The Secret History of Twin Peaks

[LostInTheMovies]

I am in the process of finishing the book, and have enjoyed it so far. I've heard there are complaints about "chronology" but so far almost nothing has bothered me (though the Ed/Nadine backstory certainly differs from what Ed told us on the show).

There is one matter I found frustrating however, and it's an instance of internal inconsistency rather than contradiction of knowledge from outside the book. It's the character of Robert Jacoby.

Throughout the text, often within a few pages or even paragraphs (primarily in the piece on the Log Lady) there are GLARING contradictions. Given the care with which he (mostly) treats age and year elsewhere I am baffled as to why Frost didn't catch this. Sorry if this has already come up - I'm waiting to read the thread when I'm done with the book but I was so perplexed by this I had to jump in and register a complaint now!

Here's what we are told:

- Robert Jacoby wrote an article about Margaret's third grade disappearance in 1947.

- Later he said he met her in the third grade, strongly suggesting they were classmates, which would make him nine when he wrote that '47 article.

- He says after the war he returned to Honolulu for the last semester of his senior year, implying he was 18 around 1945/46, meaning he was born in the late 20s (and would be about twelve years older than Margaret).

- He says he came back to Twin Peaks five years AFTER the war which means he wasn't there when he wrote the 1947 article for the Twin Peaks Gazette!

- We are told Doug Milford bought the paper when Robert died - implicitly shortly after Doug retuned to Twin Peaks around 1969/70 (that this happened in the 70s is confirmed by the clippings of the "Twin Peaks Post" dated from that time)...but the Margaret Lanterman piece is written in 1986 and the byline says "Robert Jacoby, editor" after *pages upon pages* of anecdotes about Doug as editor in the 70s and 80s!

- The funeral card confirms that Robert died in 1986, and lists his birth year as 1931, simultaneously making him too young for his wartime chronology (unless he graduated high school at fourteen or fifteen) and way too old to be Margaret's classmate.

I can overlook some slippage here or there but this was so glaring and distracting - like I said some of these contradictions were within paragraphs of one another! In a book that has carefully stuck to a historical throughline we are suddenly confronted with a timeline in which 1947 is before World War II, a newspaper editor dies twice, and a sixteen-year-old writes a news article about his nine-year-old classmate while simultaneously attending third grade in Twin Peaks and college during a five-year period in which he isn't in Twin Peaks.

Argh.

Unless there are different-aged doppelgängers or alternate universes involved here (which can't even explain all the discrepancies, especially within a single article), my only explanation is that Robert's memory was slipping in a major way during his last few days AND the archivist incorrectly stated that Doug took over the paper when Robert died - maybe he was just ill and retained an honorary byline till his death.

But c'mon, man...

[LostPhillipJeffries]

- We are told Doug Milford bought the paper when Robert died - implicitly shortly after Doug retuned to Twin Peaks around 1969/70 (that this happened in the 70s is confirmed by the clippings of the "Twin Peaks Post" dated from that time)...but the Margaret Lanterman piece is written in 1986 and the byline says "Robert Jacoby, editor" after *pages upon pages* of anecdotes about Doug as editor in the 70s and 80s!

Dougie wasn't the Editor, he was the Publisher.

[Tony Franciosa]

- Gordon Cole's involvement with Doug Milford calls into question his motives, if not the motives of all of the agents under his command, including TP. At the very least, there's a lot that he chose not to share with Cooper before sending him to Twin Peaks.

This is a big thing for me and definitely calls into question Cole's motivations/credibility - I think TP even says as much.

[LostPhillipJeffries]

- Gordon Cole's involvement with Doug Milford calls into question his motives, if not the motives of all of the agents under his command, including TP. At the very least, there's a lot that he chose not to share with Cooper before sending him to Twin Peaks.

This is a big thing for me and definitely calls into question Cole's motivations/credibility - I think TP even says as much.

Maybe Gordon Cole isn't even the person who sent TP the Dossier. There are too many inconsistencies in Gordon's letter AND the following Summary.
- First: In Gordon's Letter it says that the Dossier was recovered from an Active Crime Scene on 7-17-2016. In the summary that follows it says that the Dossier was recovered on *Date Redacted*, but that it was submitted to DIRECTOR on 7-17-2016. Why redact the discovery date?

- Second: Gordon Cole tells that this Dossier appears to have some relationship with an investigation in Northwest Washington State. (That Should be NorthEAST Washington State. Cole Would NEVER make this kind of mistake.)

-Third: Gordon says that TP will have access to ALL of Cooper's Files and Tapes. Never ONCE does TP mention that she listened to his tapes.

- Fourth: It says that TP has Top Secret Security Clearance as of 2009. But in the book she mentions that a File on Phillip Jeffries is classified 'beyond her reach.' She clearly doesn't have a Blue Rose Level Clearance. (Maybe that's why she doesn't mention Cooper's tapes. She probably only got recordings of Cooper talking about 'Damn Fine Coffee' and 'Cherry Pie That's To Die For.'

This makes me wonder: Why would Gordon put a rookie agent, with not enough security clearance and who has absolutely NO EYE for DETAIL, on a case of this magnitude? Because at the end of the book you can come to only one conclusion: Agent TP is an idiot.

[Driftwood]

I can overlook some slippage here or there but this was so glaring and distracting - like I said some of these contradictions were within paragraphs of one another! In a book that has carefully stuck to a historical throughline we are suddenly confronted with a timeline in which 1947 is before World War II, a newspaper editor dies twice, and a sixteen-year-old writes a news article about his nine-year-old classmate while simultaneously attending third grade in Twin Peaks and college during a five-year period in which he isn't in Twin Peaks.

yeah this was one of the first things that threw me off, jacoby's brother. almost right away his timeline didn't seem to make sense.

what I don't get is if this is all some elaborate puzzle and not just a mix of errors and retcons, what is the point? evil coop tampered with the dossier, so it turns out I just read a bunch of unreliable nonsense, uh ok thanks for wasting my time I guess? How does this book benefit from all the mistakes being intended?

[OK,Bob]

Good morrow, good people! Long time lurker, first time poster. Twin Peaks Fan from the first hour. I live and breathe it. Okay, enough about me. I've read the book twice now and am pretty far in solving the ENTIRE thing. (Yes, Gordon would be proud.) I'll tell more as time progresses, but I want to tell you something BIG first. While doing research I discovered something that blew my mind. (I'm still reeling!) Okay, here goes: The OWL CAVE RING IS in fact in the original series!!! And WHO is wearing it? Well, it is a certain Mr. Dougie Milford!!! When Dougie dies he's wearing a gold ring with a green stone or gem. IS it the Owl Cave Ring? You decide, but this is a PRETTY BIG coincidence. And it lines up perfectly with the book. Doug ring.png
Ps. He had been wearing it ever since he was introduced on the show.

Good catch!

So Dougie died with more than just "his boots on". Note that the book calls back to this scene (Ep 19) by re-iterating Harry's euphemism in the newspaper headline: "He died with his boots on."

[LostInTheMovies]

I can overlook some slippage here or there but this was so glaring and distracting - like I said some of these contradictions were within paragraphs of one another! In a book that has carefully stuck to a historical throughline we are suddenly confronted with a timeline in which 1947 is before World War II, a newspaper editor dies twice, and a sixteen-year-old writes a news article about his nine-year-old classmate while simultaneously attending third grade in Twin Peaks and college during a five-year period in which he isn't in Twin Peaks.

yeah this was one of the first things that threw me off, jacoby's brother. almost right away his timeline didn't seem to make sense.

what I don't get is if this is all some elaborate puzzle and not just a mix of errors and retcons, what is the point? evil coop tampered with the dossier, so it turns out I just read a bunch of unreliable nonsense, uh ok thanks for wasting my time I guess? How does this book benefit from all the mistakes being intended?

I'm wondering if the mundane explanation is that Frost penned the (heartfelt) tribute to the Log Lady as a last-minute thing when Coulson died, back when the book was slated for an earlier release. That section is where most of the inconsistencies lie. I don't know his timeline for writing the book but it could make sense if he rushed this part and relied on a faulty memory of the character to do so, if it had been a while since he'd written about R. Jacoby (too bad an editor didn't catch it though).

[ScibenX]

-Third: Gordon says that TP will have access to ALL of Cooper's Files and Tapes. Never ONCE does TP mention that she listened to his

Cole (or someone presenting themselves as Cole) is very suspiscious, but this I can buy. As I recall, TP seemed to very confidently identify Cooper's voice from reading his files, specifically when he talks about the RR, which leads me to think she's already listened to his tapes. (Doesn't she also verify a few facts by coorborating with Cooper's notes?) I could see Frost not wanting to include Cooper's tapes in the book itself, as many of them would logically be repetitions of stuff we had clearly seen in the series. (I also suspect we might get more of Cooper''s tapes in a Vol.2.)

[LostPhillipJeffries]

...

[Jerry Horne]

I'd say Novack/Novak is yet another reference to Vertigo (Kim Novak).

[LostPhillipJeffries]

-Third: Gordon says that TP will have access to ALL of Cooper's Files and Tapes. Never ONCE does TP mention that she listened to his

Cole (or someone presenting themselves as Cole) is very suspiscious, but this I can buy. As I recall, TP seemed to very confidently identify Cooper's voice from reading his files, specifically when he talks about the RR, which leads me to think she's already listened to his tapes. (Doesn't she also verify a few facts by coorborating with Cooper's notes?) I could see Frost not wanting to include Cooper's tapes in the book itself, as many of them would logically be repetitions of stuff we had clearly seen in the series. (I also suspect we might get more of Cooper''s tapes in a Vol.2.)

Well, let me tell you this: If, after reviewing her findings on the dossier, Agent TP is STILL put on the case, it is clear that someone doesn't want her to get too close to the truth.

[FittenTrim]

If you hate the book, want to return it, are disappointed in Frost; are worried about the new series... please continue to post those feelings here in the Forum.

We're all here in a forum talking about a show (and movie) that are over a quarter of a century old. We're doing that is because we love the show.

The Secret History of Twin Peaks gets many, many, many facts wrong... (about the show we love)
Or the book signals that the new series is changing the established narrative... (about the show we love)

People don't usually want the things which they love to change. Coca-Cola changed their taste in the '80s and the customers/country went apoplectic. Coca-Cola did respond to their customers and changed the taste back (though they never switched back to real sugar; stayed with corn syrup)



Someone earlier wrote: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" ... but gifts are usually free. If you want to return the book, do it. And please type about it here on the boards.

I want a Dugpa with all Twin Peaks fans.... even those who hate the 'Evelyn Marsh' storyline, even those who hate FWWM, even those who hate this new book.


I'll be at Mark Frost event at The Last Bookstore tomorrow in Los Angeles, buying a signed copy

[ScibenX]

Well, let me tell you this: If, after reviewing her findings on the dossier, Agent TP is STILL put on the case, it is clear that someone doesn't want her to get too close to the truth.

That's for sure! I don't have any evidence for this, but part of me suspects whoever is fabricating/tampering with the dossier wants to implicate or discredit Cole and his team in some way. Maybe I just don't want to believe Gordon could be more involved than he ever let on.

[laughingpinecone]

I'd say Novack/Novak is yet another reference to Vertigo (Kim Novak).

I can picture film-savvy Tamara just flipping a table when she gets to "Madeleine Ferguson" the body double.

Speaking of whom, "Tamara" means "date palm tree" ie basically "the polar opposite of a fir" and I love it so much.

[The Jumping Man]

I can't find it right now, but I liked the reference in the book to the oddness of the Philadelphia bureau chief being in charge of these investigations in the Pacific Northwest. We know the reason (Cole's Blue Rose cases), but it's funny that no one ever questioned this in the original series.

Also, the ostensible reason for the FBI being called in on the Laura Palmer case is that Ronette wandered over the state line (another indication that Twin Peaks has to be in the northeast corner of the state, since there would be no state line in the northwest corner). But in the pilot Cooper is already arriving in Twin Peaks seemingly minutes after this happened. The locals never seem to wonder about this either.