To the Editor:
The Dartmouth recently reported on April 13th ("Zantop Tragedy Inspires Books") that at least three books about the Zantop murders are in the works.
Startlingly soon after the tragedy, I was contacted by a writer planning one such book. She invited my participation and assured me that "everything" (presumably her sources) would remain anonymous.
I declined for two reasons.
First: I had already agreed to media interviews in the hope of honoring two remarkable people who were close friends. In some instances, the reporting was responsible and accurate. But in other cases my words were misquoted, taken out of context and my meaning was skewed. When the appalling and sensational article about Half Zantop's alleged adulterous affair appeared in The Boston Globe (subsequently retracted), I became reluctant to respond to the media at all. And I had no idea how the book author would use my input.
Second: As a writer myself, I am convinced that ethical non-fiction writing requires scrupulous accuracy and clear identification of sources of information. Using the shield of anonymity facilitates distortion and invites mistrust.
If any staff members of The Dartmouth participate in book projects, I fervently hope they will insist on maintaining these high ethical standards.
