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catscradle Sep. 26th, 2002 02:34 pm)
catscradle Sep. 26th, 2002 02:34 pm)So I'm doing some research on the LaLaurie house in New Orleans' French Quarter for a halloween lecture, and I came across something a bit interesting.
Katherine Ramsland. Now, some of you might remember Katherine Ramsland as the author of the Anne Rice biography called Prism of the Night. She went on to then bilk that ride for all it was worth with the "official", Vampire Companion, followed by the "official" Witches Companion and the ever so needed, Anne Rice Trivia Book. And if that wasn't enough, she gave us The Roquelaure Reader and the Anne Rice Reader. Since then Katherine has written all sorts of books on ghosts, vampires and the paranormal and has even ventured into fiction. None of that is actually interesting. Many of you know what I think of those books, so I won't get into that.
What I found interesting was in an online book written by Ramsland for The Crime Library called Women Who Kill. Katherine dedicates a small chapter to Delphine LaLaurie, the woman who butchered her slaves and performed medical experiments on them in the early 1830s. The story is famous in New Orleans and has gotten a lot of attention on the History Channel and special shows on hauntings and such.
Now what's interesting about this, is that Katherine's story is pretty word for word what my tour guide roommates spouted every night when they passed the LaLaurie house with their groups. Now, Katherine does give some credit to Katherine Smith, one of the owners of the tour group my roommates worked for - the the story is still nearly exact and Katherine offers no special insight to the story. One would think she'd do some psychobabble on Delphine LaLaurie's motives, but no. Nada. She just re-spouts the story as Katherine Smith wrote the script - only taking out the haunting material.
Ramsland cites the book Journey into Darkness by the newly renamed Kalila Katherina Smith (she's the float woman on the broom in the animated gif) - and refers to her as "A native of New Orleans and folklore historian". Now it's true that Kathy is a local of New Orleans, but tagging it with "folklore historian" is like calling R. J. Reynolds a humanitarian organization because they cater to people's "needs". A good 60% of Kathy's haunted history stories are completely fabricated. The rest of them are common New Orleans folklore and just about all the tour groups will tell the same stories.
So Ramsland isn't a great researcher - we knew that already. What further makes this interesting is that she took information from a tour company that was harrassed by Anne Rice. Two of the tour guides (and their friends - me included) were actually stalked by Anne Rice and later received threatening e-mails from her office. And yeah, Anne definately knew who my roommates worked for.
So here we have a story, nearly word for word, from the tour my roommate used to give and Katherine Ramsland, Anne Rice lap dog, at the end of it.
I'm not shouting plagairism - it boarders on it, but I think the nod to Kathy Smith might cover her ass. But still, why the hell is the story just tossed in there? Shouldn't there be a reason? And why the HELL would you cite Kathy's book? I've seen the thing, it would be hard to produce something less professional. I'm surprised confetti in the shape of spiders and skulls doesn't pop up when you open it.
The kicker in all this - Ramsland has a Ph.D. in philosophy. Please tell me this isn't what happens to those of us that can't find jobs in the field. . .
Katherine Ramsland. Now, some of you might remember Katherine Ramsland as the author of the Anne Rice biography called Prism of the Night. She went on to then bilk that ride for all it was worth with the "official", Vampire Companion, followed by the "official" Witches Companion and the ever so needed, Anne Rice Trivia Book. And if that wasn't enough, she gave us The Roquelaure Reader and the Anne Rice Reader. Since then Katherine has written all sorts of books on ghosts, vampires and the paranormal and has even ventured into fiction. None of that is actually interesting. Many of you know what I think of those books, so I won't get into that.
What I found interesting was in an online book written by Ramsland for The Crime Library called Women Who Kill. Katherine dedicates a small chapter to Delphine LaLaurie, the woman who butchered her slaves and performed medical experiments on them in the early 1830s. The story is famous in New Orleans and has gotten a lot of attention on the History Channel and special shows on hauntings and such.
Now what's interesting about this, is that Katherine's story is pretty word for word what my tour guide roommates spouted every night when they passed the LaLaurie house with their groups. Now, Katherine does give some credit to Katherine Smith, one of the owners of the tour group my roommates worked for - the the story is still nearly exact and Katherine offers no special insight to the story. One would think she'd do some psychobabble on Delphine LaLaurie's motives, but no. Nada. She just re-spouts the story as Katherine Smith wrote the script - only taking out the haunting material.
Ramsland cites the book Journey into Darkness by the newly renamed Kalila Katherina Smith (she's the float woman on the broom in the animated gif) - and refers to her as "A native of New Orleans and folklore historian". Now it's true that Kathy is a local of New Orleans, but tagging it with "folklore historian" is like calling R. J. Reynolds a humanitarian organization because they cater to people's "needs". A good 60% of Kathy's haunted history stories are completely fabricated. The rest of them are common New Orleans folklore and just about all the tour groups will tell the same stories.
So Ramsland isn't a great researcher - we knew that already. What further makes this interesting is that she took information from a tour company that was harrassed by Anne Rice. Two of the tour guides (and their friends - me included) were actually stalked by Anne Rice and later received threatening e-mails from her office. And yeah, Anne definately knew who my roommates worked for.
So here we have a story, nearly word for word, from the tour my roommate used to give and Katherine Ramsland, Anne Rice lap dog, at the end of it.
I'm not shouting plagairism - it boarders on it, but I think the nod to Kathy Smith might cover her ass. But still, why the hell is the story just tossed in there? Shouldn't there be a reason? And why the HELL would you cite Kathy's book? I've seen the thing, it would be hard to produce something less professional. I'm surprised confetti in the shape of spiders and skulls doesn't pop up when you open it.
The kicker in all this - Ramsland has a Ph.D. in philosophy. Please tell me this isn't what happens to those of us that can't find jobs in the field. . .
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huh...
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Re: huh...
And as for the story in question, I think it interesting that Brat Queen and I didn't get credit, since F**King Cathy "My boobs are now the size of Nebraska" Smith got all her best material from us and Chaz. At least Chaz had the smarts to start his own company, even if it was to support his drug habit. Oh, for the good old days of New Orleans pit fighting...
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Re: huh...