A sensitivity reader is someone who reads a literary work, looking for perceived offensive content, stereotypes and bias, creating a report for an author or publisher with suggested changes. [1] [2] The use of sensitivity readers has attracted criticism from some authors and members of the public, particularly with respect to edits to re-editions of previously published works of literature.
Proponents state "the literary quality of a work is substantially improved" when reviewed and copy-edited by others from "a specific Nation or community that the author is writing about". [1] Helen Wicks, managing director for children's trade at Bonnier, defended the practice by stating that "we believe sensitivity reads can play an important role in inclusive, forward-thinking publishing." [3]
From 2015, partly in response to the movement for diversity in young adult fiction, sensitivity readings became popular and influential especially in Young Adult Fiction. [4] [5] Cases where sensitivity readers were brought in after pre-publication controversy included those of Laura Moriarty, whose book American Heart had its prestigious Kirkus Reviews star removed prior to publication in 2017, [6] and Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao. [7] Kosoko Jackson, a sensitivity reader himself, withdrew his own novel A Place for Wolves over sensitivity concerns in 2019. [8]
Following the controversy over the book American Dirt in 2020, debate over the use of sensitivity readers intensified including in the UK. [9] Lionel Shriver [10] accused sensitivity readers of being censorious, of being "new moral gatekeepers" or of offering a way to "cancel-proof your book". [11] [12] Writer Anthony Horowitz [13] wrote about his 'clash' with 'very sensitive' sensitivity readers.
In non-fiction, Kate Clanchy broke with her publisher Picador after controversy surrounding her memoir. In 2022 Clanchy wrote an essay expressing her concerns that her sensitivity readers seemed 'to concur that the past should match an idealised present', and to imply that writing, 'should represent the world as it ought to be, not as it is.' Further, Clanchy stated that the readers did not recognise irony and satire and wished 'to eliminate journeys of thought across chapters, ambiguity from paragraphs, and nuance from sentences'. [14] Clanchy's essay together with others has continued to be discussed internationally in the following years. [15] [16] [17] [18]
The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(May 2024) |
In addition to new works, publishers have also used sensitivity readers to flag content perceived as offensive in previously published works, such as outdated attitudes towards race or gender. Prominent authors subject to such edits include Agatha Christie, [19] [20] [21] PG Wodehouse, [22] Ian Fleming and Roald Dahl.
In 2023, Ian Fleming's James Bond series was re-published with a number of racial slurs and references removed. [23] A disclaimer in each book stated, "This book was written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace. A number of updates have been made in this edition, while keeping as close as possible to the original text and the period in which it is set." [24] [23] Charlie Higson, actor, comedian and author of the first five Young Bond novels, defended the alterations, saying that sensitivity reading is "nothing new". [25]
New editions of Roald Dahl's children's novels published by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Books, changed some of Dahl's language [26] in line with recommendations by sensitivity readers. [27] The decision was met with criticism from groups and public figures including the CEO of PEN America, Salman Rushdie, Brian Cox, Rishi Sunak, and Kemi Badenoch. [28] [29] [30] Consequently, Puffin announced that it would also continue to sell the original, unaltered editions of Roald Dahl's children's novels, under the title The Roald Dahl Classic Collection. [31] [32]
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, was a British author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime"—a moniker which is now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
Roald Dahl was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He has been called "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka.
Sophie Dahl is an English author and former fashion model. Her first novel, The Man with the Dancing Eyes, was published in 2003 followed by Playing With the Grown-ups in 2007. In 2009, she wrote Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights, a cookery book which formed the basis for a six-part BBC Two series named The Delicious Miss Dahl. In 2011, she published her second cookery book From Season to Season. Her first children's book, Madame Badobedah, was released in 2019. She is the daughter of Tessa Dahl and Julian Holloway and the granddaughter of author Roald Dahl, actress Patricia Neal, and actor Stanley Holloway.
The BFG is a 1982 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It is an expansion of a short story from Dahl's 1975 novel Danny, the Champion of the World. The book is dedicated to Dahl's oldest daughter, Olivia, who had died of measles encephalitis at the age of seven in 1962.
Matilda is a 1988 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was published by Jonathan Cape. The story features Matilda Wormwood, a precocious child with an uncaring mother and father, and her time in a school run by the tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull.
The Witches is a 1983 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. A dark fantasy, the story is set partly in Norway and partly in England, and features the experiences of a young English boy and his Norwegian grandmother in a world where child-hating societies of witches secretly exist in every country. The witches are ruled by the vicious and powerful Grand High Witch, who arrives in England to organise her plan to turn all of the children there into mice.
James and the Giant Peach is a children's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The first edition, published by Alfred Knopf, featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. There have been re-illustrated versions of it over the years, done by Michael Simeon, Emma Chichester Clark, Lane Smith and Quentin Blake. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1996 which was directed by Henry Selick, and a musical in 2010.
The Twits is a 1980 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was first published by Jonathan Cape. The story features The Twits, a spiteful, idle, unkempt couple who continuously play nasty practical jokes on each other to amuse themselves, and exercise their devious wickedness on their pet monkeys.
George's Marvellous Medicine is a children's novel written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. First published by Jonathan Cape in 1981, it features George Kranky, an eight-year-old boy who concocts his own miracle elixir to replace his tyrannical grandmother's regular prescription medicine.
Esio Trot is a 1990 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The title is an anadrome of "tortoise". It was the last of Dahl's books to be published in his lifetime; he died just two months later.
Puffin Books is a longstanding children's imprint of the British publishers Penguin Books. Since the 1960s, it has been among the largest publishers of children's books in the UK and much of the English-speaking world. The imprint now belongs to Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann.
The Enormous Crocodile is a British children's story, written by British author Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. A picture book written for younger readers than Dahl's other works, the story tells of a hungry crocodile who aims to eat human children via using various, not-quite-impenetrable disguises.
Fantastic Mr Fox is a children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl. It was published in 1970, by George Allen & Unwin in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S., with illustrations by Donald Chaffin. The first Puffin paperback, first issued in 1974, featured illustrations by Jill Bennett. Later editions have featured illustrations by Tony Ross (1988) and Quentin Blake (1996). The story is about Mr Fox and how he outwits his farmer neighbours to steal their food from right under their noses.
An expurgation of a work, also known as a bowdlerization, fig-leaf edition or censorship by political correctness is a form of censorship that involves purging anything deemed noxious or offensive from an artistic work or other type of writing or media.
Kate Clanchy MBE is a British poet, freelance writer and teacher.
April Henry is an American New York Times bestselling author of mysteries, thrillers, and young adult novels.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a media franchise based on the 1964 novel of the same name by British author Roald Dahl. It includes two novels, three live-action theatrical films, three video games and miscellaneous other properties, such as touring musicals and theatrical adaptations, various merchandise and defunct amusement park ride.
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, or simply Matilda the Musical, or Matilda, is a 2022 fantasy musical film directed by Matthew Warchus from a screenplay by Dennis Kelly, based on the stage musical of the same name by Tim Minchin and Kelly, which in turn was based on the 1988 novel Matilda by Roald Dahl. The second film adaptation of the novel, following Matilda (1996), it stars Alisha Weir as the title character, alongside Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, and Emma Thompson. In the plot, Matilda Wormwood (Weir), neglected and mistreated by her parents, develops psychokinetic abilities to deal with the injustices of life, as well as Miss Trunchbull (Thompson), the ruthless and cruel headmistress of Crunchem Hall School.
Puffin Books, the children's imprint of the British publisher Penguin Books, expurgated various works by British author Roald Dahl in 2023, sparking controversy.
In short, sensitivity readers are hired by publishing houses to read for offensive content, misrepresentation, stereotypes, bias and lack of understanding of minority groups.
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the company that owns the literary rights to the author's work, commissioned a review by sensitivity readers of the classic texts under its control.