Once the August 6th Wall Street Journal opinion piece told everyone that Random House cancelled "The Jewel of Medina" out of fear of Muslim reprisals, a lot of people have had a lot to say about it.

My view, with links to stories, is here: "Random Cowardice." http://jockstewart.typepad.com/writers_notebook/2008/08/random-corwardi.html

What's your take on the controversy?

Malcolm

When a publisher eventually does pick up this book, it will be a best seller in the making. Makes you wonder if this is a ploy to boost interest before the book comes out.

Or am I being too cynical?

Cynical? You?

Random House has many things to consider, including employee safety. Without reading the book it is hard to form an opinion. Rushdie can be quite insulting so there may be more to the story than we know.

Rushdie is a jerk who owes millions to publicity rather than ability.

The idea that a muslim threat could be played up... or even fabricated is a pretty good possibility, I'd say.

My guess is that it will become a best seller.

I thought about the PR aspects of the controversy as well, Shelagh. Perhaps we're both too cynical.



Malcolm

I'm trying to think of a way to provoke a hostile reaction from the press to the anthology. Maybe I should put in the blurb that one of the stories is by a mad, octogenarian Irishman suspected of close links with the IRA splinter group, HRUS.

That's good, Shalagh!

Any idea what HRUS stands for? Acronym finder couldn't find it!

Hamsters r us.

I like that. I'm sure Sophie will too if she decides to wake up today so I can tell her about HRUS.

There certainly aren't very many books that suffer negatively from bad publicity.

Maybe we should give Sophie a little more exposure, and get her to write the forward...or the cover blurb? Could be our little secret.

That's a good one, Shelagh.
Dick, do you think you could get Sopie on "America's Funniest People and Pets"? She could go streaking!

Zada,
Sophia may want you to accompany her in her streaking event.

Zada,
Abe may want you to acompany Sophie in her streaking event (watch out for the splinters).

As it takes Sophie at least five minutes to come down from her fourth-floor nest to her water bottle on the first floor, I don't believe she could be convinced that streaking is a good idea.