The Dahl Affair

[icowden]

Just wondered what people thought of the latest talking point?

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/20/roald-dahl-books-editing-philip-pullman

Should Dahl's books be edited to remove the word "fat" or "white as a sheet", or is it a step too far?
I have seen the argument advanced that books are re-edited all the time (see Shakespeare). But is this necessary and appropriate?

I've also seen a few suggestions that they should start with the bilge that David Walliams produces...

 

[AuroraSaab]

In some of the examples I saw there were some I thought were valid and others that seemed pointless. I think there is an argument for editing very obvious negative language out of children's books, like the N word from Mark Twain books, but I'm not sure 'white as a sheet' counts.

Pullman's a bit cheeky suggesting they should stop reprinting Dahl though. He hasn't minded the massive commercial boost his books have gained from being filmed, just like Dahl's work has. Maybe he should stop writing and let other more modern authors have more space in the marketplace.

Not read any Walliams books but they seem very Dahl-esque. Perhaps that's the appeal.

 

[Deleted member 28]

More woke bullsh*t which won't help your cause.

 

[winjim]

I do find myself editing books on the fly as I read them to the kids. Usually gender stuff, 'men' for 'people' and things like that. I did once get caught out by a sex scene that I'd forgotten about in a Neil Gaiman book which took a bit of quick thinking to read around.

 

[Deleted member 28]

I do find myself editing books on the fly as I read them to the kids. Usually gender stuff, 'men' for 'people' and things like that. I did once get caught out by a sex scene that I'd forgotten about in a Neil Gaiman book which took a bit of quick thinking to read around.

I hope your kids will be ready for the 'real world' with all protection you're giving them.

If ever one of them ends up on a building site with the Foreman calling them a 'useless cu*t' they'll be running home to pappa in tears!

Oh I forgot, you condone swearing in youngsters (but not referring to such things as Men?) so they'll be proper ready.

 

[AuroraSaab]

Funny how the issue of male being the default isn't given the attention in these re-editings that stuff like 'white as a sheet' is.

I haven't read that many Roald Dahl books. None of my kids seemed that interested in them. I think they are 'of their time' though and it's still possible to enjoy them whilst making kids aware of their shortcomings.

 

[multitool]

I hope your kids will be ready for the 'real world' with all protection you're giving them.

If ever one of them ends up on a building site with the Foreman calling them a 'useless cu*t' they'll be running home to pappa in tears!

You have this bizarre view of what constitutes 'reality', as if the only authentic world is that of the uneducated troglodyte on muddy building sites. At the same time you resent this 'reality', but mock the education that can lift you out of it. It's arcane in its appeal but it really just the usual mixture of vestigial serfdom and lack of ambition.

 

[winjim]

I hope your kids will be ready for the 'real world' with all protection you're giving them.

If ever one of them ends up on a building site with the Foreman calling them a 'useless cu*t' they'll be running home to pappa in tears!

Oh I forgot, you condone swearing in youngsters (but not referring to such things as Men?) so they'll be proper ready.

You want me to read out a fairly suggestive sex scene to a five year old just in case she ever gets a job on a building site?

 

[Deleted member 28]

You want me to read out a fairly suggestive sex scene to a five year old just in case she ever gets a job on a building site?

No, the boll*x about changing men to 'people' and who knows what else you 'protect' them from.

Why you reading a book with a sex scene in it to 5 year old anyway?

The building site was metaphorical obviously as we all know birds a crap at laying bricks.

 

[theclaud]

More woke bullsh*t which won't help your cause.

Whose cause? What cause?

 

[winjim]

Why you reading a book with a sex scene in it to 5 year old anyway?

Because Neil Gaiman.

 

[Deleted member 28]

You have this bizarre view of what constitutes 'reality', as if the only authentic world is that of the uneducated troglodyte on muddy building sites. At the same time you resent this 'reality', but mock the education that can lift you out of it. It's arcane in its appeal but it really just the usua mixture of vestigial serfdom and lack of ambition.

I doubt you even have a clue what constitutes as reality in my world so I'll educate you shall I.

People get called names and are mocked for their appearance so get used to it, we can't ALL be winners so kids need to learn how to 'lose' at school rather than 'just taking part', sometimes men ARE better at doing things than women even though this doesn't make them better people so understand this, lots of people WILL think you're a freak if you dress up like a black rubber dildo and want to be referred to as 'them' so be warned.

For your information I've very rarely worked on a building site, have gained enough of an education to live a comfortable life that I won't need 'lifting out of' any time soon, all this whilst still being able to call a spade a spade and have a laugh at you pathetic lefty lot.

 

[Deleted member 28]

Whose cause? What cause?

I assume all this highlighting of the latest wokey issues such as re writing kids books etc is to get more people to 'see the light' so to speak?

 

[AndyRM]

A few years ago there was a suggestion Looney Tunes (or possibly Hannah Barbera, it doesn't matter) should have 'problematic' language removed from newly released box sets.

What they did instead was have a disclaimer at the start to emphasise that these works were of their time and should be viewed as such. Personally I think that's a more sensible approach, as it serves an educational purpose rather than pretending it didn't happen, or that language hasn't evolved.

 

[multitool]

I doubt you even have a clue what constitutes as reality in my world so I'll educate you shall I.

People get called names and are mocked for their appearance so get used to it, we can't ALL be winners so kids need to learn how to 'lose' at school rather than 'just taking part', sometimes men ARE better at doing things than women even though this doesn't make them better people so understand this, lots of people WILL think you're a freak if you dress up like a black rubber dildo and want to be referred to as 'them' so be warned.

For your information I've very rarely worked on a building site, have gained enough of an education to live a comfortable life that I won't need 'lifting out of' any time soon, all this whilst still being able to call a spade a spade and have a laugh at you pathetic lefty lot.

Ah, I understand.

It's not so much the question of the world you live in, but the world you think other people inhabit.

It is completely imaginary.

Somewhere along the line you have been extremely gullible.