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Assange savages "duplicitous" Canongate
22.09.11 | Graeme Neill and Katie Allen
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has accused Canongate of "old-fashioned opportunism and duplicity" over it publishing of his memoir today (22nd September) without his approval.
Canongate made the shock announcement yesterday (21st September) that it was publishing Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography, despite the author's attempts to have his contract cancelled. Bookshops across the country have begun selling the book today with the likes of Amazon and Waterstone's listing it as in stock.
In a statement released overnight, Assange accused Canongate of acting "in breach of contract, in breach of confidence, in breach of my creative rights and in breach of personal assurances". He said: "The events surrounding its unauthorised publication by Canongate are not about freedom of information—they are about old-fashioned opportunism and duplicity—screwing people over to make a buck."
According to Assange, the book is a "narrative and literary interpretation" of a conversation between him and ghostwriter Andrew O'Hagan. Assange, who achieved public notoriety by becoming the public face of the organisation that leaked diplomatic leaks, said: "The entire book was to be heavily modified, extended and revised, in particular, to take into account the privacy of the individuals mentioned in the book."
Assange claims that in a meeting which took place on 20th May, Canongate publisher Jamie Byng assured him the book would not be published without Assange's consent. Instead, Assange was to write a new version of the book, with an aim to publish it in spring 2012. However, he then claims Byng refused to take any of Assange's calls. The next contact was in early September, when he was informed of the book's publication.
Assange said Canongate was acting "with the knowledge that my financial situation prevents me from undertaking legal action against them". O'Hagan has asked for his name to be removed from the book. Assange concludes hs statement, saying: "Tomorrow, I will have to buy 'my' autobiography in order to learn the extent of the errors and innaccuracies of the content of the book, but the damage is done."
Shireen Peermohamed, a partner in the publishing group at law firm Harbottle and Lewis LLP, said the use of the word "unauthorised" on the cover and the publicity about how Assange did not want to authorise the book would make it "very difficult" for him to argue it was authorised and sue. She said if he felt the contract backed him he could still take action for breach of contract and seek damages.
In a statement released yesterday, Canongate said because Assange has not repaid his advance, the contract stood and it was going ahead with publication. It said: "We believe it explains both the man and his work, underlining his commitment to the truth. Julian always claimed the book was well written; we agree, and this has encouraged us to make the book available to readers."
US publisher Knopf has pulled out of publication. Spokesperson Paul Bogaards told the US blog Publishers Marketplace: "The author did not complete his work on the manuscript or deliver a book to us in accordance with our agreement. We will not be moving forward with our publication."
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WikiLeaks is a truly great internet phenomenon - but frankly, Julian seems like a total pain in the Assange...
Strange they were unable to comment. They were all over Radio 4 this morning. Paraphrasing "Assange stopped co-operating on the book and refused to/couldn't give back the advance. Presumably Byng is giving away this book anyway so none of this will matter.
An honour indeed to be called duplicitous by Assange. Assange has done so much damage and his pious naivety is sicking. Well done Jamie and Canongate!
An ideal title for WBN - unlikely to damage the established booktrade and one for the chattering middle classes.
If Assange had offered to return the money, he'd be entitled to complain. As it is, he effectively proposed to steal the best part of half a million quid from a relatively small company, by taking money forservices he then declined to provide. I'm not sure where he gets off calling anyone else duplicitous, or indeed why he thinks it's Canongate's job to pay his legal fees.
Canongate have clearly taken extensive legal advice on this, as the lawyer's comments about the use of the word 'unauthorised' show. I doubt Assange has a leg to stand on legally, Canongate must have been advised that he wouldn't be able to sue them or they wouldn't have gone ahead.
I wonder what they're doing about royalties though, it doesn't sound like Assange is entitled to anything if a ghostwriter reinterpreted the book, but the original contract must have allowed him a royalty and Canongate claim to be sticking to the original contract. So Assange might end by making money out of the publication, as planned - publicity stunt, perhaps? The Scottish Review of Books this morning pointed out that Assange's moment has passed, so is this just a way of reigniting people's interest?
This smacks of a PR exercise. Over the past 6 months Assange's star has steadily fallen. Canongate no doubt felt that at this point in the publishing timeline interest in him and the book was at an all time low. This autobiography that isn't an autobiography has been the PR coup of the year. Interestingly, last night, the wikileaks twitter feed commented on the book, and then had a link attached. Click on the link and you were taken to the amazon.co.uk webpage for the book.
It's extremely rare for ghostwriters to get any royalties, let alone all of them. SO the lion's share must be going to pay off Assange's advance.
That's a very tempting point of view! As against this, though, Assange does seem to be, ahem, unpredictable (Private Eye have had some very interesting stuff on his erratic behaviour recently), and he did try to pull out of this contract several months ago, I recall it being reported. Plus, it is a good tactic for a guy facing her-word-against-his rape charges to portray himself as dishonest?
So, the guy who exposes people doesn't want to be exposed?
Hmm.
Julian Assange needs a haircut - but then again, so does Jamie Byng
According to the article the US publishers have dropped out so it seems the legal threat is real. It also seems to be keeping in character with his reputation for erratic behaviour. Fair play though to Cannongate for riding the publicity. I can't imagine anyone wanting to read Julian Assange's self serving life story, but if he is threatening to sue to stop its publication, it suddenly looks a lot more interesting...
Did Assange actually say that his memoir should be revised before release to 'take into account the privacy of individuals'? Words fail.
Privacy of individuals is alright. Nations not so much.
Asagne makes me cry.
He door-stepped our shop, yesterday, with a cameraman and PR in tow. Didn't ask if he could film in the store, stopped me from doing my job properly, generally disrupted the place and acted in an arrogant manner.
Still, he bought three copies of his own book from us. Kerching, etc.
Canongate obviously panicked as interest in this is clearly waning. If they had released in spring 2012 it would have been an even damper squib than it already is.
marketing trick? makes people want to read it more? this may be a bit cynical but it seems to me that whatever Assange is doing, he wants to get as much press as possible. some for the good, some for the ugly.
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