PW Talks with Kent Walker

PW: What gave you the impetus to write Son of a Grifter (see review p.56)?

KW: I've been told for 20 years that I should write a book, but my life was something I kept secret. But when they [Walker's mother and brother] got arrested in New York, I saw the amount of press and the fact that a lot of the media reports did their best, but were inaccurate. They often found part of the truth, but didn't know the whole truth. At first, I ran away from the press as much as I could.

PW: Was getting away from the press demanding?

KW: It's a life shaper, and without a doubt I allowed it to destroy me. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, and I really thought mine were going to be dead and buried and I would take the story to my grave. Then you turn on the television and that closet is open pretty wide.

PW: Was writing the book therapeutic?

KW: Yes, to a degree. I'd buried a lot of stuff. But it didn't help with the closure; there's never going to be any closure with this. At the beginning of the project, I'd say it was an interesting story. But now I see that the story is incredible. I lived it, and I hope nobody else is going through this now. In 1998, when they were first arrested, I had written a book. It was about 500 pages, just letting things out. But I got kind of negative one day and deleted it, so I'll never know if that first book was better. Factually, I know this one is more accurate, but emotionally, we'll never know. I can't decide if I'm trying to shed light or shut the door. I'm not really sure what I'm trying to do. I hope people will realize that, no matter what the circumstances, you can still come out okay.

PW: What did you learn from writing the book?

KW: The big question is, why did she do these things? I think people feel they need to have an explanation and they're not willing just to accept that this is the way that she is. It's much more frightening to know that there are people out there who are just like that; it isn't some kind of reaction to a situation. Like athletes who are just born good athletes, she was a sociopath because she was good at it. It makes me question my own roots. If this is genetic, I have to check myself and my own kids too.

PW: Does your mother know that you've written the book?

KW: I told her I was writing the book, and she was very concerned about it. I told her it's going to be nothing but the truth, and she didn't like that.

PW: Are they willing to confront the truth?

KW: I think Kenny is going to be surprised how much his big brother went through. As far as Mom is concerned, she's in denial and I'm not sure she'll ever come out. She might lash out. I'm sure if she gets a public forum she'll deny everything. It's in her nature. The one thing that I'd always hoped for is that at least she'd understand what she's done and who she's hurt. If she sat down and read my book, if it could crack that noggin and get into that spot where she could actually feel those emotions, that'd be one hell of an accomplishment, but I think I'm hoping for too much on that.