Censorship or rewriting ?

Galaxy

Crikey I think that makes it even worse if possible.

Sorry, what makes it even worse?

The marketing aspect? If so, I disagree. That just means that they have realised that sales are falling and the reason is that parents don’t like the terminology (I surmise). If a Big Brother type were looming over us all deciding what we can and can’t say, that would be much worse, IMO.

I many have misunderstood your post though - apologies if so.

No you havent really misunderstood it's the money aspect that makes me uneasy. I don't really think it's big brother and I think it's being used of course by the Tories but I dont like handing over speech to nameless people who for all we know could be racist misogynistic etc.

Yes Galaxy, it’s a difficult balance, I agree. I still think that responding to marketing trends is preferable to dictatorship from politicians though. At least that reflects public opinion up to a point, although of course there is a danger that it will begin to drive it.

It's a pain in the neck because you end up fighting the corner of unpleasant people, I cant stand whatshisface who heads up the free speech union but I ended up cancelling PayPal on his behalf🤦‍♀️

Galaxy

The free speech union

Ha!
I’m guessing ‘the muppet’ involved is Toby Young?

I was right! Do I get a sticker?

You get a sticker and a longer playtime, I get to remind myself to stop repeating myself about Toby Young.

Galaxy Toby Young appeared on Celebrity Come Dine With Me (a firm favourite chez Cornforth).
It was quite a revelation.
He was really quiet; a bit of a nervous wreck; and totally dependent on his wife, even though she wasn’t taking part.

Oh I might look out for that. I probably am not that surprised.
To be fair he has offered support to people who have been in trouble for gender critical beliefs so that's a good thing. Anyway I am derailing!

The publisher of Roald Dahl has announced that it will produce uncensored versions of his stories following a backlash over changes to his work.
Common sense prevails?
Puffin UK said it will be releasing "The Roald Dahl Classic Collection", to keep the author’s "classic texts in print “

The publisher said it had "listened to the debate" and understood there were "very real questions around how stories can be kept relevant for new generations “

This has just been announced

'Today the publisher has announced the release of the Roald Dahl Classic Collection 'to keep the author's classic texts in print' claiming they had 'listened to the debate' following criticism of recent editing of his work to remove words such as 'fat'.

Dahl's 17 books, read and loved by tens of millions, will be available later this year and will include archive material relevant to each of the stories by the much-loved children's author.

But these unedited versions will still sit alongside the newly-released Roald Dahl books, which have been controversially rewritten - sparking outrage in Britain'.

Galaxy you’re right, sometimes we end up appearing to support people whose wider life philosophies and beliefs are the opposite of ours

*Maw8 - sorry for crossed post

I bet they haven't kept the VERY original texts that were altered in the 1970's that were openly and aggressively racist!

But it will be interesting as to what people buy, and who buys them. Ie people/libraries buying for children now as opposed to "collectables".

Ultimately, the publishers sell books for profit, not ideology, undoubtedly they are making decisions based on selling both versions.

I remember the fuss over Enid Blyton's Noddy books, which were at one time deemed unsuitable for children because of Noddy and Big Ears sharing a bed. I like many of my generation were brought up reading these books and we thought nothing of it. I have never bought Ronald’s books, I found him a bit creepy, but my granddaughter absolutely loved them. As a child I was quite skinny but not a problem now. Was told so to, unfortunately, I could be called a bit fat because I over indulge.

Do you know, I never heard Noddy and Big Ears sharing a bed to be a problem

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

I remember the Big Ears and Noddy farce. The books were
aimed at very young children who would not have known about gay relationships and probably would have cared less.
This how ridiculous things can get.

We were a bit later Wyllow with gollywogs, Robinson’s jAm let you collect them . We knew racism was wrong though as we lived in Padgate in the late 50’s. There was a US airforce base near our house and we saw black US service men. Mum told us they were subject to racism, that’s why yiy never saw them walking with white officers

Iam64 I count myself fortunate to have aware parents.

It had limits tho, I had no concept that people might be gay for ages..but when I did, I was "aware" that "difference" was OK.

I recall so well not buying oranges from SA as they came from an anti-apartheid regime, and the ANC had asked us not to buy.

I appreciate and endorse the distain for the racist aspects of Dahl's literature, but can someone please explain why the "ordinary women" being cashiers or secretaries had to be expunged? Are we really saying that these occupations are shameful? What does that indicate to the thousands of women (they are predominately female roles) who perform these duties on a daily basis? That they are lesser than? Methinks someone went a bit overboard.

A man complained on QT last night that he may be rather fat but he objects to being described as enormous.

He's not alone.

I had a soft toy golliwog as a child in the 50s - I never associated it with a person. To me, it was just a cuddly doll.

And, while Roald Dahl is being cleaned up, our local librarians are busily shoveling actual porn onto the bookshelves and trying to justify its being there as art! We can't hear the funny, descriptive, and, yes, sometimes insulting names in these children's books. But we can spend hours programming our children what to think about sexual experimentation with the same sex, how to get around the doubts of parents and get hormonal treatment and get on the road to a sex change operation. The world is nuts!

Actual porn? In the children’s section? Really?