Professor Jason Arday’s memoir, “Great and Unfortunate Things,” has been published in the United Kingdom, offering his personal account following weeks of intense media scrutiny regarding allegations about his academic qualifications and accomplishments. The book was released by Simon & Schuster on Thursday.
The publication follows the death of Arday, 41, on August 14, who was found dead at his London apartment. His passing occurred shortly after extensive news coverage addressing claims that his academic work involved plagiarism and that he had overstated his athletic and fundraising achievements. The memoir was initially released in the United States earlier this month.
Simon & Schuster stated that the decision to publish the book in the UK was made in accordance with Arday’s family’s wishes. "To the very end, Jason was clear that he wanted his memoir to be published, and it is only right that we honor his wishes," the family said in a statement released by the publisher. "There has been so much that has been written and said about our beloved brother, son, father, partner and uncle, mostly by people who don’t know the truth of what he experienced, and we experienced as a family, or what an extraordinary person he was."
Arday’s death has prompted discussions about responsibility, with Cambridge University facing criticism for promoting Arday rapidly in an effort to advance diversity, even as questions arose about his credentials. The news media has also been criticized for its extensive coverage, which supporters claim contributed to Arday’s distress and was disproportionate compared to how a white scholar facing similar accusations might have been treated.
Following the controversy, attention turned to the memoir, with British newspapers observing that some of the running and fundraising accomplishments previously highlighted by Arday were absent from the book. For instance, an advance copy does not include his claim of running 600 miles in six days for charity.
In an interview with The Times of London published on July 31, Arday acknowledged making mistakes, which he attributed to his autism and a lack of early career oversight. He refuted accusations of being “a liar and a fantasist and an academic fraud,” suggesting these claims were fueled by “racism and ableism.”
Arday, a sociologist, gained prominence after Cambridge announced his appointment in 2023, describing him as a “respected scholar” whose research focused on increasing minority ethnic representation in higher education. Concerns about his academic background surfaced in mid-July after British newspapers reported on plagiarism allegations made by a researcher critical of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Cambridge initially supported Arday, stating that an investigation into the plagiarism claims had found them to be unfounded. However, on August 5, the university announced a new investigation into Arday’s appointment after receiving “new information” concerning his qualifications and honorary positions.
"We are happy to allow the book to speak for itself and won’t comment further on its content," the family stated. "The family is still in shock and we are grieving. We call upon the media to give the family the space it needs to come to terms with this terrible loss."