The Risk of Publication

You are a New York-based novelist and have recently completed a novel, your fifth, which is about an African librarian who was killed by an oppressive regime. Although fictional, your story is based on fact -- including extensive research and conversations with the son and daughter of the librarian. Both the story and the characters may be identifiable to some who have followed the news.

The final text, handled by the publisher of your previous books, is now at the printer, and you receive an impassioned call from the son. He begs you not to publish the book, which he has just finished reading in proof, and also asks you to destroy all the copies. He finds no fault with the book as literature, but fears that its heroic portrayal of his mother's political activity will prompt violence against him and his sister by the government. You point out to him that his mother would have wanted the book published, as she was an ardent fighter for freedom of speech. He admits that is true, but adds, "Look what happened to her....Can you blame me for wishing otherwise?" You offer the pair housing in your own home during the publication and public discussion of the book, but he declines, explaining that he does not wish to leave Africa.

You are horrified that there may be reprisals against the son and daughter as a result of your novel. But you also believe that the book's message of the power of free speech is one that must be made, particularly in light of this atmosphere of intimidation.

You call your publisher to discuss the question and find that he is unwilling to stop the run of the book. He also reminds you that the contract will have to be broken if you insist on this course. This puts all your future relations with the publisher, who holds rights to much of your entire published career, on uncertain ground.

The librarian's son has asked you to call him at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning with your answer. What will you tell him?

The Risk of Publication
Mike S. - 06:06pm Jan 20, 2000

My answer is: "You must choose between the death by reprisal that you fear, or leaving Africa. Staying safely in Africa is not an option, because your mother's story will be told, if not this year, then next year. If not by me, then by another journalist. Eventually you will have to choose.

"If you insist on refusing to make this choice now, I will cancel publication. A human life is of greater value than what will be lost, both to me and to society, by my publication. However, by having the courage to choose now, you gain much. You gain the opportunity to leave before another journalist publishes without your knowledge. And you gain the opportunity you have had with this book to have your mother's story told accurately: the story that she died for.

"So its up to you. Choose to flee now. Choose to stay and martyr yourself to your mother's memory. Or choose not to face the situation, in which case the book will not be published and you may have another year or so before you lose all your choices."

The Risk of Publication
kenogodyahoo.com - 06:07pm Jan 20, 2000

We cannot control other people's lives. An offer was made to protect him and its HIS choice to stay in a potentially dangerous place. I would feel bad if anything happened to him but it was HIS choice to stay. Not mine.

Is art dangereos
Douglas Eldertree - 10:03pm Jan 26, 2000

All art work is not dangereos. It is an exspeshion of one self, and I would release art that was dangereos to other people. I am an artest by right,and would do it for the simple fact of freedom of exspeshion. And I would vote agianest anyone who would try to censor me.Our country was founded on truths of our for father's,and freedom of exspreshion is one of those truths.