I ran across this article, “Rewrite improves Matthiessen’s epic Florida masterpiece” published in 2008. I try not to be irked. I try. Sigh. The writer of the article says, “…in Florida, the trilogy was more than a critical masterpiece. It was ‘our’ story.”

Yes. That is what I felt when I read Killing Mr. Watson. There was MY family – Richard, Gene, Walter, Leon, Rebecca, Mary Weeks, Henry Short and so many more. Fictionalized yes, but pretty darn accurate and correct. My family.

And then came Lost Man’s River. All the same key players in the story except the Hamiltons had become the Hardens. Wait. What?? What a tangled mess. For what? Because a few family members were offended by the portrayal of our family in Killing Mr. Watson (again, pretty darn ACCURATE portrayal!)?

And the the great trilogy, Shadow Country. The one where our Henry Short has now become Henry Shorter. Seriously? And my grandfather, William Hamilton has become Rourke Harden. Oh my God…THIS is why I wrote Lostmans Heritage. Because my grandfather needed HIS story told in HIS name!

Yes, it was our story. Except now it isn’t. And I kick myself for not trying harder to talk to Peter Matthiessen before he passed away.

Okay. I needed a bit of a whine. Thanks for listening.