I doubt very much that David Marcus was
paid anything by ASR to write that book, if that is what anyone is implying. But there are other ways to "buy" someone's sympathetic outlook than something so blatant.
There is the camaraderie of guys who are of similar age and who have been through some similar life experiences, and who might genuinely share some outlooks or preferences, e.g., sports, women, religious or cultural upbringing, same alma mater (prep school, college), being a parent, spicy food, etc. etc. etc. A wheeler-dealer like Bentz instinctively knows just how to exploit that.
It is the natural inclination of people to want to believe someone is "good" when they get along with them well. Particularly when there are things in common. Particularly when there are seemingly impressive stats. Particularly when there are other stakes impelling the "impressee" to believe in the "impressor." Like having a kid who has a serious drug problem.
I think Marcus got a fair share of Bentz witchcraft dumped on him, but his life experience was probably too broad for him to have dived in too deep. Perhaps his kids were too young at the time. TheWho, on the other hand, was a prime Jersey cow ready for the milking. It was an experience more "expensive" than any of you can imagine.
As to stats about Dave Marcus: In one source he states that it took him 5 years to write
What It Takes To Pull Me Through, in another he states 4. Let's call it 4.5 years. He also wrote that in the final year of writing, he was teaching at Deerfield Academy (a good ol' prep school) during the school year 2003-2004. The book came out in 2005. From his "
unofficial biography" page:
US News & World Report to return to his original beat, education. Then, with his family in tow, he boldly walked away from his paycheck and benefits and moved to a bucolic region of New England that has no jobs. He had an idea for a little book that involved following a group of so-called "troubled teenagers" as they went through a therapeutic program. Displaying an uncanny ability to spend money without actually earning it, Marcus stretched his simple project into a five-year undertaking.[/list]