S11 E13 Amy Griffin's Controversial Bestselling Memoir, "The Tell": A Hot Take

In her bestselling 2025 memoir The Tell, written with ghostwriter Sam Lansky, Amy Griffin describes having no memory of her childhood sexual abuse until an MDMA therapy session. But in a recent interview with New York Magazine, Griffin reveals she'd not, in fact, fully repressed it. Mary is joined by her Third Rail Press co-founder Alle Mudrick, author of the award-winning memoir Blue Hour Homecoming (https://www.thirdrailpress.org/books/blue-hour-homecoming), to talk about what that choice means for the book, for readers, and for Griffin herself.

We discuss: - The difference between minor and major changes in memoir- The role and obligations of a memoir ghostwriter- How this mischaracterization has likely enabled the massive backlash Griffin has received

You can find Jessica Bennet's article in The Cut here: https://www.thecut.com/article/amy-griffin-the-tell-defends-herself-against-new-lawsuit.html

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Happy writing! — Mary

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