With michael finkels true story, readers get a kind of fictional story they cannot put down at the same time as they. Jonah hill as michael finkel and franco as christian longo. Thats the first time ive ever heard that name in my life, said. Nonetheless, the only journalist longo would speak with was the real michael finkel, and so finkel placed a call to oregons lincoln county jail, intent on getting the true story. Christian longo murders death row execution policy esquire. Katu christian longo for anthony pizzini anthony pizzini. The shocking thing is that longo had taken michael finkels identity. The chapters in true story move haphazardly from finkel s mea culpa to longo. Michael finkel has had a strange relationship with convicted killer christian longo. Michael finkel is the author of the new york times bestseller the stranger in the woods. This adaptation of michael finkel s 2005 book about his admittedly selfserving encounters with accused childkiller christian longo promised a crackling engagement with janet malcolms famous. By 28 december, christian, 27, had been charged with the four murders and by january 2002, hed been arrested in mexico on suspicion of murder, and deported back to america.
What brought these two men together was the name michael finkel. A young, highly intelligent man named christian longo, on the fbis ten most wanted list for killing his entire family, has recently been captured in mexico, where hed taken on a new identity. May 04, 2006 this book is about how this brilliant, high achieving journalist found himself at that point in his life. Dec 21, 2009 eight years after killing his wife and three children, christian longo was ready for lethal injection. With michael finkel s true story, readers get a kind of fictional story they cannot put down at the same time as they.
Astonished, finkel learned about christian longo, who was under arrest in oregon for the murders of his wife and three children. Christian michael longo born january 23, 1974 is a convicted murderer who committed his crimes in the u. After longo s capture the next month, finkel communicated with him. Finkel believes his career will be revived by writing a book about longos life, while longo believes the book will set the record straight. In the haunting tradition of joe mcginnisss fatal vision and mikal gilmores shot in the heart, true story.
True story by michael finkel read online on bookmate. He was portrayed by james franco who also played new goblin in sam raimis spiderman trilogy, alien in spring breakers, and gator bodine in homefront. Riding a unicycle up and down mountains requires the balance of a gymnast and the temperament of a teenager. True story michael finkel paperback harpercollins publishers. I have never met christian longo, and never spoken with his. May, 2005 disgraced journalist michael finkel tells the tale of his bizarre friendship with the man who stole his identity in true story.
With the movie running through the truelife events surrounding longo s murder case and his relationship with finkel, its a question worth asking. The bizarre and heartbreaking story of christian longo. I had read that a man in maine had been arrested for stealing food at a. After his dismissal from the new york times, finkel learned that christian longo, an oregon man who had murdered his wife and three. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Sensing a storyand an opportunity for redemption finkel contacted longo.
Murder, memoir, mea culpa 2005, has since been turned into a 2015 movie starring james franco as christian longo and jonah hill as michael finkel. Jun 17, 2019 maybe so in the case of the new movie true story, based on the real case of christian longo, accused murderer of his wife and three children, and michael finkel, the disgraced journalist whose. Author michael finkel tells both his own story and that of christian longo, who was convicted of killing his wife and three children in newport, oregon in december 2001. When in mexico, longo used the name of michael finkel, the former new york times reporter who later chronicled their experiences in his memoir true story, later adapted into a 2015 film. The crime show will present the case of christian longo, and how his life intertwined with journalist, author, and writer michael finkel. In november, 2001, a month before longo murdered his family, michael finkel was working as a writer for the new york times magazine and it had just published a story of his about the modernday slave trade in mali. Foundress of the hospital of the incurables and of the capuchin poor clares of naples, 14631547 by agostino falanga nov 2, 2009 paperback. Jun 02, 2005 finkel tells true story of murder, mea culpa michael finkel discusses his new book true story. Just as the story of his downfall was about to become public, he learned that a man named christian longo, arrested in mexico for the murder of his wife and three small children in oregon, had been living under an assumed identity. In february 2002, new york times magazine writer michael finkel received a startling piece of news. True story weaves a spellbinding tale of murder, love, deceit, and redemption, following finkels relentless pursuit of the shocking truth. The stranger in the woods author michael finkel duration.
This is the writer the reader is trusting to find out the true story. Apr 19, 2015 the true story of murderer christian longo the horrifying true story behind james franco and jonah hills movie. When no one was able to identify him, they searched in the water thinking that his family might be in a car at the bottom. After his dismissal from the new york times, finkel learned that christian longo, an oregon man who had murdered his wife and three children in december 2001, had used michael finkel as an alias during his several weeks as a fugitive. After longo s arrest, the only journalist the accused murderer will speak with is the real michael finkel. Mar 28, 2015 michael finkel, the former new york times journalist who formed a relationship with family killer christian longo will present his story tonight on the latest episode of 48 hours. True story, by micahel finkel, exceed the murdermystery genre by telling a story that is as much about a friendship as it is a murder. But in parallel its also about christian longo, a man accused of the multiple murder of his own wife and three children. After the deaths, longo fled to mexico, where he passed himself off as michael finkel, new york times journalist. The movie is based on a book by mike finkel, a former writer for the new york times magazine, played by jonah hill.
Christian longo was born in michigan in 1974 and was raised by strict jehovahs witness parents. Moreover, as the book progresses, it becomes even less reliable. Each spring some eighty army rangers seek to demonstrate that they are the hardiest and. Longo s young son, not quite give years old, was found floating in the oregon bay. The movie is based on a book by mike finkel, a former writer for the new york. For the next two weeks, longo hit the beach, got drunk, made the nightclub rounds, and romanced a german tourist, all while pretending to be finkel. Apr 17, 2015 true story stars jonah hill and james franco are unshowy and effective. When new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longo who has taken on finkels identity his investigation. Afghanistans kyrgyz nomads survive in one of earths most remote places, a pocket of land 14,000 feet high where the currency is sheep, the dream is a road, and many will go an entire lifetime without ever seeing a tree.
The next day, on page a3 of the times, comes another bit of troubling news. How did you first learn of christopher knightand how did you realize you needed to tell his story. Christian longo was a man accused of having murdered his entire family. Finkel deserves credit for attempting to tell multiple stories, but he doesnt always succeed. He told many of the people he met that his name was michael finkel, and that he was a writer.
Longo is scum and i felt filthy after listening to his story. Before police could catch up with him, longo would leave the country, and his old identity far behind to start a new life as michael finkel. The man was christian longo, but while on the run in mexico he. Something told him that there was a story here and perhaps a. While on the run from the law in mexico, longo impersonated finkel, a journalist whose stories he had read and admired. While on the run, longo had briefly taken on a new identity, which was not a surprising action for a most wanted fugitive. He has written for national geographic, gq, rolling stone, esquire, vanity fair, the atlantic, and the new york times magazine. When new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longo who has taken on finkels identity his investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. Christian longo is the main antagonist of the 2015 dramamystery and suspense film true story. Michael finkel is an american journalist and memoirist, who has written the books true story. The extraordinary story of the last true hermit, about a highly intelligent man who lived alone in the forest of maine for 27 years, as well as the book true story, about finkels bizarre and unhealthy friendship with a murderer, which was adapted into a 2015 major motion picture produced by brad pitt and starring. The true story of murderer christian longo popsugar.
Buy michael finkel ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. A writer watches his life unspool on film the new york times. The reporting alone would make this book worth reading. In 2009, longo contacted the author from oregons death row and said he was ready to come clean. When he could no longer keep up the facade of stellar husband and fatherhood, longo confessed, he had indeed killed his entire family. The shocking inside story of why by michael finkel. Exciting news if youre in team longo being reported. The story keeps you hook on the mystery and the truth about christian longos criminal action against his family and michael finkel trying to find the true full story of longos life, but it leads to him spiraling down a world of lies. A journalist in oregon contacts michael finkel, a new york times magazine with the news that longo has been captured. Disgraced journalist michael finkel tells the tale of his bizarre friendship with the man who stole his identity in true story.
A week after finkel was fired from the new york times for writing a partially fictionalized magazine cover story, he learned that christian longo, who fled oregon upon murdering his wife and three children, had been telling acquaintances that he was michael finkel from the new york times. Murder, memoir, mea culpa, which documents his firing from the new york times magazine for. He is a fictionalized version of the real christian longo, who was found guilty of murdering his family in 1998. When finkel heard the story, he wanted to know more, initially just about why longo decided to pretend to be michael finkel. When new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longowho has taken on finkels identityhis investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse.
This is the page of the journalist and writer michael finkel. When new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longo who has taken on finkels identityhis investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. Mar 07, 2017 when new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longowho has taken on finkels identityhis investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. But around the same time longo was on the run in mexico. Eager to find a story that would redeem him as a journalist, finkel began corresponding with his identity thief, accused killer christian longo, which led to a book, true story.
Mar 10, 2017 so begins the stranger in the woods, finkels stunning account of one mans obsessive withdrawal from society. To hear, in his voice, the explanation from his previous firing was interesting. Christian longo murdered his wife and three children. May 24, 2005 the story keeps you hook on the mystery and the truth about christian longos criminal action against his family and michael finkel trying to find the true full story of longos life, but it leads to him spiraling down a world of lies. Apr 14, 2015 in 2002, the new york times ended its contract with the writer michael finkel after he fictionalized a story about slavery in africa. What does michael finkel bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book. Christian michael longo aka christian longo is a convicted murderer who engaged his crimes in the u. The two men become friends after finkel has been fired from the nyt for falsifying information in a news story. The main premise of the book revolves around michael finkel a young, middleaged journalist, working for the ny times. Murder, memoir, mea culpa weaves a spellbinding tale of murder, love, and deceit with a deeply personal inquiry into the slippery nature of truth. A young, highly intelligent man named christian longo, on the fbis ten most wanted list for killing his entire family, has recently been captured in mexico, where hed taken on a new identity michael finkel of the new york times.
Finkel discovered his identity had been stolen by christian longo, a man who had just been arrested for the murders of his wife and three children in oregon. This book chronicles the relationship that developed between disgraced nyt writer michael finkel and christian longo, who murdered his wife and 3 children. So began a bizarre and intense relationshipa reporting job that morphed into a shrewd game of catandmouse. Longo is currently incarcerated on death row at oregon state penitentiary. I also wrote about odd sports for sports illustrated and traveled widely for. Update on past video and reupload of edited down footage on the story. His story has been portrayed in the michael finkel book true story and a related film adaptation. Oct, 2009 in the haunting tradition of joe mcginnisss fatal vision and mikal gilmores shot in the heart, true story. Finkel employs his journalistic skills to write a clear, concise, fastpaced narrative that unfolds in a series of short chapters. Apr 24, 2015 longo is played by james franco in the new film true story the movie is based on a book by mike finkel, a former writer for the new york times magazine, played by jonah hill despite its title. Aug 14, 2017 police sought mary janes husband and the childrens dad, christian longo, as a witness. And as the months until longo s trial tick away, the two men talk for dozens of hours on the telephone, meet in the jailhouse visiting room, and exchange nearly a thousand pages of handwritten letters. Apr 17, 2015 its the first rule of journalism is dont fabricate, but that is exactly what former new york times journalist michael finkel did in a 2001 article on child slavery in africa. Murder, memoir, mea culpa 2005, has since been turned into a 2015 movie starring james franco as christian longo and jonah hill as michael finkel and also.
When new york times reporter michael finkel meets accused killer christian longo who has taken on finkel s identityhis investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. True story weaves a spellbinding tale of murder, love, deceit, and redemption, following finkel s relentless pursuit of the shocking truth. The true story of murderer christian longo the horrifying true story behind james franco and jonah hills movie. His evidence described in the michael finkel book true story and its related film adaptation. He told many of the people he met that his name was michael finkel, and that he was a writer for the new york times. Murder, memoir, mea culpa, which was adapted into a 2015 major motion picture. Last tuesday, april 26, a disgraced former new york times magazine writer named michael finkel was doing his best sebastian junger imitation, chopping wood on his 51acre property just outside of. When he could no longer keep up the facade of stellar husband and fatherhood, longo confessed, he. The book was later optioned by brad pitts production company, plan b, and. Murder, memoir, mea culpa and millions of other books are. Finkel says that, before the trial, longo had hoped the journalist would bring out the real. Their lives became intertwined when longo fled to mexico following the killings. True story by michael finkel nook book ebook barnes.