Comments for Benjamin Lefebvre http://roomofbensown.net Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:51:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted on CBC’s “Year in Books” by Benjamin http://roomofbensown.net/2009/12/the-blythes-are-quoted-on-cbcs-year-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-3530 Benjamin Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:51:39 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=736#comment-3530 Thanks, Sean! Yes, it's easy to forget the role that the market plays with LMM, since her work has been around so long, but she did write for a market, after all: not only her twenty novels but more than one thousand periodical pieces over a fifty-year period, from 1890 to 1940. Thanks, Sean! Yes, it’s easy to forget the role that the market plays with LMM, since her work has been around so long, but she did write for a market, after all: not only her twenty novels but more than one thousand periodical pieces over a fifty-year period, from 1890 to 1940.

]]> Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted on CBC’s “Year in Books” by Sean Somers http://roomofbensown.net/2009/12/the-blythes-are-quoted-on-cbcs-year-in-books/comment-page-1/#comment-3446 Sean Somers Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:19:27 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=736#comment-3446 Excellent interview -- fascinated to hear that even an author of LMM's stature was competing against capricious market demands. Also appreciated your views on the sad, sagging 'suicide' debate. Excellent interview — fascinated to hear that even an author of LMM’s stature was competing against capricious market demands. Also appreciated your views on the sad, sagging ’suicide’ debate.

]]> Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted Now Available by Benjamin http://roomofbensown.net/2009/10/the-blythes-are-quoted-now-available/comment-page-1/#comment-2672 Benjamin Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:31:26 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=583#comment-2672 We debated about all this--it's an unusual book, of course, and as an editor you really hesitate to fiddle too much with a book when the author's no longer alive. In the end it was a mutual decision to let Montgomery's text speak for itself, which is why those errors were left and why the "Note on the Text" follows rather than precedes Montgomery's book. Look forward to hearing more of your impressions. We debated about all this–it’s an unusual book, of course, and as an editor you really hesitate to fiddle too much with a book when the author’s no longer alive. In the end it was a mutual decision to let Montgomery’s text speak for itself, which is why those errors were left and why the “Note on the Text” follows rather than precedes Montgomery’s book.

Look forward to hearing more of your impressions.

]]> Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted Now Available by Wendy http://roomofbensown.net/2009/10/the-blythes-are-quoted-now-available/comment-page-1/#comment-2631 Wendy Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:19:03 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=583#comment-2631 Benjamin, thanks so much for the quick response. I just looked at the Notes on the Text and was glad to see that instances where I thought I must have been remembering wrong were also just errors (because I'm that vain, I guess). I'm intrigued by the choice you made, which I'm guessing was a challenge. I know some of my friends who are extreme sticklers for accuracy will want to know about the errors before they read... I expect to post about the book on my blog sometime in the next few weeks. Benjamin, thanks so much for the quick response. I just looked at the Notes on the Text and was glad to see that instances where I thought I must have been remembering wrong were also just errors (because I’m that vain, I guess). I’m intrigued by the choice you made, which I’m guessing was a challenge. I know some of my friends who are extreme sticklers for accuracy will want to know about the errors before they read… I expect to post about the book on my blog sometime in the next few weeks.

]]> Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted Now Available by Benjamin http://roomofbensown.net/2009/10/the-blythes-are-quoted-now-available/comment-page-1/#comment-2622 Benjamin Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:34:50 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=583#comment-2622 Hi Wendy, Yes, both these oversights are Montgomery's, and there are several more. As I mention in the afterword and in the "Note on the Text," I standardized Montgomery's spelling, punctuation, and hyphenation to make the text more readable (the typescript contains lots of variants in terms of British/American spellings, ellipses, missing words, and the like), but I deliberately did not correct substantive errors in the text, including the ones that you mention, all of which appear in all three versions of the book in typescript form. Ultimately, what you are reading is a version of the text that is as close as possible to the typescript Montgomery finished and submitted to her publishers, with her mistakes and oversights left intact. Glad you're enjoying the book--look forward to reading further impressions. Best wishes, Benjamin Hi Wendy,

Yes, both these oversights are Montgomery’s, and there are several more. As I mention in the afterword and in the “Note on the Text,” I standardized Montgomery’s spelling, punctuation, and hyphenation to make the text more readable (the typescript contains lots of variants in terms of British/American spellings, ellipses, missing words, and the like), but I deliberately did not correct substantive errors in the text, including the ones that you mention, all of which appear in all three versions of the book in typescript form. Ultimately, what you are reading is a version of the text that is as close as possible to the typescript Montgomery finished and submitted to her publishers, with her mistakes and oversights left intact.

Glad you’re enjoying the book–look forward to reading further impressions.

Best wishes,

Benjamin

]]> Comment on The Blythes Are Quoted Now Available by Wendy http://roomofbensown.net/2009/10/the-blythes-are-quoted-now-available/comment-page-1/#comment-2609 Wendy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:52:25 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=583#comment-2609 So, Ben, I'm about a third of the way through and have a question that's going to come off as overly critical, but really, it's just a question: I've noticed two errors so far (at least, they're errors IMHO). How much copyediting did you do? Did you decide to present the text exactly as LMM turned it in, or is it, um, more of an oversight? (Errors: reference to Charlie Pye, which, while possible, I think was meant to be Charlie Sloane; reference to kids acting out death of Edith Cavell, which didn't happen until WWI, not when Nan and Di were children.) Really enjoying the book so far, and I thank you for it. So, Ben, I’m about a third of the way through and have a question that’s going to come off as overly critical, but really, it’s just a question: I’ve noticed two errors so far (at least, they’re errors IMHO). How much copyediting did you do? Did you decide to present the text exactly as LMM turned it in, or is it, um, more of an oversight?

(Errors: reference to Charlie Pye, which, while possible, I think was meant to be Charlie Sloane; reference to kids acting out death of Edith Cavell, which didn’t happen until WWI, not when Nan and Di were children.)

Really enjoying the book so far, and I thank you for it.

]]> Comment on Announcement: The Blythes Are Quoted by nelle http://roomofbensown.net/2009/04/announcement-the-blythes-are-quoted/comment-page-1/#comment-2421 nelle Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:06:38 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=380#comment-2421 Hi Ben, I'm an avid fan of Lucy Maud and Anne Shirley... I'm overwhelmed to have the Anne series will have finally a finale! Anyway, how can I order with your signature? I hope you won't charge too much:) By the way, I am in the Philippines, I know it will take some time to have a copy of that here in my country. But I really want to have your personal signature on my copy! :D Nelle Hi Ben,

I’m an avid fan of Lucy Maud and Anne Shirley…

I’m overwhelmed to have the Anne series will have finally a finale! Anyway, how can I order with your signature? I hope you won’t charge too much:)

By the way, I am in the Philippines, I know it will take some time to have a copy of that here in my country. But I really want to have your personal signature on my copy! :D

Nelle

]]> Comment on Announcement: The Blythes Are Quoted by Benjamin http://roomofbensown.net/2009/04/announcement-the-blythes-are-quoted/comment-page-1/#comment-2335 Benjamin Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:22:22 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=380#comment-2335 Hi Nicole, <em>The Blythes Are Quoted</em> will initially be available in a Canadian edition only, which you can order through Amazon.ca or through your local bookstore. As soon as plans for a U.S. edition of the book are confirmed, I'll add that information to the website. Benjamin Hi Nicole,

The Blythes Are Quoted will initially be available in a Canadian edition only, which you can order through Amazon.ca or through your local bookstore. As soon as plans for a U.S. edition of the book are confirmed, I’ll add that information to the website.

Benjamin

]]> Comment on Announcement: The Blythes Are Quoted by Nicole http://roomofbensown.net/2009/04/announcement-the-blythes-are-quoted/comment-page-1/#comment-2334 Nicole Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:49:42 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=380#comment-2334 Where will this be available? I'm searching the web for it right now, it's not on US Amazon. Where will this be available? I’m searching the web for it right now, it’s not on US Amazon.

]]> Comment on Announcement: The Blythes Are Quoted by Romantist http://roomofbensown.net/2009/04/announcement-the-blythes-are-quoted/comment-page-1/#comment-506 Romantist Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:45:22 +0000 http://roomofbensown.net/?p=380#comment-506 I've known you by Yuka. I'm Indiana, you know. I apologize that I bothered you at some site. Congraturations, your new books. I’ve known you by Yuka. I’m Indiana, you know.
I apologize that I bothered you at some site.
Congraturations, your new books.

]]>