It’s a shame when parents take interest in their kids’ work, isn’t it?
Wait…what?
I came across this article about Robert Grandt, a librarian fined for promoting a book his daughter helped create. Apparently it is his job to display and recommend great new books. This one, a manga version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he touted as a great resource not only for fun but also in terms of art and re-packaging the classics to stir up interest in those who might have otherwise ignored them.
While I do think it’s more than a bit extreme to say “Best Book Ever Written,” I do not agree with the decision to reprimand him for displaying it. Especially since the claim that his daughter would receive royalties from the promotion is false. Grandt gave copies away for free to those who showed interest.
It’s pretty sad when a father can’t say “Hey, look what my daughter did!” in public.
Could the Weird Sisters have predicted this story?
Strangely enough, Bart and I were discussing Macbeth at the opera the other night. Yes, we made sure to refer to it as "The Scottish Play."
Now, altering Shakespeare into a sophisticated comic book…that’s a separate issue altogether!
(The last statement is made in complete jest!)
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1 comment:
It's actually too bad he didn't say, "Hey, look what my daughter did!" Not mentioning that she wrote the book should have smacked to him of an ethical gray area.
While I do think he should have aimed for full disclosure, I also shake my head at the ridiculously overblown punishments he incurred. I am sure the powers-that-be were just worried about setting a precedent (if they let him "get away" with this, does it open the door for someone in the future to receive compensation for promoting other books?). But, wouldn't telling him to cease and desist have been enough?
Oh well- good news for the daughter. It doesn't matter what they say about you, so long as they spell your name right. She should enjoy benefits from this free publicity. (I would check out the book now that I know about it!)
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