someone currently awaiting a sentence for speeding — 37mph on Kennington Lane, since you ask — I hope I get the opportunity to contribute to this chap's pension rather than the Exchequer.
Allegedly only three per cent of his graduates re-offend, whereas in my life I've been nicked for being a boy racer, a man racer and now that most inglorious of things, a middle-aged man racer. I could've saved hundreds of pounds over the decades if only I'd attended a “speed awareness” course when I was 20.
But why stop there: why not give everyone who takes their test a mandatory course? Who could possibly object, save for the car manufacturers, the people who make speed cameras, traffic police and Jeremy Clarkson?
The dreaming spires point to accountancy
In all the brouhaha surrounding the stripping of Corpus Christi's University Challenge title one dismal fact seems to have been overlooked. The villain of the piece, Sam Kay, whose failure to 'fess up to no longer being a student resulted in his team's disgrace, was employed as a trainee accountant while leaning on the buzzer.
Meanwhile, the team's captain, pulchritudinous classicist Gail Trimble, has announced her own forthcoming marriage — to a trainee accountant.
What is it with all this accountancy? In my day Corpus graduates went on to write erudite critiques of the Metaphysical poets, not tot up sums, let alone become affianced to such totters. I can't help feeling that it's this dull worship of Mammon that these striplings should be punished for, rather than their trifling perfidy.
Reader views (12)
Not the first time Julie has done this. She has previously written a book about her "abusive" late father, who by all accounts was a very pleasant man. Methinks this is a lady who will write sbout anything for money and attention.
- Anon, London
--Have you read Myerson's book Will? Like the bit where she actually sat and went through publishing it with her son and he gave it his blessing--
To be fair he never claimed he was reviewing the book, i took his opinion to be on its general nature. That said im unsure why getting the boys permission is somehow evidence of sound judgement. Frankly the shock everyone feels is with the fact a mother would resort to this at all; i would never think of putting into the public sphere any such issue related to my children irrespective of the fact they agreed to it because im more than aware that at the age of 20 (or even younger depending on when it was written or apparently agreed upon) they'd have no idea of the impact such a book would have on the rest of their hopefully long life.
If the boy was or is so wayward and lacking in judgement the fact 'his permission was sought' is about the most nonsensical argument in justfying publication as you can get. On the other hand if he is/was rational and sensible enough to agree to publication the entire premise of the book becomes undermined.
The mistakes of a teenager are understandable the motivations of parents publisising those mistakes less so.
- Surinder Kaur, Birmingham
Have you read Myerson's book Will? Like the bit where she actually sat and went through publishing it with her son and he gave it his blessing, even providing poems to be published next to her own discussion on him? I can understand your angle, but I wonder too what his motives are.
- Rabidreader, Brighton
Must be the first time I've ever agreed with Will Self. Myerson's behaviour a gross betrayal of her son, who was only 17 by her account. Psychotherapy or a clinic a much better route - the last thing she should have done is exploit a vulnerable child.
- Anna, London, UK
I agree with Will Self, who surely has no need to be "envious" of Julie Myerson. I feel really sorry for the son, who is first thrown out of home and then has his mother talk so publicly about his problems.
How beautiful to see the dedication of so many other parents of, for instance disabled children, who think less of themselves and put their children's happiness first - even though it may be tough at times.
- Lucy, London
There seems to be a general consensus between columnists and readers of all major newspapers that Ms Myerson has shot herself irretrievably in the foot. What an appalling parent: no loyalty, no respect for privacy, no staying power under the usual teen-monster pressure, no real love, no taste, no talent and greedy for fame and money!
What on earth was Mr Myerson doing while his wife was advertising his son's problems to the nation for profit?
- Mj, Edinburgh
Gosh Will! Do I perceive a teeny bit of envy of Julie Myerson's publicity? the sort of publicity which should, in a just world, be heading towards Will Self? Jake Myerson describes himself as 'working in the music industry' How does that translate? making coffee?
- Dectora, London UK
Totally agree about Julie Myerson - what a great reflection on her - Not!
Re Sam Kay's behaviour - surely cheating/fraud is what every trainee accountant needs to be trained in going by the mess of today's financial organisations.
- Jc, se1
got to the word 'obfuscated' - and gave up
- Ross, London
Julie Myerson has often struck me as being slightly out of touch with reality. I remember seeing her on Newsnight review lamenting that the (terrifying) film 'Hotel Rwanda' wasn't as scary or bloody as a good horror film ought to be, apparently oblivious to the fact the film was about something that really happened.
- Tam, London
I totally agree with Will Self - Julie Myerson's decision to write a book about her son's perceived drug addiction was the most destructive thing a parent could ever do to a child. Equally her argument that other parents in a similar situation would find a book such as hers helpful is laughable. Our family was in a similar situation 5 years ago, and we dealt with the problems by getting help from professionals (which took a lot of doing) and giving our child as much love and support during the recovery process as we could. The idea that at 17 we would throw her out and change the locks is incomprehensible and abhorrent, and if I had had Julie's book to read at that time, it would only have served to illustrate just what cruel and unempathetic parents there are in this world, and how glad we were not to be among them.
- Emily, London
I totally agree with the comments regarding Julie Myerson and her son. I'm sure most of us have done things that we would not wish our parents to broadcast. This is just a cheap way to flog a book at her son's expense.
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts
