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I wonder why he did that.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on October 25, 2009 at 2:06 PM
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I'd have said "Son, why did you do this?" and then move from there...
posted by
Straightforward
on October 24, 2009 at 10:06 PM
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Who knows what the publisher said and what situation Verne's heirs were in?
For one hypothesis, Mr Verne had a contract with the company whch he could not complete due to, er, dying, so any penalty clause not foreborn by the author's death would have fallen onto his estate. Maybe Verne Jr was in need of money? Or maybe Pop and Junior just didn't like one another? Or Verne Sr had run away with his Esperanto teacher...
Authors like Frak Herbert, Robert Heinlein and Stephen King (or their families) have released substandard drawer sweepings or pimped for substandard movie treatments when the money was needed. Arguably Norman Maclean's "Young Men and Fire" was sort of that deal, although, despite it containing tentative drafts and notes, it was probably meant as a tribute and is, I think, a fine piece of work taken by itself.
posted by
majroj
on October 24, 2009 at 9:32 PM
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posted by
hardilaziz
on October 24, 2009 at 8:15 PM
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what a shame and that is a great examplehow history gets rewritten and
changed.
posted by
Kabu
on October 24, 2009 at 6:26 PM
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Elinjo - am catching up here in Blogit. Loved your 'Simon & Granny' story...and your info on Denmark, including the limited version on Oprah's program. Have you received an answer to your letter?
posted by
adnohr
on October 24, 2009 at 7:20 AM
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his son should of left it alone if he couldnt improve it
posted by
Lanetay
on October 24, 2009 at 6:43 AM
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Re: As for me, I look for motivation in a situation like this.
From personal experience it is not at all uncommon that Esperanto speakers face have to put up with criticism and ridicule not just from strangers but from family members. I do not know whether Jules Verne faced problems like this, but it would not surprise me. Perhaps I should get hold of his biography, there must be I'm sure.
posted by
elinjo
on October 24, 2009 at 5:44 AM
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As for me, I look for motivation in a situation like this.
Not that a situation like this comes up all that often. Does the one who follows have a clue where the leader was going? Does he follow the marked trail? Or is he motivated by envy or some personal quirk to distort the original idea? I mean, we can't expect perfectsion, no two minds work exactly alike, but deliberate deviation is a whole nother matter. It's not unheard of for a son to want to better the father, or to take him down a peg.
posted by
Pat_B
on October 24, 2009 at 5:37 AM
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Re: Vogue.
In all honesty I do not know whether he left a footnote or not. However what he did was the equivalent of licking off the jam and leaving the bread. Perhaps, I'm just old-fashioned?
posted by
elinjo
on October 24, 2009 at 5:37 AM
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Re: Majroj. What a burden...
This particular heir had time to expunge references to something the father valued, then write the book. IMO it was very disrespectful to the memory of his father and in a way dishonest.
posted by
elinjo
on October 24, 2009 at 5:34 AM
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Too bad that Jules Verne couldn’t finish it himself love. BC-A, Bill’s RJLst
posted by
BC-A
on October 24, 2009 at 5:15 AM
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The son should at least have made a foot note that he had left certain things, such a all references to Esperanto out of his father's manuscript.
posted by
vogue
on October 24, 2009 at 5:04 AM
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What a burden...
To be the surviving spouse or offspring of a literary star and inherit a trunk full of writing the author didn't feel was quite right, or simply ran out of time or incentive to finish.
What does one do?
posted by
majroj
on October 24, 2009 at 4:39 AM
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Hmmm. I have a feeling the father might have been a bit displeased with the son, if he had known. But, I'm not good at second-guessing people.
posted by
TAPS.
on October 24, 2009 at 3:21 AM
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