The Economist is reporting today (02/25/23) that Puffin will continue publishing the "classic" versions of Roald Dahl's books alongside the Bowdlerized versions. Let the readers decide.
It is interesting that the company behind turning the inclusionist ninnies loose on Dahl was Netflix. Maybe those warning people to get hard copies in their possession of the books, music, and movies they like aren’t so paranoid after all. This sort of thing certainly supports those opinions.
This is so wrong Charlie. To change the copyrighted words of an author is absolutely wrong. Those are his words, not some annoying person in the PTA who personally finds something that upsets them. then dont read it. what are they going to do with Huckleberrry Finn and Dickens. When you read classics, you are reading from that era and societal norms.
I am quite disgusted. Leave old authors alone. Roald love using alliterations in his books and poems should never be changed. what is wrong with these people? I bet they dont even read.
My husband and I feel this bastardizing of Ronald Dahl is beyond stupid, rather it is a Crime Against Humanity. Reading a book is one thing each person decides for himself. If a person doesn’t like the contents, don’t read it. For goodness sake’s please don’t wreck it for the millions who have enjoyed it.
Enough already. The Ronald Dahl discussion is ultimately about stupidly greedy or flat broke heirs to his work, and the publishers who made boatloads of money off his work, and hope to make even more. I hate that.
I also hate the comments that are about Dahl and what he said or who he was- it doesn’t matter. He wrote what he wrote- a lot of people loved it, a lot of people disliked it, and that doesn’t matter. It was HIS WORK. Not his life. Just the stories he wrote. The same can be said of JK Rowling. Or Mark Twain. Or Georgette Heyer. Or Robert Heinlein. Or Dorothy Sayers. And you all know how long this list could get….Poe, Shakespeare, Homer…. I mean, seriously?
I am an epically failed English major, not because I didn’t do well, but because I never saw the point in dissecting the lives they led, only in reading the words they wrote, and making them part of my life. My parents (bless them) never limited what I read, and explained or made me research what I did not understand. There were times when knowing what the author went through in their own lives became relevant to me, but my primary focus was what they said to me, personally, in their very own story, written to delight me in one way or another or to pay the bills.. I revel in the written word. I usually do not give a damn how they achieved that particular plot or character or phrase - I just know how I feel about it, think about it, explore their time, laugh at things that happened 100 years ago, that are still funny today.
The words of the author totally matter -love them or reject them or pass them by. Make them available to others who will do the same- but don’t change their words.
Write your own damn words if you don’t like what’s on offer. Stories are the best things humans have-
Thanks as always. I'm one of those lefties who may have had the thought cross my mind that any criticism of the left is unfounded and in bad faith and then someone somewhere does THAT!
All I can say is, hope that, this is a small exception that is getting so much pushback the like won't be seen much in the near future. In fact I'm guessing the original Dahl texts (or a version of them) will be restored and available in short order and there will be some kind of correctives, mostly unreported, for the kind of thing Lloyd talks about.
The problem is this only adds fuel to the "left is crazy" narrative and really, I kid you not, NO ONE I talk to thinks this is a good idea. I feel this is some small minority of "stake-holders" who do this thinking it will pass quietly without comment. The publishers are clearly in some weird over-compensating bubble from 2012. The good news is the pendulum swings back towards a more sane medium, usually, again and again and again.
Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping me on my toes. Who would have thought a bunch of former Republicans would be giving me the best reporting on politics in the post-Trump era? Cheers.
Reporters should try talking to the parents and grandparents who are reading these books to their kids. Some of the language and word use is not what kids use in their classrooms. It is regarded as mean to call someone fat. It is unkind. Why would it still be in a book you read to a kid? But there is still much kids love in the books. I felt uncomfortable with some of the Roald Dahl books I read to my grandchildren. Even they were able to point out situations and language that isn’t.OK.
I think it’s just fine to give them an update that makes it all more normal for the kids and I don’t have to explain , yet again, that such and such used to be said but it is hurtful to people so now we don’t.
A publishing company edits an IP they own to keep chasing cash, and we're informed that this capitalist enterprise constitutes a woke mob gone mad. Meanwhile, said publishing company manages to completely avoid any outrage over their naked cash grab by raising the spectre of the woke mob.
I was pretty upset, but having seen how well it worked to completely derail any discussion of the actual issue (that our commercial culture butchers art in the name of worshipping the god of copper cash) in favor of more bromides about the woke Left, all I can do is shake my head in amazement. It's impressive. Horrifying, but impressive.
Dahl seems to have taken over the comments. Think the "editors" are dumb - Yup. Is it important in the grand scheme of things - no, a private company can do whatever it it wants as long as it doesn't break the law. Lost in everything is MTG calling for the impeachment of Biden for going to Kiev, and having a good chunk of RW agreeing with her, including apparently good 'ole Tucker. Just curious - has anyone traced monies going to Greene, McCarthy, Boebart and the rest of the election deniers from Putin?
Sweet Jesus, I wish you could all have heard the exchange I had at work today regarding Ukraine, Biden, and our economic support there. Good on Biden for going to Kyiv.
From "Anti-Racist Hell": "In the language of the anti-racism workshop, a harm becomes anything that makes you feel not quite right." I didn't think wokeness could be too extreme, but thanks for opening my far-left eyes: This sounds like something DeSantis has said. I hope Vincent Lloyd, the professor, or someone else was able to point this out to the students in this seminar.
Whatever happened to the old poem - sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt. Talk about snow flakes - when I read about college students demanding that right-wing speakers be banned from their colleges as speakers I become enraged. How do you learn about ideas that are opposed to your ideas? What makes these students think their views are so correct that any opposition should be banned?
I have learned many things from listening to those I oppose - if nothing else, I have developed ideas on how to counter their arguments. Censorship in all forms is wrong.
Somehow we must wake up these sensitive individuals to the reality that world doesn't care about their feelings.
The Economist is reporting today (02/25/23) that Puffin will continue publishing the "classic" versions of Roald Dahl's books alongside the Bowdlerized versions. Let the readers decide.
https://www.economist.com/the-world-in-brief
It is interesting that the company behind turning the inclusionist ninnies loose on Dahl was Netflix. Maybe those warning people to get hard copies in their possession of the books, music, and movies they like aren’t so paranoid after all. This sort of thing certainly supports those opinions.
Roald Dahl’s books being altered by a company with the rights to do it doesn’t deserve the culture war outrage it has received.
You are so right (pardon the expression). They rely on a dumbed down citizenry.
This is so wrong Charlie. To change the copyrighted words of an author is absolutely wrong. Those are his words, not some annoying person in the PTA who personally finds something that upsets them. then dont read it. what are they going to do with Huckleberrry Finn and Dickens. When you read classics, you are reading from that era and societal norms.
I am quite disgusted. Leave old authors alone. Roald love using alliterations in his books and poems should never be changed. what is wrong with these people? I bet they dont even read.
My husband and I feel this bastardizing of Ronald Dahl is beyond stupid, rather it is a Crime Against Humanity. Reading a book is one thing each person decides for himself. If a person doesn’t like the contents, don’t read it. For goodness sake’s please don’t wreck it for the millions who have enjoyed it.
SallyJones
Enough already. The Ronald Dahl discussion is ultimately about stupidly greedy or flat broke heirs to his work, and the publishers who made boatloads of money off his work, and hope to make even more. I hate that.
I also hate the comments that are about Dahl and what he said or who he was- it doesn’t matter. He wrote what he wrote- a lot of people loved it, a lot of people disliked it, and that doesn’t matter. It was HIS WORK. Not his life. Just the stories he wrote. The same can be said of JK Rowling. Or Mark Twain. Or Georgette Heyer. Or Robert Heinlein. Or Dorothy Sayers. And you all know how long this list could get….Poe, Shakespeare, Homer…. I mean, seriously?
I am an epically failed English major, not because I didn’t do well, but because I never saw the point in dissecting the lives they led, only in reading the words they wrote, and making them part of my life. My parents (bless them) never limited what I read, and explained or made me research what I did not understand. There were times when knowing what the author went through in their own lives became relevant to me, but my primary focus was what they said to me, personally, in their very own story, written to delight me in one way or another or to pay the bills.. I revel in the written word. I usually do not give a damn how they achieved that particular plot or character or phrase - I just know how I feel about it, think about it, explore their time, laugh at things that happened 100 years ago, that are still funny today.
The words of the author totally matter -love them or reject them or pass them by. Make them available to others who will do the same- but don’t change their words.
Write your own damn words if you don’t like what’s on offer. Stories are the best things humans have-
Hi, Charlie,
Thanks as always. I'm one of those lefties who may have had the thought cross my mind that any criticism of the left is unfounded and in bad faith and then someone somewhere does THAT!
All I can say is, hope that, this is a small exception that is getting so much pushback the like won't be seen much in the near future. In fact I'm guessing the original Dahl texts (or a version of them) will be restored and available in short order and there will be some kind of correctives, mostly unreported, for the kind of thing Lloyd talks about.
The problem is this only adds fuel to the "left is crazy" narrative and really, I kid you not, NO ONE I talk to thinks this is a good idea. I feel this is some small minority of "stake-holders" who do this thinking it will pass quietly without comment. The publishers are clearly in some weird over-compensating bubble from 2012. The good news is the pendulum swings back towards a more sane medium, usually, again and again and again.
Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping me on my toes. Who would have thought a bunch of former Republicans would be giving me the best reporting on politics in the post-Trump era? Cheers.
Charlie, please, please, please dedicate a column or podcast to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election.
Reporters should try talking to the parents and grandparents who are reading these books to their kids. Some of the language and word use is not what kids use in their classrooms. It is regarded as mean to call someone fat. It is unkind. Why would it still be in a book you read to a kid? But there is still much kids love in the books. I felt uncomfortable with some of the Roald Dahl books I read to my grandchildren. Even they were able to point out situations and language that isn’t.OK.
I think it’s just fine to give them an update that makes it all more normal for the kids and I don’t have to explain , yet again, that such and such used to be said but it is hurtful to people so now we don’t.
Tempest in a tea pot.
A publishing company edits an IP they own to keep chasing cash, and we're informed that this capitalist enterprise constitutes a woke mob gone mad. Meanwhile, said publishing company manages to completely avoid any outrage over their naked cash grab by raising the spectre of the woke mob.
I was pretty upset, but having seen how well it worked to completely derail any discussion of the actual issue (that our commercial culture butchers art in the name of worshipping the god of copper cash) in favor of more bromides about the woke Left, all I can do is shake my head in amazement. It's impressive. Horrifying, but impressive.
I think it is Austin Powers.
Dahl seems to have taken over the comments. Think the "editors" are dumb - Yup. Is it important in the grand scheme of things - no, a private company can do whatever it it wants as long as it doesn't break the law. Lost in everything is MTG calling for the impeachment of Biden for going to Kiev, and having a good chunk of RW agreeing with her, including apparently good 'ole Tucker. Just curious - has anyone traced monies going to Greene, McCarthy, Boebart and the rest of the election deniers from Putin?
Sweet Jesus, I wish you could all have heard the exchange I had at work today regarding Ukraine, Biden, and our economic support there. Good on Biden for going to Kyiv.
From "Anti-Racist Hell": "In the language of the anti-racism workshop, a harm becomes anything that makes you feel not quite right." I didn't think wokeness could be too extreme, but thanks for opening my far-left eyes: This sounds like something DeSantis has said. I hope Vincent Lloyd, the professor, or someone else was able to point this out to the students in this seminar.
Whatever happened to the old poem - sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt. Talk about snow flakes - when I read about college students demanding that right-wing speakers be banned from their colleges as speakers I become enraged. How do you learn about ideas that are opposed to your ideas? What makes these students think their views are so correct that any opposition should be banned?
I have learned many things from listening to those I oppose - if nothing else, I have developed ideas on how to counter their arguments. Censorship in all forms is wrong.
Somehow we must wake up these sensitive individuals to the reality that world doesn't care about their feelings.