Simon & Schuster is facing new questions about its handling of Jason Arday’s memoir, “Great and Unfortunate Things,” after publicly standing behind the book and its editorial review despite mounting scrutiny of the late University of Cambridge professor’s academic work and autobiographical claims.
TheWrap sought comment from Simon & Schuster multiple times on Monday, including asking whether the publisher is reassessing the book and whether it has asked retailers or booksellers to pause additional orders. The publisher did not respond.
Simon & Schuster had previously defended its editorial process as scrutiny of Arday intensified before publication. “We have worked closely with Professor Jason Arday on ‘Great and Unfortunate Things’ since acquiring it and can speak to the professionalism and integrity he has brought to every stage of the publication,” the publisher said in a statement previously provided to The Guardian.
The publisher said Arday, co-writer Eve Claxton and its editorial and legal teams worked together to “carefully research, write and corroborate the narrative.” When The Guardian asked for more information about the book’s fact-checking, Simon & Schuster said it did not comment on its editorial processes.
Some of Arday’s previously publicized claims were revised or did not appear in the finished memoir. The Sunday Times reported that Simon & Schuster changed Arday’s online author biography last year, removing references to claims that he had run 30 marathons in 35 days, 300 miles in three days and 600 miles in six days. A claim that he had raised more than £5.5 million ($7.45 million) for 80 national charities over a 20-year period was changed to the broader assertion that he had raised “millions of pounds for charity.”
Several of those claims were also absent from the finished memoir. The book does not include the 600-mile running claim or provide a definitive figure for Arday’s fundraising, according to the Times. The Times had previously reported that a proposal for the memoir included claims that Arday had testicular cancer and locked-in syndrome and almost died in a car accident as a teenager. Those references were not included in the published book.
The Guardian separately reported that journalist Benjamin Ryan published screenshots of different versions of the manuscript that appeared to show changes to language surrounding Arday’s fundraising. The reasons for those changes are unclear. Simon & Schuster did not respond to questions about whether concerns over any of Arday’s claims prompted revisions or what review and corroboration it conducted before publication.
Simon & Schuster proceeded with publication after Arday resigned from Cambridge on Aug. 5 following scrutiny of his academic record and personal history, including allegations that portions of his doctoral thesis had been plagiarized. Arday denied intentionally plagiarizing his work.
The following day, Simon & Schuster U.S. told The Guardian it was “proceeding with the publication of ‘Great and Unfortunate Things’ by Jason Arday as planned.” The book was released in the U.S. five days later.
Arday was found dead on Friday at age 41. Police said his death was unexpected but was not being treated as suspicious. His death has since prompted an intense debate in Britain over the scrutiny he faced in the weeks before his death.
The scrutiny has also brought renewed attention to Arday’s memoir. Writer Thomas Chatterton Williams pointed to the book’s apparent momentum Friday, writing on X that it was “on its way to becoming a bestseller” and questioning Simon & Schuster’s decision to continue selling it.
As of Monday, “Great and Unfortunate Things” ranked No. 1 in Amazon’s Disability Biographies and Emigrants & Immigrants Biographies categories and No. 33 in the broader Biographies & Memoirs category. Those rankings do not establish that the book is a national bestseller. Circana, which tracks U.S. print book sales through BookScan, told TheWrap Monday that sales data covering the week ending Aug. 15 will become available Thursday.
Simon & Schuster also did not say whether corrections or changes are being considered for future editions or whether it has considered suspending sales or withdrawing the memoir. The publisher’s website continued to list the U.S. edition for sale Monday, describing it as an “inspiring underdog story” tracing Arday’s journey from being a nonverbal autistic child to becoming one of Cambridge’s youngest professors.
While the memoir was released in the U.S. on Aug. 11, Simon & Schuster’s U.K. edition is currently scheduled for Aug. 27. The publisher did not respond Monday when asked whether it is reassessing the title.
