So I guess, technically, you don't really own that ebook

[High Lord Tolkien]

I bolded the part of the article I found the most offensive to me.

Avatar, have no regrets about holding onto your physical book collection.




https://archive.md/OSLQN#selection-765.0-1093.237



Roald Dahl ebooks ‘force censored versions on readers’ despite backlash
Puffin announces plans to publish a classic collection as it emerges online libraries are being automatically updated with sensitivity changes

The changes made to Roald Dahl’s books had provoked fierce criticism

Owners of Roald Dahl ebooks are having their libraries automatically updated with the new censored versions containing hundreds of changes to language related to weight, mental health, violence, gender and race.

Readers who bought electronic versions of the writer’s books, such as Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, before the controversial updates have discovered their copies have now been changed.


Puffin Books, the company which publishes Dahl novels, updated the electronic novels, in which Augustus Gloop is no longer described as fat or Mrs Twit as fearfully ugly, on devices such as the Amazon Kindle.

Dahl’s biographer Matthew Dennison last night accused the publisher of “strong-arming readers into accepting a new orthodoxy in which Dahl himself has played no part.�

Yesterday Puffin, the children’s division of Penguin Random House, announced it would publish additional classic editions of the stories with the original texts.

It comes following a wave of criticism, including an apparent intervention by the Queen, who called on writers to resist encroachments on their freedom of expression.

Dennison, who wrote the Dahl biography Teller of the Unexpected, said: “For me there’s an irony to the current automatic updating of Dahl’s ebooks.

“Time and again, in his writing for adults as well as children, Dahl championed the bullied against the bullies.

“Yet here we have a kind of cultural assertiveness that strong-arms readers into accepting without alternative - though, happily, not without demur - a new orthodoxy in which Dahl himself has played no part.

“This particular revisionism sits oddly with Dahl’s irrepressibly anarchic outlook, his distinctive combination of mischief and wonder, and, of course, ignores the fact that words, central to a writer’s armoury, are a matter of choice in order to manipulate meaning and conjure effect.�

Puffin and the Roald Dahl Story Company began a review of Dahl’s work in 2020. The Daily Telegraph revealed it led to edits including “old hag� becoming “old crow� in The Witches and “You must be mad, woman� became “you must be out of your mind�.

Miss Trunchbull from Matilda no longer has a ‘great horsey face’ in the updated version

Clarissa Aykroyd, 43, who works in children’s publishing, reported on social media that ebooks she bought before 2020 had been changed.

She told The Times: “It feels Orwellian that we are having the updated versions forced upon us and has made me weary of ebooks.

“I assumed that because the changes to the work were so big that I would be given the option of whether to download it.�

Puffin UK said it had “listened to the debate� as it announced it will publish a classic collection of 17 of his texts.

The publisher added it understood there were “very real questions around how stories can be kept relevant for new generations�.

It said the books will be available alongside the sanitised versions “offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvellous stories.�

Yesterday Robert Hampson, professor emeritus at Royal Holloway, University of London, who is chair of The Joseph Conrad Society, said erasure of the Polish-British novelist from Matilda made “no sense�.

The censored edition of Matilda has removed a reference to Conrad as an author read by the protagonist and replaced him with Jane Austen.
Hampson said current critiques of Conrad originated from a 1975 lecture about his famous novella Heart of Darkness by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, who argued that the author was racist.

The book, published in 1902, follows fictional sailor Charles Marlow and his journey as a river steamboat captain for an ivory trading company.
Hampson told The Times: “In 1975, Chinua Achebe gave a lecture in which he argued that Conrad was a racist.

“I know that some black readers find the text offensive and difficult to read - but this is not universally the case.

“Achebe refuses to accept that Marlow is a fictional character and insists that Marlow’s racist representation of Africans is Conrad’s - rather than what we might expect from a British sea-captain in the 1890s.�

Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children’s Books, said: “We’ve listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl’s books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation.

“As a children’s publisher, our role is to share the magic of stories with children with the greatest thought and care. Roald Dahl’s fantastic books are often the first stories young children will read independently, and taking care for the imaginations and fast-developing minds of young readers is both a privilege and a responsibility.

“We also recognise the importance of keeping Dahl’s classic texts in print. By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl’s magical, marvellous stories.�

[StevieG]

Well that sucks! I must admit I only read your bolder bit - thanks for doing that

[Savor Dam]

I shudder to think of such PC changes being applied to the works of Mark Twain. Or might this even extend to Shakespeare?

[kevinswatch]

I really have been enjoying the convenience of ebooks. But in addition to the revision issue you focus on here, HLT, I've never liked the fact that these digital books one purchases are at the total whim of the seller. It's not like a PDF, something you have a permanent copy of. If Nook or Kindle decides to stop their service for any reason, or takes down a book, or edits it as in your example, then poof, that's it. Pretty lame.

-jay

[SoulBiter]

I have hundreds of e-books but after reading that I may rethink how I purchase books. I guess I should have seen that coming, as part of the digital age, but I had not considered living in a time when anyone would consider a digital revision of books.

[Fist and Faith]

I might have expected Original and PC versions to choose from. Rather surprised we don't have the option in e.

[wayfriend]

Part of the issue here is that the paradigm of e-books is completely different. There is only one "copy" of an e-book that everyone gets to read. When you buy it, you're just adding your name to it.

(Yes, you may download a copy of that e-book to your local e-reader. But that's a temporary copy - a "cached version". You can delete that any time you want to, but since you own it, you can download it again from the one master copy. And you can download the one master copy to other devices. So while you may feel like the book is in your e-reader, in many ways it is not.)

So if someone has the gall to update an e-book, remember there is only one copy of it. So everyone will see that update. People don't have individual copies wherein they can choose to update it or not.

This isn't the first time that this has happened, nor the first time that there has been an uproar.

As for the Roald Dahl controversy, it could have been handled better. But the people who own those books OWN THOSE BOOKS. They can do what they want. Would you want that changed?

And as for the idea of sanitizing childrens' books - there is some merit to the idea, although the execution has left a lot to be desired. Kids are impressionable, and care must be taken with what we impress them with. And "not teaching them anything that makes them feel bad about themselves" cuts in many more directions than just hiding our history of racial oppression. The answer, of course, is obvious - teach the facts of history but also teach them what to take away from it and why it doesn't happen any more. And that goes as much for Huckleberry Finn and Roald Dahl as anything else.

So the question that's left is, do you let kids read these things, from a bygone time with different ideas than today, WITHOUT anyone explaining the larger picture? The owners of Dahls books have taken a safe way, although it raises a lot of other questions.

Sadly, half of the uproar with this here issue about Roald Dahl's books being revised is from people who don't see anything wrong with making fun of kids who are overweight or for promoting bigotry. I don't give a flying how upset THEY are.

[High Lord Tolkien]

Edited:

I just feel like post editing books is just another type of book banning.

[Fist and Faith]

Six people posted before you, wf. Which three don't see anything wrong with making fun of kids who are overweight or for promoting bigotry?

[wayfriend]

Christ, I wasn't talking about anyone at the watch. "here" = This issue here about Roald Dahl, vs the larger issue of children's literature I was discussing in my previous paragraph.

Correct. No one said those things, FF. Why the fuck would I say that they did? Doesn't pass the innocent-mistake test.

What happened to YOU people that you're so hot-fingered to pull the trigger on ME all the time?

I predict you are less concerned about that.

[Savor Dam]

I, too, misunderstood "here" to refer to the thread, rather than the broader media and societal discussion. I reread the thread, found nothing like the attitudes you cited, and didn't comment further.

Glad you offered a clarification.

[High Lord Tolkien]

Part of the issue here is that the paradigm of e-books is completely different. There is only one "copy" of an e-book that everyone gets to read. When you buy it, you're just adding your name to it.

(Yes, you may download a copy of that e-book to your local e-reader. But that's a temporary copy - a "cached version". You can delete that any time you want to, but since you own it, you can download it again from the one master copy. And you can download the one master copy to other devices. So while you may feel like the book is in your e-reader, in many ways it is not.)

So if someone has the gall to update an e-book, remember there is only one copy of it. So everyone will see that update. People don't have individual copies wherein they can choose to update it or not.

I just wonder if people realize that.
I didn't.
I remember reading, a few years ago, about people losing their online video collection because some company changed...I forget.
But it was the same kind of thing.
The company had the legal option to do so in the license or something?

It seems to me that a simple solution would be to make different versions of the books on the back end.
So if I bought "Book ver.1", that's the book I have access to.
The publisher makes revisions and it's called, "Book ver1.1"
And so on.
Give me the choice to buy the new version.

I'm mean, that's a no-brainer as far as making money, imo.
Because you know people are going to want to own all the different versions of something that they like.

People do that now with book covers!



Lord Foul's Bane ver1 Original
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.1 Lena and TC have consensual sex
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.2 Consensual sex and the townspeople are sympathetic to TC's leprosy.
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.3 Consensual sex, the townspeople are now sympathetic to TC's leprosy and "Hellfire" is changed to "Heckfire"

Are we going to see this in our lifetimes?
I would have said no a few years ago but now?

I didn't have a problem with Lucas going back and making changes to his works.
I DID NOT like the fact that her removed the option of purchasing the originals.

[Fist and Faith]

You would certainly think different versions would be the way to go.

Lord Foul's Bane ver1 Original
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.1 Lena and TC have consensual sex
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.2 Consensual sex and the townspeople are sympathetic to TC's leprosy.
Lord Foul's Bane ver1.3 Consensual sex, the townspeople are now sympathetic to TC's leprosy and "Hellfire" is changed to "Heckfire"

Are we going to see this in our lifetimes?
I would have said no a few years ago but now?

Although I can't rule out the possibility, I would hope the difference between your example and the other ones is enough to prevent it from happening to Covenant. Reading stories where evil things are presented as good, or even just acceptable, might make them seem good, or even just acceptable, in the minds of the readers. Particularly impressionable children.

Otoh, nobody - from SRD, to Covenant, to the other characters in TCTC, to any reader - thinks what he did was anything but horror. There is no need to rewrite it due to not wanting readers, particularly impressionable children, coming away thinking it is, or ever was, viewed as anything but horror.

[SerScot]

I will always and forever prefer paper books. They cannot be altered remotely.

[Fist and Faith]

That's exactly what they want you to believe!

[High Lord Tolkien]

That's exactly what they want you to believe!

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Though I don't own any ebooks (the greater share of my shelf-space not even being available in e-format), I've intermittently toyed with the notion that the convenience might be a useful supplement to — not a replacement for — my old-skool collection.

Now in hindsight, I see that the suspicious, late-adoption habits of this retrograde troglodyte are actually advantageous. Color me disappointed but not surprised.

[High Lord Tolkien]

Here's another article discussing two more authors.
Not clear if it's ebook or print though.

Stine says that changes were made to his Goosebump books without his knowledge? Do authors not have control of their own works?

I guess I never thought about that before.
Does a publisher own Donaldson's books and they can do whatever they want?
Or is there a legal contract of some kind?



Flemming supposedly gave the ok for changes to his James Bond books before he died.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politic ... collision/


The author of the famed Goosebumps series has been accused of bowing to “woke culture� after it emerged some of his hit children’s books have been “sanitised�.

Last week, Britain’s Times newspaper revealed some of RL Stine’s books had been “sanitised�, to use more inclusive language and change or omit phrases related to “mental health, weight or ethnicity�.

“Writer’s self-censoring includes changing ‘plump’ to ‘cheerful’ and ‘crazy’ to ‘silly’,� The Times reported.

It came days after the controversy over a publisher’s planned edits to some of Roald Dahl best-known books.

Other media outlets seized on the story, implying Stine was involved in the Goosebumps revisions. But that wasn’t the case, according to the author himself

Responding to outraged fans on social media, Stine has said repeatedly that the reports are wrong.

“This story is false. I have never changed a word in a Goosebumps book,� he said on Tuesday in response to a fan who pleaded with him to leave the books alone.

In another tweet, he insisted that any proposed edits had “never� been shown to him.

The Times did reference several changes to Goosebumps books – but pointed out they were made in 2018, as part of an ebook re-release. Publisher Scholastic has confirmed the older edits.

“For more than 30 years, the Goosebumps series has brought millions of kids to reading through humour with just the right amount of scary,� the statement said, according to Deadline.

“Scholastic takes its responsibility seriously to continue bringing this classic adolescent brand to each new generation. When re-issuing titles several years ago, Scholastic reviewed the text to keep the language current and avoid imagery that could negatively impact a young person’s view of themselves today, with a particular focus on mental health.�
Goosebumps accused of getting the ‘woke’ treatment

Stine has since been embroiled in accusations of being a “sellout� and “woke�. Some even claimed he was “forced� by a “woke mob� to make the changes.

He was also accused of censorship – for changes he never made.

“Hey y’all, @RL_Stine himself is saying REPEATEDLY that he has never changed a single word of a Goosebumps book, calm down with your “Woke� terrified witch hunt good grief,� one person said on Twitter.

Just last month, people were outraged by the decision to alter some of Roald Dahl’s books to make them more inclusive.

Several of Dahl’s books, including Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Matilda, were altered.

A Roald Dahl Story Company spokesperson told The Telegraph that it was “not unusual� to review language written years ago, likening it to updating a book’s cover and page layout.

“Our guiding principle throughout has been to maintain the storylines, characters, and the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text,� they said.

“Any changes made have been small and carefully considered.�

In the past, Dahl has been accused of antisemitism, racism and misogyny.

The late author amended Charlie and the Chocolate Factory himself back in 1973, almost a decade after it was originally published. It followed pressure due to his original description of the Oompa Loompas.

The Dahl proposal brought backlash, notably from the likes of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Queen Consort. Puffin, the publisher, then decided to give people a choice, buy the books as they were written by Dahl, or with the changes.

Shortly after, it was confirmed Ian Fleming’s James Bond books would also be revised by their publisher. The rereleases will be available in April in honour of Casino Royale‘s 70th anniversary.

The rewrites will reportedly focus on Fleming’s descriptions of characters, particularly ethnic minorities.

Prior to his death in 1964, Fleming approved changes to his novels and gave US publishers permission to tone down racial references in Live and Let Die.

[Avatar]

Avatar, have no regrets about holding onto your physical book collection.

I don't. This is not a new issue though, I'm pretty sure we discussed it when Amazon removed copies of various ebooks from customers readers, including (hahaha) a copy of Orwell's 1984.

Yep, digital licensing...the future of non-ownership, along with heated car seat subscriptions. Load of bollocks.

--A

[Fist and Faith]

They got rid of 1984? Seriously?!? My God that's hysterical!!