Even his publishers say it’s a story of “improbable triumphs”.
But the final version of Jason Arday’s memoir appears to be quite different to the premise originally proposed by the University of Cambridge professor, who resigned following claims of plagiarism and questions about his achievements.
Despite concerns over his credibility, Great and Unfortunate Things, which charts how Arday became the university’s youngest black professor, is still set to be published by Simon & Schuster on 11 August in the US and 27 August in the UK.
Some of the more eye-catching claims about Arday’s rise appears to have been toned down or excised altogether, according to reports. The publisher has apparently made a number of late edits as concerns over the academic’s version of events became a major news event days before the book hits stores.
Simon & Schuster is standing by Arday, who said he was paid “1.4 million” – he did not specify pounds or dollars – for the 336-page book. It is set to detail his life from a diagnosis of autism and global developmental delay at age three and being non-verbal until 11, to becoming a professor of sociology of education at Cambridge at age 37.
