Australia Australia - Marion Barter - Missing After Trip to UK - June 1997 #21

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

Depends when this book was actually written and if there's another person who wrote it who isn't him. I see the photo with the actor and are we to assume that the other man is the author? I'm not sure. If so, then we can rule him out as it's not him.

I could see he may well have written it. In his old age. Faffing around writing so called fiction / memoirs and hoping this could be another income generator whilst feeding his narc fantasy.

I don't think he's lazy I think he's been incredibly active and driven and moved around such a lot in his horrid life, I feel quite tired just thinking about it - who would find the energy / inclination? Except this is easily explained by the idea that his crimes were acts of criminal (in my opinion demonic) compulsion way over and beyond just wanting a bit of extra money. I think it's been said before on here but surely if he'd put all the equivalent time and effort and risk into a legit business, he'd be doing great. JMO

 

[Martinie]

The book was written by an "Alwin Blum"

Get outta effing town!?!

 

[CuriousKat99]

Thats not what I meant by him lazy of course. I think you know that.

What I meant by him lazy is the fact that he will use anything that he finds, sources, hears to build his ammunition INCLUDING information he has read and make it his own. The letters, the stories he shared to women, were taken from books he has read or stories of other people lives he heard or fabrications of his own extended familys life - "my daughter is a pilot". Um no Ric, she worked as an airline hostess.

What I mean by lazy is, he ISNT going to spend his valuable time writing a pathetic book that got no where!

And while his daily workings of gathering together a new plan of attack for each woman, decades of the same drill, gets refined, things fall into place much faster and after years of the same work, less effort is needed. Just like a normal everyday job to him. He had lots of people doing the work for him. His off siders, his family, even the women he trapped in his net.

Yep, if what you mean by lazy is that he’s a parasite, for sure, but IMO a very busy parasite.

 

[Cedars]

The book was written by an "Alwin Blum"

However, many authors use pen names. Especially if they write a book based on thinly disguised true stories of people they know or knew.

It interests me that the 'author' supposedly didn't read from the book, but someone with a very different name did? IMO, that is extremely unlikely.

IMO, the Australian Blum wouldn't be interested or capable of imaginatively recreating the perspective of other people. If that kind of person wrote anything, it would be from the point of view of a genius James Bond type character who never makes a mistake and always succeeds in effortlessly duping his victims.

I haven't read the book, but from the description it sounds very benign and probably quite true - people probably do have unrealistic expectations when they move to Bali, not everyone ends up as Elizabeth Gilbert did in Eat, Pray, Love.

JMO

 

[VisitorDog]

It reads as the sort of thing that could’ve come about by somebody who likes to show off all of their narcissistic stories, telling them to someone else in a bar. And that someone else thinks that writing a terrible book about it will be worthwhile.

 

[Cedars]

It reads as the sort of thing that could’ve come about by somebody who likes to show off all of their narcissistic stories, telling them to someone else in a bar. And that someone else thinks that writing a terrible book about it will be worthwhile.

The author says he was inspired by Somerset Maugham. No one in a bar, no con artist, would have the foggiest idea of who that was, or what it means in terms of writing a book.

JMO

 

[KiwiNZ]

It interests me that the 'author' supposedly didn't read from the book, but someone with a very different name did? IMO, that is extremely unlikely.

Book readings are a thing and quite popular - the reader is often chosen for their voice and ability to engage the audience, rarely is it actually the author. Our local art center often holdings book reading never has the author read the book, I doubt they even know the books been read to a group.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

JMO but I believe it's highly possible he wrote it, it's a repulsive showcase in objectifying and demeaning women. Unless the real A Blum is identified and we can rule him out. Quite remarkable the Blum name, again, isn't that the artist /art agent in Bali too?

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

The author says he was inspired by Somerset Maugham. No one in a bar, no con artist, would have the foggiest idea of who that was, or what it means in terms of writing a book.

JMO

It's quite a pretentious reference to make and also there's the 'french' connection - SM was born in france and spoke french as his first language even though he's known as an 'English' writer.

 

[Cedars]

Book readings are a thing and quite popular - the reader is often chosen for their voice and ability to engage the audience, rarely is it actually the author. Our local art center often holdings book reading never has the author read the book, I doubt they even know the books been read to a group.

Because of copyright, the reader/event organizer would have to obtain permission from the author. I've attended innumerable literary festivals all over Canada, as well as events at local libraries and bookstores, and authors always read their own books. Including Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie. That is the attraction, to meet the author and make a connection with them, get them to autograph your copy, and it sells books.

 

[Cedars]

JMO but I believe it's highly possible he wrote it, it's a repulsive showcase in objectifying and demeaning women. Unless the real A Blum is identified and we can rule him out. Quite remarkable the Blum name, again, isn't that the artist /art agent in Bali too?

Okay, I will read the book and judge for myself.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

It interests me that the 'author' supposedly didn't read from the book, but someone with a very different name did? IMO, that is extremely unlikely

That's actually not so unusual. Many authors have someone else do readings from their books.
Especially on the debut of the book.

They want the book to sell and perhaps they don't have the best or clearest speaking voice.
Maybe someone else could bring the book to life better than they could.

The author would still do the meet and greet part.

 

[KiwiNZ]

Because of copyright, the reader/event organizer would have to obtain permission from the author. I've attended innumerable literary festivals all over Canada, as well as events at local libraries and bookstores, and authors always read their own books. Including Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie. That is the attraction, to meet the author and make a connection with them, get them to autograph your copy, and it sells books.

if it was RB - how long would it take him to read the first sentence with that stutter lol (joke)

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

That's actually not so unusual. Many authors have someone else do readings from their books.
Especially on the debut of the book.

They want the book to sell and perhaps they don't have the best or clearest speaking voice.
Maybe someone else could bring the book to life better than they could.

The author would still do the meet and greet part.

Maybe the author is pretending to originate from the USA but in fact has a heavy European accent and so decided to hire an actor!?

 

[KiwiNZ]

I just don't feel like this is RB's writing in these posts - interested in others opinion - Island Secrets: Stories of Love, Lust and Loss in Bali

 

[CuriousKat99]

I just don't feel like this is RB's writing in these posts - interested in others opinion - Island Secrets: Stories of Love, Lust and Loss in Bali

Yes, I know what you mean, the style seems too open and authentic for him. However, we know he’s a chameleon who can morph into different personas to suit his needs. Even at the inquest he moved regularly between the gentle elderly softly spoken pensioner and the arrogant narcissistic hypocrite.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

I just don't feel like this is RB's writing in these posts - interested in others opinion - Island Secrets: Stories of Love, Lust and Loss in Bali

I agree it doesn't sound particularly like him. The repulsive characters in his book sound more like someone like him.

 

[Cedars]

I agree it doesn't sound particularly like him. The repulsive characters in his book sound more like someone like him.

I am reading the book and it's true, it's not a romance novel where the hero and his rippling biceps whisks the heroine off into the happily ever after (that kind of book triggers my gag reflex).

The first story is about a bored married woman who falls for a seductive American, but at the end realizes her mistake and that he never really cared.

The second story is about how an aging American beach bum finds happiness by joining an Ashram, swearing off alcohol and giving up chasing much younger women.

I hope this innocent author with the accidental last name at least gets some sales after all the trashing he's received on this thread.

JMO

 

[brjakj]

Whoever this author is - he is probably so confused by all the attention his book is currently getting! I’m guessing hasn’t sold and suddenly sales are booming!

I agree that I doubt AKA wrote it - but with all his Bali connections I wouldn’t be surprised if they are his stories as told to someone he know - such as housekeeper, driver, etc.

 

[Cedars]

with all his Bali connections I wouldn’t be surprised if they are his stories as told to someone he know - such as housekeeper, driver, etc.

It's a big world, there's more than 1 man who has affairs with women. And none of the stories have anything to do with women who are being persuaded to sell their houses or anyone who sells coins, or Belgium, or any other details that resembles that individual's life.

JMO

ETA I think it is a cognitive distortion to believe that everything revolves around or relates to a particular person, just like believing that everything is a plot by a certain group. IMO, it is an unhealthy way of trying to understand the world and that's why I'm pushing back.