Post by Claire on Feb 25, 2023 23:07:43 GMT 1
Hi folks just wondering if you have heard about the recent changes to new editions of Roald Dahl books? Is it just here in the UK or elsewhere too? It sounds like they have been completely butchered to fit in with the ultra P.C/woke/nanny state we are living in now where the main aim of books and films etc seems to be 'not to offend' anyone rather than entertaining them! Apparently references to boys and girls/men and women have been changed to generic children or people, references to 'fat' and the colour 'black' have been changed and all sorts of other massive revisions have been made in order not to offend anyone's sensitivities. Makes the editing of the Monica Edwards series by Armada seem quite tame! Not only have they changed things but they are also trying to insert messages of 'inclusivity' into the text. Here's an example:
“Don’t be foolish,” my grandmother said. “You can’t go round pulling the hair of every lady you meet, even if she is wearing gloves. Just you try it and see what happens.”
Becomes:
“Don’t be foolish,” my grandmother said. “Besides, there are plenty of other reasons why women might wear wigs and there is certainly nothing wrong with that.”
Wondering what people think of such changes? Personally I am against editing books at all, even updating them. I remember the dreadful editorial changes made to some of the Stabenfeldt books written by British authors to make them supposedly easier for American readers to understand but instead ended up creating weird half Brit-half American worlds where dollars were used in the UK and mums became moms! I think this Roald Dahl bowdlerising goes far further and seems to change the whole character of the writing. After all Roald Dahl's books were never meant to be cute or cosy and that was their appeal!
“Don’t be foolish,” my grandmother said. “You can’t go round pulling the hair of every lady you meet, even if she is wearing gloves. Just you try it and see what happens.”
Becomes:
“Don’t be foolish,” my grandmother said. “Besides, there are plenty of other reasons why women might wear wigs and there is certainly nothing wrong with that.”
Wondering what people think of such changes? Personally I am against editing books at all, even updating them. I remember the dreadful editorial changes made to some of the Stabenfeldt books written by British authors to make them supposedly easier for American readers to understand but instead ended up creating weird half Brit-half American worlds where dollars were used in the UK and mums became moms! I think this Roald Dahl bowdlerising goes far further and seems to change the whole character of the writing. After all Roald Dahl's books were never meant to be cute or cosy and that was their appeal!