The article explores the tradition of Christmas ghost stories, tracing their origins to ancient pagan practices and Victorian customs, and provides a list of 10 lesser-known spooky tales by authors like M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood, and Edith Wharton for those seeking chilling holiday reading beyond the usual 'A Christmas Carol.'
Celebrating the 75th birthday of Beverly Cleary's beloved character Henry Huggins, the article highlights the book's impact on readers, its moral dilemmas, and discussions about its portrayal of Native American stereotypes, emphasizing its enduring influence and the importance of critical reading.
Tom Hanks has pledged to boycott any book that is re-written to avoid offending "modern sensitivities," stating that he will decide what he finds offensive. Hanks made the comments during a pre-recorded interview on BBC Radio 4, in which he was asked about the retroactive editing of works by dead authors such as Roald Dahl and Agatha Christie. Publishers have recently hired sensitivity readers to make iconic works "less offensive," including removing words like "fat," "mad," and "old hag." Hanks argued that readers should have faith in their own sensibilities and not have someone else decide what they may or may not be offended by.
Publisher HarperCollins has edited some passages and removed others from its new digital editions of Agatha Christie's detective mysteries featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple to remove racist references and other language considered offensive to modern audiences. Changes include removing references to a character's Jewish identity and replacing the word "native" with "local." The move follows similar revisions made to Roald Dahl's classic children's books, which divided fans.