Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries by Jon Ronson (2012)

, 26 Mar 2016


Lost at Sea is a compilation of some of Ronson's pieces of research, published and/or documented for TV, modified, enlarged or updated for this book. Ronson explores different fringe subjects, situations and characters, and we get acquainted with ordinary people who are nothing but extraordinary, "weirdonary" I  might say.

Who is Ronson? Let him use his own words: "people from the provinces who were a bit awkward, and had strange vocal inflections, but might be able to see the world in a fresh, non-Oxbridge way" (loc. 869.) Although not Ronson's words, these by Ray Goslin apply perfectly to this book and the type of journalism Ronson does: "Journalism is storytelling. We wait around for the best bits ―the most engaging, extreme, colourful moments― and we stitch them together, ignoring the boring stuff turning real life into a narrative. Even so, there's shaping a story and there's making things up"

This compilation is organically structured in six parts, although some of the articles could also be included in several parts.
1/ The Things We're Willing To Believe revolves about the matter of faith, no matter is religious and accepted, just popular New-Age beliefs or Fringe Science. We get acquainted with the superstitions and pseudo-scientific beliefs that contestants in TV quiz shows have. We discover the new generation of sentient robots, Zeno, Aiko and the incredible Bina48, part of different engineering projects to create ciberconsciousness and emotional almost-human robots. Then we met a GP, Dr Munchies, who is at the core of a support group for supposedly highly evolved psychic telepathic "Indigo Children" usually  considered ADHD. One of my favourite articles in the book shows Ronson joining other agnostics for the Alpha Course, a 10-week course organised by celebrity pastor Nicky Gumbel in the Holy Trinity Brompton church to transform hardener believers into confirmed Christians. 

2/ Rebellious Lives has two articles on people who are supposed to be something but turned out to be much more or simply something different. This is the case of the broadcaster Ray Gosling who was arrested for falsely stating in front of the cameras that he had killed a former lover out of mercy a few years earlier. Or the case of the aggressive sexist racist rap duo Insane Clown Posse who turned out to be heartfelt Christians and were sending very-Christian palimpsest-sort-of messages through their lyrics.

3/ High-Flying Lives showcases some interesting sides of well-known artists. We accompany the pop singer Robbie Williams to an UFO convention, and visit and open the many boxes in Kubrik's English manor house, and talk to his widow about family matters.

4/ Everyday Difficulty shows apparently normal people who, all of the sudden, see themselves involved in dangerous situations. We visit the American town of North Pole to investigate why a group of teens living in a town that breathes Christmas were preparing a mass-shooting in their school. We attend the trial of a couple who won Who Wants to be a Millionaire apparently with a very simple but effective coughing signalling system. We witness the dirty tricks played by credit-card and loan companies, which  target poor people and neighbourhoods leading normal everyday families into mass debt, and how the use of data-sucking companies like Mosaic and Acorn are mapping who they are to target them (or not) in para-scam credit business. We also attend a convention of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and met the founder Richard Bandler and his business partner Paul McKenna, and experience first-person (through Ronson) what NLP does and dig into Bandler's not-so-well-known past.

Then we move to France, where English people are retiring trying to fulfil their French Fantasy dream and find that France is not a fantasy of theirs, like a couple who moved to a Provencal castle and the wife ended dead. From France to the UK, to the posh country town of Maesbrook to investigate why Christopher Foster (a British self-made millionaire, who had everything one might want in life) killed his whole family, pets included, set everything on fire and then he shot himself, and how other millionaires in the area aren't surprised. 

Faith taken to the last extreme is what Ronson explores in next chapter, which summarises the research he did for a doco on the sect called Jesus Christians, who decided to donate one of their kidneys as an act of love, and Ronson's interactions with some of the donors and with their leader, the Australian Dave McKay.  

5/ Stepping Over the Line, presents three cases in which the protagonists are doing something that isn't socially acceptable, dubious or plain illegal. We learn about the world of underground euthanasia, the fraudulent "visions" of the late psychic Sylvia Browne (America's most divisive psychic), and the paedophilia trial to Jonathan King.  

6/ This last part revolves about the subject of Justice. What is legal and not and why? Why is not legal to do chemical experiments at home when some of the major discoveries of our world were made in family garages? Is the USA system good enough for the poor and for the rich?  How do the poor and the rich see the tax system? Ronson takes then a Disney cruise to investigate the disappearance of the staff member Rebecca Coriam, and we learn about the many disappearances happening in International waters and how cruise companies seem to have a pact of silence. Finally, we go out late at night with some members of the Real-Life Superheroes Movement, like Phoenix Jones, to tackle night violence and prevent bad things from happening to good people.

There are common themes in most of the articles included in the book. Firstly, they deal with people whose beliefs and ways of being and behaving aren't mainstream, not always acceptable, illegal at times. They also deal with people who aren't always what they seem to be. Many of the articles revolve about Parascience and parapsychology subjects. 

***

Ronson is a good writer, creates a good atmosphere and is able to see the world with great compassion and proximity, even when he is examining people whose activities, opinions of preaching are very much contrary to his own views. He is very good at showcasing these characters and letting them shine (or not) without vilifying or mocking them unnecessarily; of course, at times, Ronson clearly states his liking or disliking of some people but he is not callous about anything or anybody. This is his virtue, and what allows him to enter situations and communicate with people who would, otherwise, be never able to present their side of the story. Ronson shows always respect and even empathy towards people who don't deserve it, perhaps because it is good for the job or perhaps because he is a good bloke, or both.

This is the first book I read by Ronson and I've really enjoyed it. I found all the stories engaging and well-narrated, although many of them are about subjects and people who have appeared on TV, in current affairs' research segments and aren't anything new. Others certainly are new, at least to me. At the same time, there isn't much depth, not many things to  keep you pondering. However, if you like current affairs and research journalism with a twist, you will enjoy the book. If you like weirdos, this is definitely for you.  

Not a Pulitzer sort of research, more a TV show sort of exploration of human nature a la Flight of the Concords minus the guitar. Humans are Weird. One of those books perfect for long flights.

TYPO
Barely any! I just noticed in  loc. 740:  George W Bush. The dot is missing from the W.


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