Roald Dahl’s original works to be preserved in print alongside ‘new edition’; Details here

Puffin, the publisher, has disclosed its plan to publish the "Roald Dahl Classic Collection" in order to preserve the author's timeless works and address concerns regarding the alteration of his books. The collection, which comprises 17 titles, will be released later this year and will feature archive material related to each story by the acclaimed yet polarizing children's writer.

Puffin's newly released Dahl books for young readers, which were reworked to address modern sensitivities will coexist with the upcoming classic collection. The decision to alter Dahl's original texts had caused an uproar, with many expressing their outrage at Puffin's announcement.

Various elements, such as mentions of weight, mental health, violence, gender, and race, have been revised in the new versions of Dahl's books, leading to accusations of "ridiculous censorship" by acclaimed author Sir Salman Rushdie. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized the alterations, citing the Big Friendly Giant's admonition against "gobblefunking" with words.


Following the controversy over the editing of Dahl's books, the Queen Consort, Camilla, seemed to express her views by encouraging writers to remain faithful to their craft. Camilla's first public appearance after recovering from COVID-19 occurred on Thursday, during which she relaunched her literary initiative, The Reading Room, now renamed The Queen's Reading Room, as a charitable organization.

The Roald Dahl Story Company, which manages the book rights, collaborated with Puffin to examine and alter the texts and acknowledged that the events of the last few days have highlighted the immense significance of Roald Dahl's stories to his global fan base. As per the company, the primary concern is to ensure that everyone can continue to enjoy the stories.

The company also mentioned that releasing two versions of the book will enable readers of all ages to explore the stories in their preferred manner.

FAQs:

1. How many copies of Roald Dahl’s book have been sold worldwide?
   Roald Dahl's books have been immensely successful, with over 300 million copies sold worldwide.
2. When did Roald Dahl pass away?
   November 23, 1990.