Some reviews of Jim Perrin’s book West have appeared on the Amazon site, which are extremely flattering and it may be said, positively sycophantic. (Some, we are certain, are posted by the author himself…)

‘The author of this book’, one says, ‘tells us as it is’. ‘This’ says another, ‘is simply the most honest, loving and personal book I have ever encountered’! — really? — do they not read many books?

Did these people know our sister whose death as told by the author is the third part of the ‘triad of tragedy’ and who, according to Sir Andrew Motion in whose — measured — review (Guardian 27/7/10) is the main subject of the book?  We think not.

The main premise upon which this book is based, the loving and losing of our sister, their relationship and Jim Perrin’s final loss of her is in fact a farrago of false information. We have set up our own site to put the record straight. If he had not so frequently abused the trust which our sister had at first placed in him we would not now be so determined to do this; we very much regret the overwhelming necessity to show the readers of this author’s work that there lies beneath, in this book at least, a ‘heart of darkness’. Continue reading →