This has been a quiet week for me as I have company from the Midwest. However, I did read an article that I wanted to share with my friends on Sunday Salon.
The first is about the unauthorized sequel to Gone With the Wind called: The Winds of Tara, by Kate Pinotti. This book is unavailable in the US, and when I contacted the publisher and I received a very nice letter back from Jason. The reviews have been excellent on this book, yet you can only buy it in Australia and New Zealand. Here is his response to me:
Dear Donna,
At this point in time, we are restricting sales to Australian and New Zealand residents. We will let you know if this situation changes. There may be other means to source a copy, but we have no direct knowledge or experience of these.
The more U.S citizens who demand The Winds of Tara- there are many - and that stamp their feet (blogs, forums, fantastic reviews from those who have read it, demands from the fans who haven't, etc) and insist this book be available in your country, the more chance the Stephens Mitchell Trust will sit up and take notice, possibly rethinking their stance on authorising this book.
I will place you on our mailing list Donna for any updates that may come up.
You can order this book through abbeys.com.au, however the cost for shipping is high. Being a complete nut about Gone With the Wind, I did order The Winds of Tara. However, I feel this is so unfair. Why should the Stephens Mitchell Trust ban the sale of this book? What are they afraid of? In my humble opinion, they will only gain by creating renewed interest in Gone With the Wind again, as The Winds of Tara is sold in bookstores. Isn't there some agreement that can be worked out?
This incenses me and brings out the librarian passion in me to step up and speak out against book banning and infringing on our rights as Americans. What are your thoughts guys? Should we bombard our bookstores with requests? Any ideas?
This incenses me and brings out the librarian passion in me to step up and speak out against book banning and infringing on our rights as Americans. What are your thoughts guys? Should we bombard our bookstores with requests? Any ideas?
10 comments:
The Avi book I'd give a 3--or maybe a 2.5. Review here: http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2008/06/book-review-beginning-muddle-and-end.html
Winter Wheat was fantastic. I'd give it a 4.5. My review is here: http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2008/05/book-review-winter-wheat.html
Thanks for visiting!
Interesting that books can't be sold here because some greedy, already rich people don't want to allow it for fear someone might make a buck and they won't get fifty cents of it?
.::In response to your comment on my blog::.
Honestly, I thought Slaughterhouse Five was a bit odd. haha. I got the whole concept, I just didn't like the way the author went about writing it. I was confused. Of course, it could be because I was reading it at eleven o'clock the night before I had to have it read (procrastination sucks big time) but even if it was a different day, I don't think I would enjoy it a lot. I guess I'm just not a big classics person. I don't know.
The only classic book I've read and liked was Animal Farm by George Orwell.
To Kill a Mockingbird was okay. The Prince by Machiavelli was just plain out horrible. That has to be the only book that I couldn't finish ever in my life... Romeo and Juliet had... too much drama. haha. The Odyssey was okay... I kind of have mixed feelings about that one... I think that's about all the classics I've had to read for school this year. There may be a few I'm forgetting though. :/
hope.
Way to go Table Talk!
Thanks for coming by to visit my blog! Although it doesn't sound like my cup of tea, that is a shame that the Mitchell Trust is banning its release here in the US. I could somewhat see it is a copyright issue, but it seems more to me like an infringement of freedom of speech!
I first read Gone With the Wind when I was in middle school and I loved it. It was one of the first books I had ever read that was set in Georgia (where I lived until a few years ago). I believe the Trust is probably afraid of another disaster like Scarlett (I liked the abriged audio version though).
We feel so lucky here in Australia, being able to walk into any bookstore or Kmart and purchase The Winds of Tara - there's even some magnificent posters up in a couple of my local bookshops! I wish it the best of success, and sincerely hope the Stephens Mitchell trust see the light, and repair the previous damage done to the GWTW brand (scarlett & RBP), by authorising this book. If you want to know what you are missing, here is an excellent review recently published that gives you an entertaining outline of the story: http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/entertainment/book-review-the-winds-of-tara-katherine-pinotti/967723.aspx
As the author of The Winds of Tara, I wanted to tell you how delighted I was to see the kind remarks, honest critiques, and thank you all very much for your generous support. It has always been my hope to have my book available to interested readers in the states, and my fingers stay crossed that something will soften the resolve of the Mitchell Trust. A big THANK you to Australia! Enjoy!
Katherine Pinotti
Katherine, I am so pleased that you dropped by my blog to chat. What a really nice surprise. Please keep your eye out for my review. I wanted to wait a few weeks so that the book would get another hit of exposure.
Please feel free to contact me on my email
tekeygirl{at}gmail{dot}com
Best.....Wisteria....aka, Donna
As a longtime fan of the original "Gone With the Wind," Katherine Pinotti's book is downright offensive in its unskilled level of writing, its lack of correct historical and social context, its unrelenting misspellings and lack of respect for the original. Before she complains about her book being banned in the U.S. due to copyright laws, she should thanks her lucky stars that she is not being sued by the Mitchell Estate for plagarism. When she is not being incorrect or silly in her writing style, she lifts direct passages out of Mitchell's 1936 novel. If you are a real fan of GWTW, re-read the original and DO NOT waste time or money buying or reading this book. It is not just about money - the Mitchell estate is correct to continue to ban this book in the U.S. Plagarism is against the law - they have a right and an obligation to protect their interests from those who want to make a quick buck off of Margaret Mitchell's story - which is what Pinotti does - without the skill and with little respect for bothersome facts (personal. social, historical, contextual) when they get in the way of her fantasy. While the approved sequels ("Scarlett" and "Rhett Butler's People" have been disappointing, Pinotti's book is an offensive mess. A true sequel worthy of the GWTW characters has yet to be written. This one is not even in the running.
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