By now it should be apparent to everyone that it depends on the audience. If you're imitating Twain on board the Delta Queen with a boatload of tourists that includes pre-schoolers you probably don't want to toss the word around. If you're reading a passage in front of Twain scholars at a conference you'd look like an idiot leaving it out or replacing it. It's all those in-between situations that get tough. How about a shameless promotion of a book to which I contributed a chapter that discusses this topic? The book is a collection of essays by various folks, edited by R. Kent Rasmussen, called CRITICAL INSIGHTS: ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. It's due out any second from Salem Press. Alan Gribben has a chapter on his edition of HF that addresses in some depth the issues touched on in the MT Forum. My own chapter chronicles readers' reactions to HF in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries: boys and girls, book reviewers, critics, academics then and now, other writers, black readers, classroom readers, etc. I debunk two famous quotes about the book, and you might also be surprised by the unexpected reactions of some readers. It's an issue that is at least as complicated as the variety of readers of the book, their times and places, and what they bring to the table themselves. BTW, our Forum member from France may be pleased to know that I quote a French reader who wrote Twain to tell him exactly what his wonderful book meant to her. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at: www.macdonnellrarebooks.com -----Original Message----- From: Jon Kerr Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2017 12:26 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Use of the N-word I agree with other posters that it is a very slippery slope once we start to sanitize or otherwise censor language - even for the most benign reasons. Political correctness often incorrectly substitutes style for substance. But I also appreciate Clay's points, especially since my recently described experience with an audio tape of Huck Finn being accidentally heard by others. This forum is not an average audience. We don't always have time to explain the historical context of Clemens' era and language. It certainly can, and does turn off some individuals we want to appreciate his overall message which is timeless. I would at least expect that if Clay or anyone is substituting for Twain's words that they are at least making it very clear to the audience exactly what they are doing, and why. Perhaps it can even be an opportunity to encourage reading the original language and appreciating the history even more. It is somewhat reminiscent of debate over how translations from one language can water down meaning even while broadening the audience able to listen. This is a tough one that deserves more discussion. Jon Kerr On Tue, Jan 3, 2017 at 8:35 PM, Dave Davis <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > If we can tolerate the prescribed reading of a Bible in which God > allows Satan to murder Job's children, just to make a point*, or to > have a couple of bears eat 42 children, again, just to show who's side > He's on, we can surely tolerate -- in context -- the offense to our > eyes from a term which was certainly the one that would have been > uttered by the characters at the time. > > Or we can ditch realism, and authenticity, and Bowlderize a text which > help produce and propagate that very liberalism of spirit which we, of > the enlightened 21st century, are all so concerned to signal to each > other, lest we be mistaken for bigots. > > Sheesh. > > > DDD > > *It's OK. He gave him new children later. To make up for it. > > [re: The Bible] It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and > some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good > morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies. > - MT, Letters from the Earth >