Euna Lee Gets Book Deal
In a statement on Thursday, Broadway Books said that Ms. Lee’s memoir, called “The World Is Bigger Now: A Memoir of Faith, Family and Freedom,” would detail “her 140 days of imprisonment, her ongoing interrogation and her efforts to protect her sources and the subjects of her reporting,” as well as the importance of her religious faith during this time. A publication date has not been announced. Ms. Ling is presently pitching her own book with her sister, the journalist Lisa Ling. [N.Y. Times]
Interesting that they’re pursuing their deals separately.
Like I said, I wonder if it’s because Lee needs the money?
While we’re sort of on the subject, what’s your take on kushibo’s recent criticism of Lisa Ling here?
Why is it interesting?
It’s only interesting to me in that it revealed the money-grubbing opportunism of the Ling sisters. Really, what does Lisa Ling bring to the table that compels Laura to ditch her co-prisoner and write a book?
Frankly, I think Laura Ling may have miscalculated by allowing Euna Lee to be shoved aside, for now Euna Lee has opportunity and motive to reveal whose stupogance was the greatest among Euna Lee, Laura Ling, and Mitch Koss. I’m guessing it was not Euna Lee.
Come to think of it, depending on the content, I think I could get behind a Euna Lee book. So I renew my request: Euna Lee, call me; I would seriously love to help you with your book.
Humberto Leal, a Mexican national, was executed in Texas without having been informed of his right to consular access. That imperils Americans imprisoned abroad. Here’s Euna Lee’s comment at the CapTimes.
I am glad Glans posted here. It gave me the chance to reread some of the year and a half old speculation on why two book deals, and whose “stupogance” led to what happened.
The stories are essentially different. Ling and Lee were only together 6 days, after that, the stories go in different directions. The Lings’ book has all of the details about the efforts to get the two home. Lee’s book talks extensively about her Christian faith during her time of trouble.
In Euna’s book, she says it was her desire to go to the river abd she was the one who suggested it. Euna was in charge of all the research and getting the contacts set up for the trip. This documentary was her chance to get out of the editing room, and it wasn’t going well that night. The other two were not in favor of going. Finally the guide suggested to Euna that the two of them should go by themselves to the middle of the river. Euna agreed. Mitch was totally against it, but finally after much arguing, Laura said she would go too. Enough blame here to go around. Common sense did not win the day.
Bottom line is that Current wanted to tell the story that needs to be told again and again. They put their least experienced person in charge of all the research and arrangements. I’m sure she did the best job she could, but a more experienced might have seen some of the pitfalls that might have been missed
Laura alludes to this in a 2010 interview
What are some precautions new reporters going abroad should know?
You should never go into a situation when you haven’t done the proper research – when you haven’t spoken to people on the ground well before embarking on your story.
http://jrosebud.com/aajavoices/2010/08/06/qa-with-laura-ling-after-north-korea-ordeal-focus-is-on-family/