Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gradey Alexander

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was Delete. —Quarl ^(talk) 2007-03-04 07:12Z

[edit] Gradey Alexander and The Barnum Kid

Gradey Alexander (edit|talk|history|links|watch|logs) – (View log)

The Barnum Kid (edit|talk|history|links|watch|logs)

Both the author and the book are entirely unverifiable on Google. For one thing, any author who'd gotten into literary spats with Mordecai Richler and V. S. Naipaul would certainly garner at least one Google hit. Articles listed under references don't appear to actually exist, either. Most likely a hoax — and even if he does actually exist, he's still neither notable nor verifiable enough to be on Wikipedia. Delete. Bearcat 21:03, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

• Delete both as hoax. If the book were real, it would be entered in the catalogue of the National Library of Canada. (Neither the book or author is there.) Bucketsofg 21:23, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
• Delete both as per above. "Gradey Alexander" receives a grand total of two ghits - neither concerning the subject. There is no trace of Gradey Alexander at the National Library, or through Abebooks and other used book searches. Note that the subject's claimed PEN/Faulkner nomination took place in 1978, three years before the presentation of the first award. A hoax. Victoriagirl 21:50, 28 February 2007 (UTC)
• Delete as likely hoax/vanity article. The user name creating these articles would seem to indicate some vanity going on here, and the only related ghit I get on Gradey Alexander [1] is from a freely editable "press release center" that claims to quote a local Whitehorse newspaper. The newspaper's website [2] seems to make no mention of it. I get the impression this isn't as much a hoax as perhaps a delusional small-time critic who is imagining grand confrontations with notable authors and trying to propagate a grander image of himself. Or, I could be barking up the wrong tree and it's just a run of the mill hoax. :) Arkyan 22:00, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Comment I note that the press release is dated today (28 February 2007), quotes "Daniel Yeoman" the creator of the Gradey Alexander appreciation website, and was posted by Yeoman under the Dyxxx tag he uses for the self-same site.Victoriagirl 22:21, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

Comment - Extremely elaborate hoax, then? It just seems like a lot of work to go to for the simple matter of creating phony Wikipedia articles! Not that it changes whether or not the articles ought to be deleted. I just find it odd. Arkyan 22:39, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

It seems to me that I read one of his books when I was in high school. We had a teacher who was fond of obscure Canadian writers like Alexander or O'Groussney.

Comment I note that the vague, unsigned comment above was placed by Westrimble23, a single purpose account (indeed the comment is the user's only contribution). I also note the similarity between Westrimble23 and Gradey23, the single purpose account that created the two articles under discussion).Victoriagirl 15:31, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Comment Westrimble23's unsigned comment was deleted by 24.137.96.117. As this is against Wikipedia policy, I have restored the comment. I note that in his most recent posting on the Gradey Alexander appreciation site Daniel Yeoman identifies himself as Gradey23 and joins Westrimble23 in mentioning a Canadian author named O’Groussney (as Darren O'Groussny). As with Gradey Alexander, no books by Darren O'Groussny (or O'Groussney) are held in the National Library, the Toronto Public Library, or the various lIbraries of the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia. The names "Darren O'Groussny" and "Darren O'Groussney" generate no ghits. Victoriagirl 17:02, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

• Delete as hoax. Resolute 23:17, 2 March 2007 (UTC)
• Delete . I too can find no reliable record of this interesting chappy on the web. The Philip Marchand Toronto Star article cited does not exist according to a ProQuest search. --Slp1 00:32, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

Comment At the risk of flogging a dead horse, I add that at least three of the four remaining references do not exist. This includes Mr Yeoman's own “Lost in Translation”, which he claims to have published in Queen’s Quarterly. About the remaining reference, “The Forgotten Patriarch” by “Jill Martin”: there is no record of the publication, “Firlotte Editions”, to be found at the libraries of McGill or Concordia. I note that the name generates no ghits. Those not yet entirely bored may wish to read a more detailed account of my research at Mr Yeoman's the Gradey Alexander appreciation website. Victoriagirl 21:48, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.