I wrote to John about the publication of Invisible Men, and in his reply, he sent some remarks that he asked me to post for those who followed him online:
About the Book
I read the book that [JS] wrote based on the entries from my old blog, and am satisfied that he represented the stories faithfully. I no longer have the contents to do a side-by-side comparison, but in reading the book I didn’t come across anything to upset me or feel that he had taken liberties with the material I had given him.
One exception is that he condensed some of the material and shuffled dates around. My blog had become tedious and self-obsessed in the last couple of years, too much mundane detail about my travels and business dealings, which is one of the main reasons I abandoned it. The facts are there, but the timeline is not what it originally was. It seems better that way.
Where Is John Now?
I mentioned to John a number of comments that were made to the blog after he had abandoned it – seems he had a handful of followers who were genuinely concerned about what had become of him. To them, he writes:
I am flattered and humbled by the number of people who remember me and wish me well – these friends whom I’ve never met are more concerned and compassionate than the vast majority of people I’ve known in real life. I wish I had known you better.
After pulling up my stakes, I drifted for a few years – I had made a small fortune in real estate before the market crashed, and even after the crash I had enough to keep me going for quite a long time.
After bumbling about for a few years, I settled in the Midwest. I’m married now with three children, working a mundane job, and have blended into the scenery of the American middle class. It’s a boring life, and I like it that way.
He’s shared with me his diaries from the travelling he did – a few weird bits, typical John Finn, but I don’t have the sense that there’s quite enough to warrant putting out a second book.
