From: Ruth I Gordon <druthgo>
Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 19:20:16 -0800

Does anyone recall when Christopher F. (then of Dutton) put Bjarne Reuter's second "Buster" on E-mail because (1) the cost of its production in U.S. and (2) the repayment in sales were (1) too high and (2) too low?

I do, because the "Buster" books were so kindly and funny--much needed--but publishing is, after all, a bottom line business. (Notice how I have avoided saying anything about "bottom feeders"?)

We have had some superb Batchelders and some really weak ones. However, I am happy to have been party to some excellent discussions in a Batch. comm. On the other paw, when I served, I found it expensive and difficult to purchase books that had been translated in their original languages. Then again, how should we judge translations? I have many thoughts on this because translation is tricky: a smirk in Italian may be tranaslated as a smile in English; a torture in German.. (well, enough about German, it's too often a torture to read).

Dottoressa Ruth

"You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Sat 27 Mar 2004 09:20:16 PM CST